L3 Application Support

Summary

Join the NCI Agency as an L3 Application Support Engineer (HR Applications) to provide ongoing support for the NBAC Business Area's Personnel Management Application Service. This role ensures continued L3 support for existing HR applications and offers expert guidance on other Business Applications. The position involves configuring and supporting various COTS applications, troubleshooting software issues, managing incidents, and providing user training. The work is performed in sprints, with a mix of on-site and remote work (50% on-site in Braine-l’Alleud, Belgium). The contract runs from September 2025 to December 2025, with options to extend through 2028. A NATO Secret security clearance is required.

Requirements

• Understanding of end-user devices (desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones) running Windows OS, Android OS and Apple iPhones/iPads
• Expert knowledge of Linux server infrastructure, Windows server infrastructure and Active Directory
• Expert knowledge of Microsoft SQL Server 2016-2022 and IIS based web servers
• Expert knowledge of networking infrastructure
• Strong background of cloud technologies and deployment
• Expert knowledge of PKI
• Deep understanding of NCIA and NATO security directives and regulations, along with understanding of industry best practices and standards
• Familiarity with Microsoft services and tools, including Outlook, Teams, SharePoint
• Experience and good knowledge of the following COTS technology: GENPACT Sequence Kinetics or Sequence Cora; CITI Manage ID;  RLDATIX DefenceSuite / OneView
• Experience in human resource (HR) IT applications related to personnel, posts, organizations, identity management and badges
• Experience (at least two years) in various areas of Software Engineering including some of the following:  Requirements elicitation and management (including non-functional requirements for Operations & Maintenance);  SW change management and testing;  Application release and deployment management; Configuration management practices and tools; Application Lifecycle Management concept and tools
• Knowledge of NATO HR processes
• Knowledge and experience in state-of-the-art technologies, relevant to software engineering:  Technologies and standards (at least 4 of them): HTML5, REST Services, Web Services, XML, SQL, Visual Basic for Applications; Application server technologies and Relational data base management systems; programming languages and platforms like .NET, C#, JAVA, JavaScript
• Strong troubleshooting skills to diagnose and resolve hardware, software, and network issues
• Ability to guide users through problem-solving steps effectively
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Full proficiency in English
• Ability to communicate technical information to non-technical users in a clear and concise manner
• Strong customer service focus with a commitment to user satisfaction
• Patience and empathy when dealing with user issues and concerns
• Ability to manage multiple support tickets and prioritize tasks effectively
• Attention to detail in documenting support activities and maintaining accurate records
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and share knowledge and resources
• Willingness to collaborate with colleagues to solve complex issues
• The candidate has strong customer relationship skills, including negotiating complex and sensitive situations under pressure
• The candidate must have the nationality of one of the NATO nations
• The candidate must possess a NATO Secret Security Clearance or national equivalent
• Prior experience of working in an international environment comprising both military and civilian elements

Responsibilities

• Configure CI/CD Pipelines
• Manage EntraID Groups and Roles
• Manage and configure different Cloud components
• Provide third-level support for end-user queries
• Troubleshoot and resolve software issues, ensuring minimal disruption to users
• Troubleshoot and resolve software problems, ensuring efficient use of resources and problem resolution
• Log and track support incidents using the helpdesk ticketing system
• Ensure all tickets are updated with accurate and detailed information and resolved within the agreed service levels
• Escalate complex issues to vendor support or appropriate teams when necessary
• Follow up on escalated issues to ensure timely resolution and user satisfaction
• Contribute to the creation and maintenance of a knowledge base, documenting common issues and solutions
• Share knowledge and best practices with team members to improve overall service quality
• Provide users with guidance and training on best practices for using HR Applications
• Promote self-service tools and resources to empower users and reduce support requests
• Controlling, managing and providing access to the restricted areas managed by the business area
• Ensuring the proper functionality and security of software and hardware managed by the NBAC
• Monitoring HR Applications and other software managed by NBAC by identifying and reporting any problems with the infrastructure, hardware and software applications
• Controlling and checking compliance with security regulations laid down by NCIA and NATO on the use of software and hardware which is part of the NBAC services
• Communicate effectively with users to understand their issues and provide clear instructions
• Collaborate with IT teams to resolve issues and improve service delivery
• Complete the activities/tasks agreed in each spring meeting as per sections 2 and 3 above
• Produce sprint completion reports (format: e-mail update), which include details of activities performed and the list of the deliverables of the week
• The contractor will participate in the daily reporting and planning activities (daily stand-ups) as well as the required participation in workshops, events and conferences related to the supported services, as requested by the service delivery manager
• Plan the objectives for the upcoming sprint
• Conduct a monthly meeting with the contractor to plan the objectives of upcoming sprints and review contractor`s manpower to meet the agreed deliverables
• Define clear, achievable goals for the sprint and associated acceptance criteria, including specific delivery targets, Quality standards as well as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each task to be recorded in the sprint meeting minutes
• Agree on the required level of effort for the various sprint tasks
• Review and prioritise the backlog of tasks, issues, and improvements from previous sprints
• Assess each payment milestone cycle duration of one calendar month. State of completion and validation of each sprint status and sign off sprints to be submitted for payment as covered in Section 5
• Contractor to execute the agreed “sprint plans” with continuous monitoring and adjustments
• Regular meetings between NCIA and the contractor to review sprint progress, address issues, and make necessary adjustments to the processes or production methodology. The Meetings will be physically in the office
• Contractor to establish a continuous feedback loop to gather input from all stakeholders for ongoing improvements and their subsequent implementation depending on NCIA approval
• Contractor to use a shared dashboard or tool to track the status of the sprint deliveries and any issues
• Contractor shall ensure that the quality standards agreed for the sprint deliverables are maintained throughout the sprint
• NCIA to perform the Final Quality Control of the agreed deliverables and provide feedback on any issues
• Review the sprint performance and identify areas for improvement
• At the end of each sprint, there will be a meeting between the NCIA and the Contractor to review the outcomes against the acceptance criteria comprising sprint goals, agreed quality criteria and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Define specific actions to address issues and enhance the next sprint
• At the end of the month, for the completed and accepted sprints within the month (max 4 sprints), the contractor must report the outcome of their service during the sprint, first verbally during the retrospective sprint review meeting and then in writing within five days after the 4th sprint’s end date
• A report must be sent by email to the NCIA service manager, listing all the service achieved against the agreed tasking list set for the sprint
• The contractor’s personnel shall participate in daily status update meetings, activity planning and other meetings as instructed, physically in the office, or in person via electronic means using Conference Call capabilities, according to the Service Delivery Manager / Team Leaders instructions
• At the end of the project, the Contractor shall provide a Project Closure Report that is summarizing the activities during the period of performance at high level
• A daily ‘touch point’ between NCIA POC and the contractor’s POC to ensure service is on track
• Draft versions of the reports where the supplier’s POC presents the draft report to the customer, with the opportunity for the customer to provide feedback and implement uplifts
• Final versions of the reports where the incumbent presents and delivers the final report to the customer

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in COTS application deployment and support
• Strong background in cloud technologies (Azure/AWS)
• Proven experience in configuring and supporting: RLDatix - DefenceSuite / OneView (APMS), Creative Information Technology – manageID (AMIS), PNMSoft Sequence
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills
• The ability to document processes and provide training on tools and best practices
• French language proficiency is of advantage

Benefits

• 50% Time On-Site
• Remote work, up to 50%
• Monthly payment for completed and accepted sprints
• Travel costs from off-site to Braine L'Alleud included in sprint costs