About the job

Job summary

The Civil Service embraces equality, diversity, and inclusion. At HSE, your personal qualities are as important as your professional experience. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and all walks of life.

Our approach is to recruit “on merit on the basis of fair and open competition”, in line with the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. As such, our thorough selection process ensures that you and every other candidate receive equal and fair treatment.

Keeping people safe and healthy matters and that’s what we do at the Health and Safety Executive. Every day, everyone on the team contributes to protecting lives and we apply our expertise to help influence change in mindsets about health and safety throughout industry. We undertake world-class science to build our knowledge about safe working practices, and then apply that understanding to the workplace, guiding every part of the economy to function safely. And when accidents happen, we investigate and hold those at fault to account whilst ensuring that lessons are learnt across industries. We are a modern, independent, data driven Regulator and we are proud to have made Great Britain one of the safest places to work in the world.

Technology, data, and digital services underpins everything that HSE does. We are a knowledge organisation, with a wealth of experience in keeping people safe. It is the responsibility of the Information and Technology Services (ITS) Division to ensure that everyone in the organisation can access our data and information, to share it and to use it to make effective decisions. We support over 3000 colleagues working in a hybrid style at home and in 26 offices across Great Britain. Our services keep inspectors functioning effectively and efficiently on industrial sites nationwide, from oil platforms in the North Sea to our deepest mines and quarries.

About Service Management.  

The Information and Technology Services (ITS) Division is responsible for delivering all IT Services to enable HSE to deliver its strategic and delivery plans. An exciting opportunity has arisen to lead the HSE’s IT Service Management Team. HSE’s IT Services have recently transformed, and we are continuing to build in-house capability to give us the skills and experience we need to take our ambitious business plans forward. You will manage a blend of insourced and out-sourced teams, to maintain and operate a modern IT estate. 

Job description

As Head of Service Management, you will be responsible for the overall design and delivery of end-to-end IT services provided to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) ensuring excellent customer service. Our Service Model is based on ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library) best practice principles. The adoption and enhancement of these practices is an on-going priority activity with an ambition to achieve the highest levels of business value through service excellence. There is a need to employ skills specifically aligned with this ambition on an enduring basis to act as the focal point and lead for co-ordination, integration and continuous service improvement; ensuring that our service operations are business driven, customer focused and value for money. You will work under the direction of the Deputy Director IT Operations and will have line management responsibility for the 34 strong service management team. 

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Service Management team (insourced and outsourced) to ensure the effective, efficient and secure operation of the HSE’s IT estate and the delivery of SM processes.
• Supporting the Deputy Director in creating joined up services.
• Monitor the performance of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Line Support teams to the complete IT estate (technologies and core business applications), ensuring that effective Incident and Problem Management leads to solutions and swift Return to Service for business users.
• Deliver an IT major incident management function.
• Design, document, establish, operate and be accountable for the delivery and execution of Service Management processes.
• Interpreting user insight and performance data to drive service design and iterative operational improvements for digital and assisted digital service channels.
• Clarifying and articulating the diverse requirements of users and delivery partners to support effective delivery of a service.
• Deliver plans that have positive impact and are aligned to the organisations overarching digital strategy.
• Develop and maintain the IT Budget and Forecast, accounting for expenditure and the rolling plan for the refresh of technologies.
• Ensure that all IT assets are documented, tracked, and identifiable by location and user, and all audit requirements supported, and the AMDB and CMDB are accurate and reliable.
• Manage and assure the HSE’s IT Assets and the IT Asset Lifecycle from requirements definition, to procurement, tracking, operation and disposal.
• Ensure that Software Licence Compliance is achieved, software assets identified and their use monitored and controlled.
• Deliver the effective User Administration of all IT Users
• Develop, test and continuously review the IT Services Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan.

Whilst the post can be based in any HSE location outside of London, it is expected that the successful candidate will be required to attend our Bootle HQ in Liverpool on a regular basis.

At HSE, we are proud to be able to offer our people the opportunity to work in a hybrid way which combines working from home and the office. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your allocated office will be your contractual place of work. There will be a requirement to travel to the office for various activities e.g., collaborative working, supporting and training colleagues. If hybrid working is suitable for you and your role, the arrangements will be determined primarily by business need, but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. Therefore, we would encourage candidates to consider if the commute from home to the office is a feasible distance to travel before making an application. Please note that if you are successful, hybrid working will be discussed prior to taking up the post.

Person specification

Essential Skills:

• We are looking for an experienced IT Service Manager with a background in managing ITIL functions across a range of internal and external suppliers.
• You will have a proven track record of IT Service Management successfully ensuring that live IT Services are protected at all times. creating high quality products and services which deliver value to organisational core business.
• You will be an inspirational, confident, and empowering leader who can effectively promote collaborative working across teams and achieve impact through others.
• An effective communicator, who has strong inter-personal skills and the ability to engage with senior stakeholders and a wide range of colleagues across the organisation.

You will therefore be able to demonstrate:

• Expert knowledge of IT Service Management practices
• Excellent customer service skills, and able to instil and inspire in others a customer service ethic
• Excellent leadership skills, setting a positive example, including the ability to drive culture change and improve equality, diversity and inclusion
• Ability to work at pace in a complex multi-stakeholder environment at senior level and able to manage political and reputational risks.
• Able to see the big picture, identify tensions, set priorities, and make trade-offs between the strategic and the pragmatic alongside adopting different tactical approaches.
• Resilient with the ability to challenge peers and hold them to account for their teams operational performance.
• Experience of working with ambiguity and agility, with a developed ability to multi task, prioritising different functions at a short notice
• Ability to work with considerable autonomy and personal responsibility at pace,
• Experience of financial management, risk management and assurance.

Desirable Criteria -

• ITIL Intermediate Certificate

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £67,697, Health and Safety Executive contributes £18,278 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths and Experience.

Application Information

Within your application you will be asked to complete an anonymised CV. Please ensure you complete your career history, skills relevant to the role, your experience and qualifications.

You will also be asked to complete a personal statement, of no more than 1000 words, that demonstrates how you meet the 4 essential skills for the role found in the person specification.

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/

Sift Information

A sift will take place during week commencing 22nd April 2024. You will be assessed on your CV and personal statement.

Interview information

Candidates who pass the sift are due to be invited for interview the W/C 29th April where you will be assessed on your experience and strengths.

You will also be asked to deliver a five-minute verbal presentation for the interview panel. The topic for the presentation will be provided in advance. 

Please note that dependent on numbers of applications received these dates could be subject to change.

AI Tools & Platforms

During the application process candidates are allowed to utilise AI (artificial intelligence) platforms and Tools to support them in writing their Behaviours, CV’s and Personal Statements. However, all information submitted must be factually accurate. This includes presenting the ideas and experience of others, or those generated by artificial intelligence, as your own. All presented information will be assessed at the Interview Stage.

Further Information

Please note that a Reserve List will be held for the period of up to 12 months.

Due to the nature of security checks undertaken, applicants must have 3 years continuous residency in the UK up to the date of the application and, Home Office approval for indefinite leave to remain within the UK.

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.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application. For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached document.

Any move to HSE from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility here

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.

We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all disabled applicants who provide evidence of meeting the minimum requirements necessary for the post. If, during the application or interview process, you require any assistance due to a disability or a medical condition, please contact us at the email address below to discuss how we can support you. If successful in securing your role, HSE can provide suitable workplace adjustments to support you throughout your career with HSE.

If you have a disability and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact:

Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further; formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance, any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This 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) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for 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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.