Group Manager - Regulatory Policy Projects

Information Commissioner's Office; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 57,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental regulatory body in the UK seeks a Group Manager for Regulatory Policy Projects. The successful candidate will lead a team, drive policy initiatives, and ensure high-quality outputs in data protection law. This role offers opportunities for flexible working and progression within the organization. Ideal candidates will have substantial experience in policy development and excellent leadership skills alongside a degree or equivalent experience.

Benefits

Pay progression scheme

Hybrid working options

25 days paid holiday

Pension contribution around 28.9%

Health Cash Plan

Qualifications

• Relevant experience in a policy development or stakeholder influencing role.
• Experience managing or leading and developing staff.
• Excellent intellectual ability to analyse complex legislation.

Responsibilities

• Provide effective leadership to the group ensuring performance standards.
• Manage Principal Policy Advisers and Senior Policy Officers.
• Devise procedures for consistent handling of workload.

Skills

Stakeholder influencing

Policy development

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Education

Educated to degree level or equivalent

Job description

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 .

Job summary

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.

Job description

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.

Person specification

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.

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 ICO’s commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme.

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

Closing Date

Please submit your CV and cover letter by 23 : 59 on Sunday 4th January 2026. Your cover letter should be no more than 1,000 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 k.

The shortlisting will be carried out by the hiring panel on w / c 5th January 2026 with interviews to take place during w / c 12th January 2026.

In the event of a 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.