data protection jobs

441619

£57,815 - £65,021

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Permanent

ICO - Policy

Policy

Full-time

2

Wilmslow, North West England, SK9 5AF

Group Manager – Regulatory Policy Projects

Full time / Part time

One permanent position and one 12 month fixed term contract position

Salary: £57,815 - £65,021, with potential for further progression to £73,211 with our pay progression scheme.

Location: Hybrid

Contracted to our Wilmslow, London, Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast office. However, we offer flexible home and office-based working opportunities. There will be times when you will be expected to attend the office to collaborate with colleagues or travel due to business need. Please note that from Autumn 2026 our Head Office will be relocating from Wilmslow to central Manchester.

Why work for the ICO?

• Pay progression scheme.
• Hybrid and flexible working options.
• 25 days paid holiday per year, plus privilege and public holidays.
• Flexi leave (up to 26 additional days leave per year).
• Pension (employer contribution around 28.9%).
• Online discount scheme to save money at major supermarkets, retailers, gyms, restaurants, insurance providers and many more.
• Health Cash Plan.
• Fantastic development opportunities to learn and progress.

Further details can be found on the benefits section of our website .

Regulatory Policy Projects (RPP) leads the ICO’s strategic policy development to protect and strengthen information rights and support innovation. The directorate’s policy and research specialists deliver outputs that provide clear, authoritative positions on data protection law. It works collaboratively across the organisation to deliver impactful programmes of work aligned to ICO priorities which address legislative change, developments in technology and major government initiatives. It is also the home of the ICO’s policy profession, overseeing skills development to facilitate the delivery of high quality policy outputs.

The Group Manager leads a team of policy experts who participate in a range of projects such as providing guidance on legislative change or establishing policy on key priority information rights issues.

The Group Manager will:

• keep group activities under review, assess priorities and contribute to RPP’s strategic direction; and
• ensure that all staff in their group are clear about the standards expected, in line with ICO values, and are managed effectively to develop their potential – providing their advice and expertise on policy direction, outputs and engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide effective leadership to the group ensuring that members are clear about expected standards of performance, motivated and developed to provide effective and efficient services.
• Depending on the composition of the group, directly line manage Principal Policy Adviser(s), Senior Policy Officer(s) and Lead Policy Officer(s).
• Contribute to the development of directorate business planning consistent with ICO strategic objectives and oversee the effective delivery of relevant aspects of those plans assigned to their group.
• Devise procedures for the effective, efficient, timely and consistent handling of the workload.
• Monitor activity across the group, report on performance, provide accurate management information and use the information to reflect on how improvements can be embedded.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, representing the ICO in external meetings with assigned stakeholders, and engaging with other ICO teams and departments on issues relevant to your portfolio.
• Represent the ICO at selected external events, including speaking engagements.
• Oversee the development of timely and high quality briefings and other information on issues within their group’s area of responsibility for the Senior Leadership Team and Heads of Department as well as the wider ICO.
• Formally review and sign off guidance, planning and project outputs.
• Support the promotion and development of the policy profession and wider learning and development activities.
• Coordinate with the research team to ensure that opportunities to identify public opinion are identified and embedded in our outputs where appropriate.
• Manage responses to internal requests for support in line with prioritisation decisions.
• Proactively develop legislative expertise, keeping abreast of developments all information rights legislation and regulations regulated by the ICO.

Essential criteria assessed at application stage:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent or substantial work experience demonstrating graduate level ability relevant to the role responsibilities and person specification.
• Relevant experience in a policy development or stakeholder influencing role.
• Experience of managing or leading and developing staff.
• Significant experience of working with senior internal or external stakeholders to support delivery.
• Experience of applying data protection or FOI or similarly complex legislation.
• Excellent intellectual ability to rapidly assimilate and analyse complex legislation and large volumes of information, applying insights to specific cases while understanding and considering the interests and context of stakeholders.

Essential criteria assessed during interview:

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to negotiate and maintain professional relationships.
• Ability to write clear and persuasive documents such as guidance, policy papers, extensive formal responses to consultations and briefings on complex matters.
• Personal effectiveness with excellent organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise and delegate and handle large workloads.
• Ability to develop and lead a team to deliver high quality outcomes to challenging deadlines.
• Good judgement and ability to take high profile decisions and sign off policy outputs.
• Ability to seek out, manage and influence opportunities for continuous improvement and change.

Alongside your salary of £57,815, Information Commissioner's Office contributes £16,749 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Please visit ico.jobs for full details, including salary and benefits.

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 candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

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Job contact :

• Name : recruitment@ico.org.uk
• Email : recruitment@ico.org.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ico.org.uk