Problem Manager (Band 4/HEO)

Health and Safety Executive; Liverpool; Hybrid; GBP 39,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading health and safety regulator in the UK is seeking a Problem Manager to oversee the IT problem management process. The role involves identifying root causes of service disruptions, tracking permanent solutions, and ensuring effective communication with stakeholders. The successful candidate will earn a salary of £38,005 per annum and enjoy benefits such as flexible working options and a generous holiday entitlement. The position requires strong ITIL knowledge and excellent analytical skills.

Benefits

Flexible working options

25 days annual holiday

Health and Safety Executive pension contribution

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing problem investigations in a complex IT environment.
• Ability to interpret data and recommend effective solutions.
• Experience with root cause analysis.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end Problem Management process.
• Identify and log problems based on recurring incidents.
• Coordinate root cause analysis activities.

Skills

Good understanding of ITIL processes

Analytical skills

Effective communication

Stakeholder management

Experience with ITSM tools

Education

ITIL4 Foundation certification or higher

Tools

ServiceNow

Job description

About the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the independent regulator for work‑related health and safety. We act in the public interest to reduce work‑related illness, death, and serious injury across Great Britain’s workplaces.

HSE is highly regarded both nationally and internationally. The benefits that our work brings to business, workers and the UK economy are clear. Improved health and safety risk management protects workers and translates into reduced sickness absence, lower healthcare and welfare costs, and better productivity.

We are committed to the modernisation of our services, and the delivery of improved operational efficiency and effectiveness.

Role Overview

The Problem Manager is responsible for driving the proactive and reactive management of IT problems to minimise the impact of incidents and prevent their recurrence. Operating within an ITIL‑aligned service management framework, the Problem Manager ensures that the root causes of service disruptions are identified, documented, and addressed effectively through permanent solutions or workarounds.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the end‑to‑end Problem Management process in alignment with ITIL best practices, ensuring consistent handling of both reactive and proactive problems.
• Identify and log problems based on recurring incidents, major incidents, and trend analysis. Develop and track permanent solutions or workarounds, ensuring appropriate ownership and timely resolution.
• Coordinate root cause analysis (RCA) activities to ensure underlying issues are accurately identified and documented. Maintain the Known Error Database (KEDB) and ensure it is up to date and accessible to Service Desk and technical teams.
• Facilitate regular Problem Review meetings with technical teams and stakeholders to review progress and prioritise activities. Work closely with Incident, Change, and Configuration Management functions to ensure alignment and effective communication between processes.
• Produce Problem management reports and metrics for management review, highlighting root causes, trends, and improvement opportunities. Perform trend and impact analysis to identify patterns and prevent future incidents.
• Drive continual service improvement (CSI) initiatives to enhance service quality, reliability, and stability. Provide governance and assurance over problem investigations, ensuring compliance with agreed SLAs and process standards.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders, providing clear updates on problem status, risks, and resolutions. Support major incident reviews, ensuring lessons learned are captured and converted into problem records where applicable.

Working Pattern

Part‑time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part‑time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 30 hours per week.

Travel

The successful candidate will need to travel to attend their local office as business requires and in line with HSE's hybrid working policy.

Eligibility and Requirements

• Sponsorship – This role is not open to application from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offers of employment will be withdrawn.
• Security Clearance – Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check and must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed.
• Nationality – The job is broadly open to the following groups:
  • UK nationals
  • Nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • Nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre‑settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • Individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
• Application Guidance – Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a Personal Statement: https://www.civil‑service‑careers.gov.uk/how-to-apply/

Key Qualifications

• Good understanding of ITIL processes, particularly Problem, Incident, and Change Management (ITIL4 Foundation certification or higher preferred).
• Proven experience managing problem investigations in a complex, multi‑technology IT environment.
• Excellent analytical and root cause analysis skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and recommend effective solutions.
• Effective communication and stakeholder management skills, capable of influencing technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Experience using IT Service Management (ITSM) toolsets (e.g., ServiceNow or equivalent) to manage problem records and reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to drive continuous service improvement, reducing incident recurrence and improving overall service stability.

Benefits

• Salary: £38,005 per annum.
• Health and Safety Executive contributes £11,010 towards your membership of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• Flexible working options.
• Inclusive culture encouraging diversity.
• Family‑friendly policies and working hours to help balance home life and career.
• Carer‑friendly policies.
• 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays and 1‑day Civil Service privilege leave.
• Parental leave benefits.
• Access to the Cycle to Work Scheme, E‑Gift Cards, and vouchers via partner EdenRed.

Disability Confidence Scheme

HSE is proud to be a part of the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS). As a Disability Confident employer, we positively welcome applications from disabled people. We are committed to making workplace adjustments to ensure anyone can participate in the recruitment and selection process.