Application Support Analyst

Hawes & Curtis is a quintessentially British heritage brand with a legacy in luxury shirting, fine tailoring, and stylish casualwear. With a strong reputation for quality and timeless design, we are proud to dress the modern gentleman and woman with impeccable craftsmanship and style.

The Role

The Application Support Analyst will work across a broad portfolio of applications including ERP systems, stock management platforms, e-commerce tools, and third-party integrations, providing both reactive support and proactive monitoring to minimise disruption to business operations. This is a role that demands a balance of strong technical knowledge, methodical problem-solving, and clear communication with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Application Support and Incident Management

• Act as the primary point of contact for all application-related incidents, service requests, and queries raised by users across the business — including head office, retail stores, and the e-commerce team.
• Log, triage, and prioritise all incoming incidents and service requests via the helpdesk ticketing system, ensuring accurate and detailed records are maintained throughout the lifecycle of each ticket.
• Diagnose and resolve application issues across a range of platforms including ERP systems, stock management software, CRM tools, e-commerce platforms, and any other business-critical applications within the support portfolio.
• Monitor open incidents and service requests against agreed SLA targets, proactively following up to ensure all issues are resolved within the required timeframes.
• Communicate clearly and professionally with end users throughout the incident lifecycle, providing regular updates on progress and managing expectations effectively.
• Conduct root cause analysis on recurring incidents, identifying underlying issues and working with the development team to implement permanent fixes.

Application Maintenance & System Monitor

• Proactively monitor the performance, availability, and integrity of all supported applications, identifying and addressing potential issues before they impact business operations.
• Perform routine application maintenance tasks including patch management, system updates, configuration changes, and scheduled housekeeping activities in line with agreed change management procedures.
• Monitor system logs, error reports, and performance dashboards to identify anomalies, trends, or early warning signs of application instability.
• Manage and maintain application configuration documentation, ensuring all records are accurate, up to date, and accessible to the wider IT team.
• Coordinate with third-party software vendors and managed service providers to manage scheduled maintenance windows, updates, and support escalations.
• Support the testing and validation of application updates, patches, and new releases in a non-production environment before deployment to live systems.
• Maintain and update a knowledge base of known issues, workarounds, and resolution steps to improve the efficiency of future support activity.

ERP & Stock Management Support

• Provide dedicated application support for the ERP system and in-house stock management programme, working closely with the development team and end users to resolve issues promptly and accurately.
• Support the configuration, testing, and deployment of ERP updates, new modules, and system enhancements, ensuring all changes are thoroughly tested before being released to a live environment.
• Assist in the management and integrity of master data within the ERP system, including product data, supplier records, and store configurations.
• Support data management activities including imports, exports, and basic database queries using SQL or equivalent, under the guidance of senior developers where required.
• Liaise with store teams and head office users to understand application pain points and work with the development team to prioritise and deliver improvements.
• Provide technical support during critical trading periods — including peak seasons, sale events, and new system rollouts — to ensure operational continuity across all 17 store locations and the D2C website.

User Support, Training and Documentation

• Provide clear, patient, and professional application support to end users across all levels of the business — from store colleagues to senior management — adapting communication style to suit the audience.
• Develop and maintain user-facing guidance documentation, FAQs, how-to guides, and knowledge base articles that reduce repeat queries and build user confidence and self-sufficiency.
• Deliver training sessions and onboarding support for new users on key applications, ensuring they are equipped to use systems effectively from day one.
• Support the rollout of new applications or system updates to the wider business, coordinating training and communications to ensure a smooth transition for all users.
• Gather and document user feedback on application functionality and usability, sharing insights with the development team to inform ongoing improvement priorities.

Change, Management, and Application Support

• Participate in change management processes, reviewing proposed changes to applications and assessing their potential impact on business operations and end users.
• Support the testing and quality assurance of new application features, integrations, and system developments — writing and executing test scripts and documenting outcomes clearly.
• Contribute to the planning and execution of application deployment activities, supporting go-live events and post-deployment hypercare periods.
• Assist in the documentation of business requirements, functional specifications, and technical processes as part of wider IT project activity.
• Work collaboratively with the development team, business analysts, and project managers to ensure application support considerations are factored into all technology projects from the outset.
• Proven experience in an application support, systems support, or IT support role with a focus on business applications rather than purely infrastructure or hardware.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to diagnose and resolve complex application issues in a methodical and structured manner.
• Experience supporting ERP systems, stock management platforms, or similar enterprise business applications in a commercial environment.
• Solid understanding of ITIL principles and experience working within a structured incident, change, and problem management framework.
• Proficiency in SQL or the ability to write and interpret basic database queries for the purposes of data investigation and support.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain technical issues clearly and concisely to non-technical stakeholders at all levels of the business.
• A proactive, ownership-oriented mindset with the ability to manage a varied and fast-moving workload effectively under pressure.