React Developer
United Kingdom
£60K - £70K
3rd Line Support Engineer for a Midlands‑Based MSP
The Challenge
The MSP needed to hire a 3rd Line Support Engineer with a very specific blend of skills:
Deep experience across Microsoft Server, Azure, networking, and virtualisation
Ability to handle complex escalations from the service desk
Strong customer‑facing skills to support key clients
Experience working within a fast‑paced MSP environment
Capability to lead on infrastructure changes and project delivery
The local talent market was extremely competitive. MSPs in the region were already fighting for the same small pool of senior engineers, and the client had been unable to attract suitable candidates through traditional job boards and internal referrals.
Our Approach
The MSP needed to hire a 3rd Line Support Engineer with a very specific blend of skills:
Deep experience across Microsoft Server, Azure, networking, and virtualisation
Ability to handle complex escalations from the service desk
Strong customer‑facing skills to support key clients
Experience working within a fast‑paced MSP environment
Capability to lead on infrastructure changes and project delivery
The local talent market was extremely competitive. MSPs in the region were already fighting for the same small pool of senior engineers, and the client had been unable to attract suitable candidates through traditional job boards and internal referrals.
The Outcome
Using the same strategic approach we apply to all specialist technical hires
1. Refined the Brief
We worked closely with the Technical Director to dissect the real requirements of the role, clarifying:
Mandatory vs. desirable technologies
Required level of customer engagement
Project workload vs. BAU support
Cultural fit for a small, close‑knit engineering team
This ensured we targeted candidates who would make an immediate impact—not just on paper, but in their working style.
2. Built a Targeted Search Strategy
Our search focused on candidates with:
Proven 3rd Line experience within an MSP
Strong history of solving complex escalations
Hands‑on experience with Azure, Hyper‑V/VMware, AD, M365, Firewalls, and switches
Evidence of leading projects or mentoring junior engineers
We engaged passive candidates through personalised outreach, highlighting the client's culture, development opportunities, and upcoming technical transformation projects.
3. Streamlined Shortlisting
Each shortlisted candidate received:
A detailed technical assessment
A competency‑based interview
A cultural alignment review
This meant the client only met candidates who were fully qualified and motivated.
Impact
The hire had a measurable impact on the MSP’s operations:
30% reduction in repeat escalations
Improved SLA compliance and customer satisfaction
Stronger technical leadership within the engineering team
Increased capacity to take on new client projects