ROLE SPECIFICATION IT Helpdesk Technician Context Morrison’s Academy is a friendly, family-oriented day school in the heart of rural Perthshire. Generations of Morrisonians have benefited from the school’s rich blend of academic, artistic and sporting experiences, going on to make their mark on the world as Olympic athletes, ground-breaking scientists, award-winning actors, adventurers, politicians and professionals. Our long tradition of academic success in boys and girls from 2 to 18 continues today with a contemporary Scottish curriculum and a programme of independent, child-centred learning that builds emotional intelligence, creativity and life skills, and encourages every child to strive for their highest. Our school roll of 550 young people and over 120 staff are all active members of the local community, and we all know and support one another, working together as a team to put pupils and parents first. We embody this culture in everything we do, delivering excellence in teaching and nurturing the individual to encourage every child to flourish. The School is committed to our programme of ongoing development and modernisation. Our cutting-edge Nursery sets the standard for excellence at our main campus in the centre of Crieff, and our newly-completed all-weather pitch allows year-round matches and training at our off-site outdoor sports campus. There is also a detailed plan of redevelopment and restoration to the school’s magnificent original buildings, erected when the school was founded in 1860. Our young people are a delight to teach, and the staff and governors are helpful and supportive. Crieff is a vibrant community in a beautiful part of the country, at the gateway to the Highlands and in easy reach of the Central Belt. The Morrison’s family is friendly and progressive; we have high expectations of one another and the confidence to encourage innovation. We are committed to the career-long professional learning of all our staff. Our programme of Performance Reviews and generous CLPL budget promotes continuous improvement within and beyond the classroom, with plenty of scope for colleagues to pursue interests and specialisms. IT Helpdesk Technician Role: You will be responsible for all first line IT support within the school and will play a role in maintaining our IT infrastructure, troubleshooting issues, and ensuring that our pupils, teaching staff and operational teams have reliable access to the resources required. Essential : Excellent interpersonal, communication, planning, organisational, and administrative skills Strong numeracy and literacy skills Previous experience in an IT support role Excellent first-line diagnostic skills Experience installing and servicing IT equipment Familiarity with legislative compliance, particularly IT security and GDPR Desirable: Educated to HNC or BSc level (or equivalent experience) in a related scientific or technical discipline Experience working in an educational environment or working/volunteering with children. Experience with the following: Windows desktop and server operating systems Virtualised Server environment (VMWare) Google Workspace for Education Networking Veeam Backup Installation and administration of Linux This role is perfect for someone with technical skills, a passion for problem-solving, and a desire to support a thriving educational environment. The ideal candidate should be highly organised, with a strong technical background in helpdesk management and user support. Patience, a positive attitude, and a commitment to giving excellent customer service. Principal tasks: IT Support and Help Desk Services Provide first line IT support to staff, pupils, and parents, efficiently resolving technical issues. Manage and respond to IT Help Desk queries professionally Deliver staff IT inductions in the use of the school’s IT systems and platforms. Manage the setup and provide support for secure digital assessments and examinations. Provide occasional out-of-hours technical support for IT, for example school events, examinations, or system upgrades. Work collaboratively with the Network and Cybersecurity Engineer to deliver continuity of service during periods of annual leave or other absence. Cybersecurity and Data Protection Assist in monitoring IT security and safeguarding systems Support cybersecurity and GDPR compliance across digital systems. Ensure secure handling and storage of sensitive school data and digital assessments. System Administration and Infrastructure Support Windows Server environments, deploy software packages, and manage updates. Assist with managing user accounts, permissions, and access control for various systems and applications. Support the Mobile Device Management (MDM) platform for Apple device deployment. Assist in managing the on-premise LAMP server for Computing Science. Provide technical support for communal areas, including the Memorial Hall, and ensure smooth IT and network operations during school events. IT Projects and System Development Contribute to the planning and execution of IT infrastructure upgrades and hardware installations. Support the implementation of new systems in line with school requirements. IT Asset Management Perform hardware and software installations, maintenance, and upgrades. Maintain the IT asset register. Manage IT inventory, including goods-in, servicing, spare parts, and consumables. Ensure compliance with software licensing agreements. Documentation Document IT systems, workflows, and best practices. Contribute to the development of user guides and training resources for the school community. Comply with health and safety regulations, including manual handling and promote safe practices in all IT operations. Hours of Work 35 hours per week, typically worked between 08:15 and 16:45, with core hours being 08:20 to 09:00 to support peak demand. Leave Entitlement Leave should normally be scheduled during school holiday periods to minimise disruption, unless otherwise agreed with the Senior Leadership Team. Salary Scale Salary will be linked to the Morrison’s Academy Operational Staff Pay Scale commensurate with experience. What is it like to work at Morrison’s Academy? Teacher of Modern Foreign Languages - Sam Thiel joined Morrison’s Academy August 2022 “Ever since I first entered the beautiful school grounds on the morning of my interview, the stunning scenery and family feel at Morrison’s Academy have never ceased to amaze me. Having worked with young people in different countries and a variety of educational settings I wanted to take the next step in my teaching career in an ambitious and innovative school. While I must admit that the thought of transitioning to the independent sector and joining a school with such a long tradition of academic success may have been daunting at first, I am grateful for all the amazing opportunities I have been given and for the fantastic pupils and colleagues I have been working with since I started teaching at Morrison’s Academy in 2022. The strong connections with my students and their curiosity as well as the inspiring commitment of my colleagues and how much they care about our pupils make a real difference in my work as a teacher. When you speak to our students and staff, you will sense that the school values at Morrison’s are not just words on our walls but what we aim to be. Our pupils are always striving for the highest, and the small class sizes and excellent equipment in our school allow me to fully support them in achieving their potential and in developing as people. I can inspire their love for languages in my lessons, build meaningful relationships with them during Form Time, provide individual support as a mentor, and get involved in the wide range of co-curricular activities we offer to help pupils develop their interests and talents - all while continuing my own professional development and contributing to the development of our school, e.g. in the Pioneer Teachers and our Teaching & Learning Groups. By organising our exchange with a German school I can also show my pupils where I grew up and how languages help them experience different cultures and meet new people! Having moved to nearby Stirlingshire and enjoying the scenic drive to Crieff every day, I can honestly say that Morrison’s has become my new home away from home, and if you are also looking for a school which blends history with vision and tradition with innovation and where you can work with wonderful pupils and amazing colleagues, joining Morrison’s Academy will certainly be the perfect opportunity for you to thrive inside and outside your classroom.” Alex Wylie, Head of Geography, Teaching and Learning Coordinator Joined Morrison’s Academy August 2010 “I joined Morrison’s back in 2010 after having spent my career working in urban schools in both London and Glasgow. It is fair to say that the location of this school makes it the polar opposite to the environments I was used to working in. The setting of this school is spectacular and is very much woven into the fabric of the life of this school. Our setting affords staff and students the opportunity to engage in a wide range of activities not available to those in urban settings and our clubs and social activities reflect this. I myself now run a range of academic focused field trips that make use of this setting but more than that I have the opportunity to take a running club out into the hills every week. The wider life of our school reflects this rural setting as all staff are afforded the freedom to pursue their personal interests through engaging in our co-curricular programme. Another aspect of life at Morrison’s that quickly struck me was the interconnections between our Primary and Secondary and within my first week, I was working with Primary classes and colleagues either in my role as a Geography teacher or as part of our Learning for Life Program. As a consequence of this, our younger students already know the senior school and its teachers before they even move up. The final aspect that you quickly become aware of at Morrison’s is the range of opportunities you get as a staff member to develop your practice, especially important for those interested in career development. Whole school policies are often directed by staff members and developments are widely consulted on with working groups meeting regularly to drive forward school initiatives. This gives staff the opportunity to engage in leadership as well as develop their own practise. This is supported by a thriving Teaching and Learning development group that helps steer pedagogy in our school as well as a Pioneer Teachers group that engages in reading around key themes in education. Where I work and the young people I get to work with everyday is why I am still here after 13 years.” Emma Hamilton, Teacher of Art, Joined Morrison’s Academy August 2020 “I arrived to teach at Morrison's in perhaps the most challenging of times, literally thrown into online teaching as the pandemic hit. I immediately felt part of Morrison's "family" despite the difficult circumstances as in a tight knit small school, there is a great sense of community and collegiate support. Speaking from the experience of teaching in a number of state schools, the other difference which was marked for me was classroom behaviour and being able to share the enjoyment and knowledge I have of my subject with pupils who are keen and eager to learn.`` Katy Grassick, Teacher Assistant Primary joined Morrison’s Academy in February 2017 “Morrison's Academy has given me the opportunity to train and progress in my role, beyond what I had ever expected when I first accepted a job here. Our school instantly has the feel of a small community from the moment you first walk through the gates. Our families are keen to be active in their children's schooling and are delighted to be involved in any way that they can. I work within a kind, supportive team who are always willing to share their experience and knowledge. We all aspire to give these incredible children an excellent education in the classroom and prepare them for life beyond Morrison's Academy. Everyday I am inspired by my colleagues' teaching and everyday is full of variety and fresh challenges. Most of all, I am lucky to be involved in educating children who are filled with such wonder and joy at learning. The children are at the heart of everything we do at this school.” Catriona Elliott, Admissions Registrar joined Morrison’s Academy in September 2010 “I joined Morrison’s Academy, initially working part-time in the Reception. This was my first time working in education and I enjoyed it so much that when the position in Admissions became available, I applied for it. I really enjoy working here, with the pupils and my lovely colleagues. My role gives me the right balance of challenge and job satisfaction, while working on a beautiful campus in a wonderful part of the country. No two days are ever quite the same - one day I might be organising a school tour or taster days, the next I’m supporting a family through the application process or helping prepare for an Open Morning. What I find most rewarding is meeting and supporting new pupils as they join the school. It’s a privilege to see them settle in, flourish, and to stay connected with their families as part of the Morrison’s Academy community. I also value the collaboration with staff across the school - everyone works together to make the admissions process as welcoming and smooth as possible. Genuinely, Morrison’s Academy provides that family feel that we all work collectively to build and maintain, and I feel very proud to play my part in that.”