Risk and Issue Manager

Job summary

IMPORTANT - This vacancy is using the Civil Service Numerical and Verbal tests. The deadline for completing the tests is the same as the vacancy closing date. Please ensure you complete the tests with sufficient time to complete the written application.

The Risk and Issues Manager is a key role within the Department for Education’s Central Risk Team, supporting senior leaders and governance forums with high-quality, evidence-based insight on departmental risks and issues.

Operating as a second-line function, the role focuses on assurance, coordination, and continuous improvement rather than direct ownership of risk mitigations. The postholder will ensure that risk information is robust, consistent, and decision-ready, enabling effective governance and strategic decision-making.

You will work across directorates, portfolios, and Arm’s Length Bodies to embed the Departmental Risk Framework, improve risk maturity, and strengthen the use of data and insight in understanding risk exposure. The role requires collaboration, constructive challenge, and the ability to communicate complex information clearly to a range of audiences.

This is an opportunity to contribute to a strong risk-aware culture, enhance departmental capability, and support the continuous improvement of risk tools, reporting, and processes.

Job description

Your responsibilities will include:

Reporting, Analysis and Assurance

• Produce high-quality risk reports with insightful commentary and analysis.
• Analyse risk exposure, controls, and mitigation effectiveness.
• Aggregate risks across portfolios to provide a holistic departmental risk profile.
• Support application of risk appetite and tolerance in decision-making.
• Contribute to assurance activities and second-line oversight.

Digital and Data Improvement

• Support development and enhancement of risk management tools and systems.
• Use data insights and feedback to improve reporting and usability.
• Identify opportunities for automation and efficiency improvements.

Capability Building and Continuous Improvement

• Provide expert guidance on risk identification, assessment, and management.
• Support improvements in organisational risk maturity.
• Contribute to training, guidance, and learning activities.
• Promote consistent risk management practices and understanding.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships across directorates, projects, and Arm’s Length Bodies.
• Provide expert advice to senior stakeholders and governance forums.
• Support collaboration across the departmental risk community.
• Translate risk frameworks into practical guidance for stakeholders.

Risk Framework Management

• Support embedding of the Departmental Risk Framework across the organisation.
• Coordinate production of departmental risk registers and governance reporting.
• Provide second-line challenge to improve the quality and consistency of risk and issue information.
• Ensure risk management is integrated with governance, planning, and performance processes.

This role aligns with Level Three of the Risk Management Skills and Capabilities Framework V1.0 and Risks and Issues Manager SEO - Government Project Delivery

Working Pattern

We welcome applications from candidates seeking part time or compressed working pattern. However, due to the nature of the work and the shift coverage required, the minimum number of contracted hours for this role is 30 hours per week over a 4 day period.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Experience of risk and issue management in a project, programme, or organisational context.
• Experience of analysing and presenting complex information to support decision-making.
• Experience producing high-quality reports and insights for senior stakeholders.
• Experience of engaging and working with stakeholders across teams or functions.
• Ability to provide constructive challenge and improve quality of information.
• Good understanding of governance processes and decision-making structures.
• Ability to work collaboratively across multiple teams and functions.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and enhancing organisational capability.

Desirable Criteria (if required):

• Knowledge of government risk frameworks at Practitioner Level (e.g. Orange Book) or similar enterprise risk frameworks.
• Experience working within a central or second-line assurance function.
• Familiarity with digital risk tools, data systems, or reporting platforms.
• Experience with PowerBI.
• Experience contributing to training, capability-building, or organisational change initiatives.
• Understanding of project delivery or portfolio management environments.

Desirable criteria will only be assessed at interview in the event of a tie break situation to make an informed decision.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,305, Department for Education contributes £12,835 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Applicants currently holding a permanent post in the Civil Service should note that, if successful, their salary on appointment would be determined by the Department’s transfer / promotion policies.

As a member of the DfE, you will be entitled to join the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme, which many experts agree is one of the most generous in the UK.

You will have 25 days leave, increasing by 1 day every year to a maximum of 30 days after five years’ service. In addition, all staff receive the King’s Birthday privilege holiday and 8 days’ bank and public holidays.

We offer flexible working arrangements, such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.

Most DfE employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending at least 60% of their time in an office or work setting. Changes to these working arrangements are available in exceptional circumstances but must be agreed with the line manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DfE, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

As an organisation, which exists to support education and lifelong learning, we offer our staff excellent professional development opportunities.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our