Problem Manager
CoorB
5–10 years of experience
Job description
The Problem Manager owns and drives the Problem Management process within the IT Service, working to identify, investigate, and permanently resolve the root causes of recurring and high-impact incidents. The role focuses on reducing the volume and impact of incidents, eliminating known errors, and improving the overall stability and reliability of IT services. Operating in line with ITIL best practice, the Problem Manager coordinates cross-functional investigations, manages the known error database, and champions a proactive, data-driven approach to service improvement.
YOU WILL
Own, maintain, and continually improve the end-to-end Problem Management process, ensuring alignment with ITIL and organizational standards.
Define, document, and enforce problem management policies, procedures, and workflows across the IT Service Desk.
Ensure clear integration between Problem Management and related processes such as Incident, Change, and Knowledge Management.
Identify problems from recurring incidents, major incidents, and trend analysis, and log them accurately in the ITSM tool.
Lead root cause analysis (RCA) investigations using structured techniques (e.g. 5 Whys, Ishikawa/fishbone, Kepner-Tregoe).
Coordinate technical teams, vendors, and stakeholders to diagnose underlying causes and drive resolution.
Manage the lifecycle of problem records from identification through to closure, ensuring timely progress and quality documentation.
Analyse incident, event, and performance data to proactively identify potential problems before they cause service disruption.
Drive continual service improvement initiatives to prevent recurrence of incidents and reduce operational risk.
Maintain the Known Error Database (KEDB) and ensure workarounds are documented, accessible, and used by the Service Desk.
Partner with the Major Incident Management function to ensure every major incident results in a formal problem record and post-incident review.
Facilitate post-incident reviews (PIRs), capture lessons learned, and track corrective and preventive actions to completion.
Produce regular problem management reports, dashboards, and KPIs for management and stakeholders.
Chair problem review meetings and communicate status, risks, and resolutions to technical and business audiences.
Provide leadership, coaching, and direction to problem analysts and coordinators, and build problem-solving capability across the Service Desk.
Work closely with Change Management to ensure fixes are implemented safely and effectively.
Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
Minimum 5 years' experience in IT service management, with at least 2 years in a Problem Management or similar role.
ITIL v3/v4 Foundation certification required; ITIL Intermediate / Managing Professional strongly preferred.
Proven experience leading root cause analysis and driving problems to permanent resolution.
Hands-on experience with ITSM tools (e.g. ServiceNow, BMC Remedy, Jira Service Management, Ivanti).
Strong understanding of IT infrastructure, applications, and service delivery environments.
Analytical & structured problem solving u2014 able to break down complex issues and identify true root causes.
Strong stakeholder management and the ability to influence teams without direct authority.
Excellent written and verbal communication, including reporting to senior management.
Leadership and coaching ability, with a collaborative and calm approach under pressure.
Data-driven mindset with strong skills in trend analysis and reporting.
Attention to detail, ownership, and a continual improvement orientation.