Operational Support Technician

Job description The Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) administers pensions for Scottish Teachers, Police, Firefighters' and National Health Service employees on behalf of the Scottish Government. We're responsible for protecting the financial futures of over half a million people , that’s around 1 in 10 people in Scotland. If you’re looking for meaningful work, a supportive environment and a career with purpose, you’ll find it at the SPPA. Our office is based in Tweedbank in the Scottish Borders, the train station is a short two minute walk away and offers regular services to and from Edinburgh Waverley, making it a convenient and well connected location for commuters. The surrounding area offers access to green space, walking routes and a strong sense of local community, supporting wellbeing both in and outside of work. Our modern office building is designed to support flexible and collaborative working, with spaces for teamwork, quiet focus and hybrid working. Colleagues benefit from a comfortable, welcoming environment that reflects our commitment to wellbeing and inclusion. The Operational Support Team are responsible for delivering high-quality system support to our users across all areas of SPPA, covering NHS, Teachers, Police & Fire Schemes. The Team has recently moved to Operational Service Delivery and will be taking on additional responsibility for other Operational Systems such as Liberty and Engage. We are continuing to develop a close working relationship with our SPPA Continuous Improvement and Business Transformation colleagues, and an important part of our role is to build and maintain relationships with our Pensions Administration provider Heywood in respect of Altair. In the Operational Support Technician role, you will act as the first point of contact for the majority of Operational Service Delivery system enquiries. The team works in a fast-paced environment where we manage queries from team colleagues and incidents that need investigation and resolution. You will provide technical support and guidance to users across SPPA. This role ensures that the services are managed efficiently and professionally, with a strong focus on customer service, system reliability, and issue resolution. A key aspect of this role involves maintaining a strong, collaborative relationship with our system providers. You will act as a liaison for any reported support cases, helping to ensure timely resolution of issues and continuous service improvement Responsibilities Helpdesk Incident Management & SLA Ownership - Take full ownership of Helpdesk calls for the Altair pension administration system, ensuring incidents are investigated, resolved, or progressed in line with agreed SLAs while proactively keeping users informed of progress. Defect Investigation & Supplier Liaison - Investigate system defects arising from Helpdesk calls and quarterly Altair release testing by analysing evidence, identifying root causes where possible, and raising issues with Heywood for further investigation and resolution. Defect & Change Management - Manage defects and service requests through the IT Helpdesk and Heywood’s Sostenuto portal, collaborating with colleagues, stakeholders, and suppliers to ensure timely resolution. Own all Altair change requests, ensuring the Altair Change Management Process is followed from testing through to implementation across all eight Altair services. System Upgrade Support - Support the Operational Support Manager with the planning and coordination of quarterly Altair releases, ensuring Operations Support Team testing is completed and any issues are addressed prior to release. Continuous Improvement, Training & Service Enhancement - Working closely with the Continuous Improvement Team to promote a culture of best practice by implementing in-house system and process enhancements across Operational teams and the wider agency. Ensure appropriate testing is completed and work collaboratively with the Technical Training Team to support the successful rollout and adoption of new system functionality. System Administration & Maintenance - Complete monthly Altair housekeeping and maintenance routines. Maintain and update all Altair documentation, task structures, and workflow processes. Project & Implementation Support - Provide systems support to SPPA projects, including the rollout of new software, system upgrades, and enhanced Altair functionality, ensuring successful implementation and transition into operational use. Professional Development & Subject Matter Expertise - Take responsibility for personal development by maintaining an active development plan. Build and maintain strong Operational System knowledge, acting as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to colleagues and stakeholders. Success profile Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of behaviours, experience and technical criteria (if applicable) that candidates will be assessed on. Technical / Professional Skills: Data and Insight – Working You can find out more about the skills required, here: Experience Experience of providing effective system support to a wide range of customers and stakeholders through both face-to-face and digital channels. Proven ability to build positive working relationships, understand user needs, resolve queries efficiently, and deliver excellent customer service while ensuring business systems are used effectively and support requirements are met in a timely manner. Behaviours: Communicating and Influencing – Level 2 Working Together – Level 2 Changing and Improving – Level 2 Find out more about Success Profiles . How to apply Apply online, providing a CV and supporting statement (of no more than 750 words) providing evidence of how you meet the behaviours, experience and technical skills listed in the Success Profile above. Both the CV and the supporting statement provided will be assessed against the criteria for the role. Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment. If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and in tray exercise. Sifting will commence from 31st August 2026. Assessments are scheduled for w/c 7th or 14th September 2026 , however this may be subject to change. If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an in-person interview and assessment at the SPPA office in Tweedbank. Recruitment Principles As a government organisation, we adhere to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and we investigate any complaints received in relation to recruitment cases. About us At the SPPA, we are committed to The Fair Work Framework This means offering: Security and stability Flexible and hybrid working options Opportunities to learn and develop A respectful and inclusive working environment At SPPA we want our workforce to be representative of Scottish society and we strive to be a workplace where people are welcomed and valued for the contribution they make. We support flexible working and encourage applications from people from all backgrounds, including those starting their careers, changing careers, or returning to work. We are committed to removing any barriers to applying for our jobs and aim to offer support and make reasonable adjustments to allow full participation in the recruitment process. Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service observing the Civil Service Code and working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland. We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer . As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules . You can also find out more about careers at the SPPA here - SPPA Careers | SPPA (pensions.gov.scot ) Working Pattern Our standard hours are 35 hours per week. We offer a range of flexible and hybrid working options, with two days minimum working on site at SPPA. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us. Security Checks Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions). Skilled Worker sponsorship is not available for this role. As a result, we are unable to appoint candidates who require Skilled Worker sponsorship now or in the future. Applicants must have an existing and ongoing right to work in the UK . You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website , or read about the different levels of security checks in our Candidate Guide . Equality Statement We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation. Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them. Further Information Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website . Read our Candidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes. We will hold a reserve list for this post for 12 months. Apply Before: 30th August 2026 (23:59) - This role is open to internal candidates, OGD and Common Citizenship organisations only. (internal & OGD)