Technical Support Team Lead

About Kinetic

At Kinetic we’re redefining operational excellence in higher education, conferencing, and events. As the leading provider of software solutions for student accommodation, event management, catering, and residential services, we help institutions streamline operations, elevate customer experiences, and unlock their full potential.

With over 25 years of experience and trusted by more than 350 institutions worldwide, our software empowers universities and venues to run smarter, faster, and more collaboratively. From bustling campuses to dynamic corporate environments, our technology adapts to the rhythm of each organisation — helping them thrive in a fast-changing world.

But we’re more than just software. We’re a team of passionate problem-solvers, innovators, and collaborators who care deeply about our customers and each other. Our culture is built on empowerment, community, and continuous growth. We believe in giving people the tools, support, and freedom to do their best work — and have fun while doing it.

Joining Kinetic means being part of a purpose-driven business where your ideas matter, your development is supported, and your impact is real. If you’re ready to help shape the future of operational technology in education and events, we’d love to meet you.

The Role

As the Team Lead, you provide both technical leadership and people management for the most senior members of the customer support organisation. You manage the Senior Support Analysts and 3rd Line Developers, ensuring technical excellence while developing their skills and career progression. You serve as the technical escalation point for the entire support team and work closely with the Customer Support Manager to drive strategy, process improvements, and team development.

This role requires deep technical expertise combined with people leadership skills. You balance hands-on technical work on the most complex issues with coaching, mentoring, and developing your direct reports.

What You’ll Be Doing

People Management

• Manage and develop Senior Support Analysts (3-4 people) and 3rd Line Developers (2 people)

• Conduct regular 1-on-1s and provide ongoing coaching and feedback

• Set clear goals and performance expectations aligned with team objectives

• Manage performance issues and development plans as needed

• Support career development and progression planning for direct reports

• Participate in recruitment and hiring for senior technical roles

• Foster a positive, collaborative team culture focused on technical excellence

Technical Leadership

• Serve as final technical escalation point for the entire support organisation

• Lead resolution of the most complex technical issues across all systems

• Provide technical guidance to Senior Support Analysts and 3rd Line Developers

• Make technical decisions on complex customer issues or system problems

• Lead critical incident response and post-incident reviews

• Ensure technical quality and consistency across the team's work

• Stay current on platform changes, new features, and technical developments

Strategic Contribution

• Work closely with Customer Support Manager on team strategy and direction

• Contribute to process improvements and operational excellence initiatives

• Identify systemic issues and work with Product/Engineering on solutions

• Provide technical input on roadmap prioritisation and customer impact

• Represent Support in technical meetings with Product and Engineering

• Analyse metrics and trends to identify improvement opportunities

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Build strong relationships with Product, Engineering, and other technical teams

• Advocate for customer needs in technical discussions and prioritisation

• Collaborate on knowledge transfer and documentation with other departments

• Participate in cross-functional projects and initiatives

What You’ll Bring

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Advanced technical expertise across multiple domains and systems

• 7+ years experience in technical support, development, or engineering roles

• 2+ years people management or team leadership experience

• Proven ability to manage and develop senior technical staff

• Strong problem-solving and technical decision-making skills

• Excellent communication skills for all audiences

• Experience leading incident response and critical issue resolution

• Strategic thinking and ability to balance tactical and strategic priorities

• Collaborative approach to working across departments

• Track record of driving process improvements and operational excellence

• Strong expertise in HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

• Proven ability to deliver accessible web pages that meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA.

• Confident working across multiple browsers and devices with consistent results.

• Good knowledge of SQL and relational databases, ideally SQL Server.

• Competence in server side development using C Sharp or a similar object oriented language.

• Understanding of secure development practices aligned with OWASP guidelines.

• Experience with GIT based workflows and version control.

Nice to Have

• Previous Team Lead or Management experience in technical support

• Development or engineering background

• Experience with Kinetic systems or similar SaaS platforms

• Project management experience or certification

• Experience managing remote or distributed teams

• Technical training or coaching experience

• Knowledge of Delphy platform

• SQL expertise

Tools & Systems

• Full administrative access to all support tools and systems

• Production access as needed for complex troubleshooting

• Leapsome (performance management)

• Workday (HR and people management)

• Jira, Confluence, Salesforce, CASPA, BitWarden

• System logs, diagnostic tools, and platform access

Key relationships

Reports to: Customer Support Manager

Direct Reports: 3-4 Senior Support Analysts, 2 3rd Line Developers

Key Partners: Product Management, Engineering, CLOPS, Professional Services, Technical Success

What Success Looks Like

• Senior Support Analysts and 3rd Line Developers are engaged, growing, and performing well

• Complex technical issues are resolved efficiently with high quality

• Team members receive regular feedback and clear career development support

• Technical standards and quality are consistently high

• Strong relationships exist with Product and Engineering

• Customer Support Manager has confidence in technical escalations

• Team culture is positive, collaborative, and focused on continuous improvement

• Critical incidents are handled smoothly with clear leadership

Benefits & Perks

At Kinetic, we believe work should come with rewards that make a real difference. Here’s just a taste of what you can expect when you join us:

• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays) - with extra days the longer you’re with us

• Two paid wellbeing days each year, with a budget to enjoy some time out with someone important to you

• Enhanced pension contributions to support your future

• Two paid days a year to give back through volunteering, charity work, or sustainability projects with our Green Team

• Salary sacrifice schemes for electric vehicles and cycle-to-work

• 24/7 access to our Employee Assistance Programme for confidential advice and support

• A full annual health check to keep you at your best

• A flexible benefits platform - from life assurance and learning opportunities to retail discounts and cinema tickets

• A genuine people-first culture where your growth and wellbeing come first

• Performance-related bonus scheme to reward your contribution

• Regular socials - from team get-togethers to all-company celebrations, with each department owning a budget for their events

• The opportunity to attend group conferences, away days and learning forums both in the UK and abroad - network with other talent

We’ve created a welcoming office environment, with well-stocked kitchens offering free breakfast, fresh fruit, hot and cold drinks, and a range of tuck shop goodies to keep you fuelled throughout the day.

Kinetic is an equal opportunity employer, fostering diversity and committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.