Senior Technical Support Specialist

City of Philadelphia
Full_time$55k-67k/year (USD)Philadelphia, United States

📍 Job Overview

  • Job Title: Senior Technical Support Specialist
  • Company: City of Philadelphia
  • Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
  • Job Type: On-site, Full-time
  • Category: IT Support & Helpdesk
  • Date Posted: June 26, 2025
  • Experience Level: Intermediate (2-5 years)
  • Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

  • 📝 Enhancement Note: This role involves advanced technical support and troubleshooting, requiring strong problem-solving skills and expertise in various technologies.

  • Serve as a point of escalation for complex technical issues, providing expert-level support to customers.

  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure high-quality customer support and resolve recurring issues.

  • Mentor and train junior support staff, contributing to the continuous improvement of support processes.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

  • 📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities focus on advanced troubleshooting, customer interaction, and knowledge management, emphasizing the candidate's technical expertise and communication skills.

  • Advanced Troubleshooting: Provide expert-level support to customers experiencing complex technical issues, including software, hardware, and networking problems.

  • Customer Interaction: Communicate directly with customers via phone, email, or chat to understand their technical problems, provide solutions, and ensure a high level of customer satisfaction.

  • Escalation Management: Act as a point of escalation for technical issues that require a higher level of expertise and work closely with other departments to resolve issues.

  • Issue Resolution: Collaborate with central OIT teams to identify and resolve recurring issues, contribute to bug fixes, and suggest product improvements.

  • Documentation and Knowledge Management: Maintain accurate records of customer interactions, technical issues, and resolutions. Update internal knowledge base and create detailed documentation for common problems and solutions.

  • Training and Mentorship: Mentor and train junior support staff, providing guidance on troubleshooting techniques, customer interaction, and system knowledge.

  • Process Improvement: Contribute to the continuous improvement of support processes, tools, and workflows to increase team efficiency and improve customer service.

  • Product Feedback: Gather customer feedback on product functionality and suggest areas for improvement to the product development team.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

  • High School Diploma, GED, or other equivalents.

Experience:

  • Minimum 3-year experience in a Help Desk environment.

Required Skills:

  • Strong written and oral communication skills.
  • Principles of quality assurance, performance monitoring, and customer focus.
  • Principles of equality and ITIL Service Management.

Preferred Skills:

  • Relevant certifications such as MCSE, CCNP, VCAP, CCNA, or A+ certified.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

📝 Enhancement Note: As this role focuses on technical support and troubleshooting, a portfolio is not explicitly required. However, demonstrating problem-solving skills and customer support experience through past projects or case studies can be beneficial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $55,000 - $67,000 per year

  • Starting salary determined based on experience and qualifications.

Benefits:

  • Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
  • Wellness program offering eligibility into the discounted medical plan.
  • Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
  • Generous retirement savings options.
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness program eligibility.
  • Free commute on SEPTA (Starting September 1, 2023).
  • Tuition discounts and scholarships through partnerships with local colleges and universities.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

  • Industry: Government
  • Company Size: Large (over 30,000 employees)
  • Founded: The City of Philadelphia was founded in 1682.

Team Structure:

  • The Office of Innovation & Technology (OIT) is the central IT agency for the City of Philadelphia, headed by the Chief Information Officer (CIO).
  • OIT oversees all major information and communications technology initiatives for the City of Philadelphia, increasing the effectiveness of the information technology infrastructure.
  • The team consists of various departments and agencies, collaborating to provide advanced, optimized, and responsive technology services to the City's businesses, residents, and visitors.

Development Methodology:

  • The City of Philadelphia values innovation, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work.
  • OIT follows ITIL Service Management principles to ensure data security, continuity, and accountable, efficient, and effective government across every city department, board, commission, and agency.

Company Website: https://www.phila.gov/

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

  • Web Technology Career Level: Intermediate (2-5 years)
  • Reporting Structure: The Senior Technical Support Specialist reports directly to the Support Team Lead or Manager within the Office of Innovation & Technology (OIT).
  • Technical Impact: This role has a significant impact on the quality of customer support provided by the City of Philadelphia, ensuring that residents and businesses receive efficient and effective technical assistance.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Growth Opportunity 1: With experience and strong performance, candidates can advance to a Team Lead or Manager role within the support team or explore other opportunities within the Office of Innovation & Technology (OIT).
  • Growth Opportunity 2: The City of Philadelphia offers various training and development programs, enabling employees to expand their skillsets and take on new challenges.
  • Growth Opportunity 3: As the City of Philadelphia continues to grow and innovate, there may be opportunities to contribute to emerging technology projects and initiatives.

🌐 Work Environment

  • Office Type: The City of Philadelphia has multiple office locations, with the primary office for this role at 1401 John F Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
  • Office Location(s): The City of Philadelphia has numerous offices and facilities throughout the city, with the primary office for this role located in Center City.
  • Workspace Context:
    • The City of Philadelphia offers a vibrant and dynamic work environment, with opportunities for collaboration and professional growth.
    • Support team members work in an open office setting, fostering teamwork and knowledge sharing.
    • The office provides access to necessary tools and resources for effective technical support and troubleshooting.

Work Schedule:

  • The City of Philadelphia operates on a standard business hours schedule, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
  • The Senior Technical Support Specialist role may require occasional evening or weekend work to address critical customer issues or system maintenance.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

  • Interview Process:
    1. Phone or video screening to assess communication skills and technical proficiency.
    2. In-depth technical interview focusing on troubleshooting skills, customer support experience, and problem-solving abilities.
    3. Final interview with the Support Team Lead or Manager to discuss fit within the team and the Office of Innovation & Technology (OIT).
  • Portfolio Review Tips:
    • As this role focuses on technical support and troubleshooting, a portfolio is not explicitly required. However, candidates can demonstrate their problem-solving skills and customer support experience through past projects or case studies.
  • Technical Challenge Preparation:
    • Familiarize yourself with common technical support and troubleshooting scenarios.
    • Brush up on your customer support skills and communication techniques.
    • Research the City of Philadelphia's technology infrastructure and Office of Innovation & Technology (OIT) to showcase your understanding of the organization's technology needs.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

  • As this role focuses on technical support and troubleshooting, there is no specific technology stack required. However, candidates should have experience with various technologies, including:
    • Operating systems: Windows, macOS, Linux
    • Software: Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, customer relationship management (CRM) software
    • Hardware: Desktops, laptops, mobile devices, printers, and other peripheral devices
    • Networking: Local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), wireless networks, and VPNs
    • Troubleshooting tools: Remote desktop software, diagnostic tools, and system monitoring tools

👥 Team Culture & Values

  • Web Development Values:
    • The City of Philadelphia values innovation, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work.
    • The Office of Innovation & Technology (OIT) follows ITIL Service Management principles to ensure data security, continuity, and accountable, efficient, and effective government across every city department, board, commission, and agency.
  • Collaboration Style:
    • The City of Philadelphia encourages cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing among its various departments and agencies.
    • The Office of Innovation & Technology (OIT) fosters a collaborative environment, with team members working together to provide advanced, optimized, and responsive technology services to the City's businesses, residents, and visitors.

📈 Challenges & Growth Opportunities

  • Technical Challenges:
    • Addressing complex technical issues and providing expert-level support to customers.
    • Resolving recurring issues and contributing to bug fixes and product improvements.
    • Staying up-to-date with the latest technologies and best practices in technical support and troubleshooting.
  • Learning & Development Opportunities:
    • The City of Philadelphia offers various training and development programs, enabling employees to expand their skillsets and take on new challenges.
    • Attend industry conferences, workshops, and webinars to stay current with emerging technologies and best practices in technical support and troubleshooting.

💡 Interview Preparation

  • Technical Questions:
    • Describe a complex technical issue you've resolved in the past and the steps you took to diagnose and fix the problem.
    • How do you approach customer interactions when dealing with frustrated or upset customers?
    • Can you walk us through your process for documenting and managing technical issues and resolutions?
  • Company & Culture Questions:
    • Why are you interested in working for the City of Philadelphia, and specifically in the Office of Innovation & Technology (OIT)?
    • How do you see yourself contributing to the City of Philadelphia's mission and the Office of Innovation & Technology (OIT)'s goals?
    • How do you approach working collaboratively with other departments and agencies within the City of Philadelphia?

📌 Application Steps To apply for this Senior Technical Support Specialist position:

  1. Submit your application through the provided link.
  2. Prepare a cover letter clarifying your interest and qualifications for the role.
  3. Tailor your resume to highlight your relevant experience and skills in technical support and troubleshooting.
  4. Familiarize yourself with the City of Philadelphia's technology infrastructure and Office of Innovation & Technology (OIT) to showcase your understanding of the organization's technology needs.
  5. Prepare for the phone or video screening, in-depth technical interview, and final interview with the Support Team Lead or Manager.

📝 Enhancement Note: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web development/server administration industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Application Requirements

Candidates must have a High School Diploma or equivalent and one or more relevant certifications. A minimum of 3 years of experience in a Help Desk environment is required.