Principal Policy Adviser – Enterprise

Principal Policy Adviser Enterprise

One permanent and two fixed term contracts

Full time / Part time

Salary: 57815 - 65021 with potential for further progression to 73211 with our pay progression scheme.

Location: Hybrid

Contracted to our London Wilmslow Edinburgh Cardiff or Belfast office.

Our Wilmslow office will be relocating to Manchester city centre from 28 September 2026. Once the move takes place your contracted office will be Circle Square Manchester. Through hybrid working we offer flexible home and office-based working opportunities and there will be times when you will be expected to attend the office to collaborate with colleagues or travel due to business need.

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 ourwebsite.

Job summary

The Digital Firms and Online Safety teams are fastpaced and handle some of the ICOs highestprofile issues including the role of data protection in novel technologies offering a strong opportunity to contribute to the ICOs work as a leading UK and global regulator. As a Principal Policy Adviser you will provide expert analysis on complex highpriority data protection matters such as AI and childrens privacy while leading collaborative work across the ICO and drawing on colleagues technical legal and operational expertise.

The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) is the independent regulator of information a data-driven world we provide advice guidance and support to organisations enabling compliance with their obligations as well as protecting individuals and their personal data.

As an employer we are passionate about making a positive difference to the lives and careers of our people and we empower you to be curious impactful collaborative and respectful.

Job description

The ICOs Enterprise Department sits within the ICOs Regulatory Risk & Innovation Directorate. We are charged with influencing the most significant firms and sectors in the digital economy to demonstrate high standards of data protection across their full range of products and activities. We deliver this work in partnership with the UKs other major digital regulators including through the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF) which brings together Ofcom the Competition and Markets Authority Financial Conduct Authority and the ICO to maximise the synergies between our regulatory regimes.

We are looking for three Principal Policy Advisers to join our Digital Firms and Online Safety teams.

Digital Firms Team (1 x Permanent; 1 x Fixed term until March 2027) The Digital Firms team is responsible for the ICOs supervision of the highest priority big tech firms operating in the UK digital economy (including GAMAM). You will be responsible for leading the ICOs strategic approach to supervising the activities of big tech platforms to drive changes in how these firms approach data processing in high priority areas (e.g. AI childrens privacy).

Online Safety Team (Fixed term until May 2027) The Online Safety team owns and leads the ICOs relationship with Ofcom. You will be responsible for managing the ICOs strategic approach to the intersection of the UKs online safety and data protection laws to protect people and improve regulatory certainty. You will also be responsible for leading strategic regulatory interventions to drive changes in industry approaches to data processing in high priority areas relating to online safety.

You will have significant autonomy and work closely with senior colleagues including the ICO Executive and Senior Leadership Teams providing expert advice in briefings and external engagements.

The role requires decisiveness a proactive approach and effective collaboration across the ICO and with external stakeholders to shape and effectively communicate emerging strategy and policy.

You will be expected regularly to brief senior colleagues including producing issue notes / policy position papers and leading presentations on complex and often novel issues. You will be fully conversant with relevant legislation and political technology social and legal developments relevant to your areas of work to support effective senior decision-making.

Key responsibilities:

• Principal Policy Adviser roles are varied requiring you to understand complex issues quickly and work at pace. As a PPA you will:
• Provide expert insight and analysis into emerging data protection and information rights matters relevant to the Digital Firms or Online Safety teams remit including identifying priority regulatory issues and developing ICO responses.
• Lead fast-paced multi-disciplinary policy and supervisory projects to address data protection issues including leading the development of ICO strategic approaches to emerging policy and compliance issues and making use of the ICOs regulatory powers as appropriate.
• Provide strategic advice to the ICOs Executive Team and broader senior leadership including delivering high-quality written and verbal briefings policy papers and analysis to support decision-making regarding potential regulatory interventions.
• Build and maintain excellent working relationships with key internal stakeholders to collaboratively deliver strategic priorities and regulatory interventions (e.g. policy development upstream supervision and use of the ICOs regulatory powers).
• Build and maintain effective regulatory relationships with key external stakeholders including the most significant firms in the UK digital economy. This includes effective scrutiny of priority products and activities and sometimes having challenging conversations with senior stakeholders to influence and drive improvements.
• Contribute to managing the ICOs relationship with Ofcom including leading the development of ICO input into external consultations and policy discussions as needed.
• Represent the ICO at internal and external forums (such as the DRCF) and events including clearly communicating ICO policy positions developing networks relevant to your role and enhancing the ICOs public reputation.
• Proactively develop legislative expertise keeping abreast of developments in all information rights legislation and regulations overseen by the ICO alongside other relevant legislative social and political developments in the UK and internationally.
• Contribute to thought leadership in the Enterprise Department to influence the ICOs regulatory approach on priority issues (e.g. AI and childrens privacy).

Person specification

Essential criteria assessed at application stage:

• Significant professional experience in digital privacy policy or regulatory environments.
• Experience of leading successful projects from concept to sign-off (also measured at interview).
• Experience of interpreting complex information which could include legislation or operational rules and procedures. Experience of applying data protection or associated legislation will be an advantage (also measured at interview).
• Excellent written communication skills including the ability to analyse complex information and legislation and to formulate clear and persuasive arguments for a range of audiences (also measured at interview).
• A strong understanding of the wider parliamentary democratic political and regulatory framework in the UK and internationally (also measured at interview).

Essential criteria assessed during interview:

• Excellent understanding of the technology sector and digital economy including associated data protection issues.
• Excellent verbal communication and presentation skills and an ability to represent the ICO with a range of stakeholders.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to negotiate and maintain good relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities.
• Ability to travel to meetings and events in the UK and overseas (possibly outside office hours).

Equality diversity and inclusion

The ICO is committed to promoting and enhancing equality diversity and inclusion. We are focused on developing a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve and together we are building an inclusive workplace where all of our colleagues have the opportunity to make a real difference. We are championing this through our Equality Diversity and Inclusion Board together with a number of staff networks. Read more about our commitment on our website.

Candidates with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for this vacancy will be invited to interview as part of the ICOs commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme.

As part of the ICOs commitment to our EDI objectives and creating a workplace that represents the communities and societies we serve we guarantee an interview to candidates who declare they identify as belonging from an ethnic minority background and who meet the minimum criteria for this vacancy

If you are disabled or have an impairment and require an alternative application method please email the HR team at

Closing Date

Please submit your CV and cover letter by 23:59 20 May. Your cover letter should be no more than 1000 words and should clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. To ensure your application is considered we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application please contact us at.

In the event ofa high volume of applications we may not be able to invite all candidates who meet the minimum criteria to interview. However we encourage you stay in touch and apply for future roles that match your interests.

All candidates who meet the minimum criteria and apply in-line with our guaranteed interview scheme for disabled and ethnic minority applicants will be interviewed.

Clearance Required for this role: