Problem & Service Delivery Manager

The Problem & Service Delivery Manager will be responsible for driving service quality, reducing recurring incidents and improving the consistency of ticket management across client environments. Aligned with ITIL best practice, this role owns and continually improves the Problem Management process, ensuring root causes are identified, corrective actions are progressed, and ticket quality is monitored and improved. The role works closely with engineers, team leads, managers, service delivery, clients and senior stakeholders to strengthen operational discipline, improve the quality of updates and documentation, and ensure tickets are managed effectively from identification through to resolution, the sucessfull candidate will be based onsite with our customer located in London.

Amongst other tasks, you will be responsible for: 

• Lead weekly Problem Management Boards.  Own and manage the Problem Management process, ensuring recurring incidents, underlying causes and service risks are identified, investigated and progressed to resolution.
• Monitor ticket quality and ticket management standards, ensuring tickets contain clear ownership, meaningful updates, accurate categorisation, appropriate prioritisation and complete resolution details.
• Liaise with team leads and managers on engineer ticket handling, identifying coaching needs, recurring behaviours, process gaps and opportunities to improve service consistency.
• Lead structured problem investigations, coordinating engineers and service teams to agree corrective actions, owners, timescales and measurable outcomes.
• Review aged, reopened, escalated and high-impact tickets to identify themes, service risks and opportunities to improve ticket progression and accountability.
• Analyse trends across incidents, problems and ticket data to identify recurring failures, knowledge gaps, process non-compliance and continual improvement opportunities.

Problem Management, Ticket Quality & Continual Improvement

• Lead root cause investigations to identify underlying issues, prevent recurring incidents and reduce service disruption.
• Coordinate corrective actions with technical teams and stakeholders, ensuring clear ownership and timely resolution.
• Maintain known error records, workarounds, knowledge articles and lessons learned.
• Own ticket quality standards, ensuring consistent practices across ticket updates, categorisation, prioritisation, ownership and closure.
• Monitor and report on key service quality metrics, identifying trends, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Coach engineers and team leads to improve investigation quality, documentation, communication and ticket management.
• Communicate problem investigations, service risks and improvement actions clearly to clients, service teams and senior management, translating technical issues into business-focused updates.
• Promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and operational excellence, strengthening client confidence in Smartdesc’s service management practices.

Key Skills

• Confident communicator with the ability to engage effectively with technical teams, stakeholders and senior management.
• Proven experience leading Problem Management Boards and managing Problem Management processes, service improvement initiatives, ticket management or operational quality within a Managed Services, IT service provider or complex IT operations environment.
• Strong understanding of ITIL principles and practical experience applying IT Service Management (ITSM) processes and governance. ITIL Foundation certification is desirable.
• Experience reviewing and improving ticket quality, including ownership, updates, categorisation, documentation and resolution notes, using constructive feedback and coaching to drive consistent standards.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience in root cause analysis, trend identification and service reporting, translating data and insights into practical improvement plans.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to engage team leads and managers on service performance, engineer accountability, ticket ownership, service risks and corrective actions.
• Experience using ITSM platforms such as ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus, Autotask, ServiceNow, Halo or similar tools.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure, manage competing priorities and coordinate actions across multiple teams and clients, ensuring agreed improvements are delivered within expected timescales.

Why Academia The Technology Group? 
At Academia The Technology Group, we are redefining the landscape of IT services across education, business, public sector and nonprofit sectors. As an innovative and rapidly expanding technology company, we’re not just a supplier—we’re a trusted partner to thousands of clients nationwide.

With over 20 years of expertise, double-digit growth, a team of 250+ professionals and revenues exceeding £150 million in FY26, we’ve earned a reputation as a top-tier IT solutions provider. Our dedication has been recognised with prestigious industry accolades, including the coveted CRN Reseller of the Year award.

Our ethos is simple: by delivering outstanding technology and ensuring it works seamlessly, we empower our clients to maximise their tech investments. Their IT success is our business.

We foster a culture rooted in our people, teamwork, innovation, integrity, ambition and a commitment to exceptional customer service. Backed by Strive Capital since 2020, we’re continuously expanding, exploring new frontiers with a strong financial and strategic foundation.

Our dedicated Lifecycle Services division exemplifies our promise to sustainability, offering comprehensive IT lifecycle solutions that reduce environmental impact.

At Academia, you’ll find more than just a job—you’ll find an opportunity to be part of one of the UK’s most exciting tech success stories. If you’re passionate about technology, eager to make an impact and ready to grow with a dynamic, supportive team, we’d love to hear from you.

 For more information on opportunities with Academia, visit our website.

A sneak peak at some of our employee benefits 

·       Gym membership contribution    

·       Health Cash Plan   

·       Increased annual leave with length of service    

·       Complimentary day off on your birthday    

·       Length of service bonus   

·       Free Will Writing service   

·       And more!