Information and Privacy adviser

Government Recruitment Service; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension 28.97%

Annual leave 25 days

Flexible working

Job summary

Government Recruitment Service in Belfast is seeking an Information and Privacy Adviser to support compliance with information access and data protection legislation. The role covers processing FOIA, EIR and GDPR/DPA requests and providing advisory services to the MCA and staff.

You will assist the Head of Data Protection and help maintain risk registers, coordinate responses, and support investigations into data breaches, while promoting best practice across the agency.

Qualifications

• Experienced in information access, legal, customer service or compliance.
• Understanding of FOIA 2000, EIR 2004 and GDPR/DPA.
• Ability to support compliance with information access/information rights and data protection legislations.

Responsibilities

• Logging, considering and responding to Requests for Information (FOIA/EIR) and GDPR/DPA requests.
• Logging and handling Individual Rights requests under GDPR/DPA including Erasure and restriction.
• Support the wider data protection team in recording, monitoring, and mitigating personal data breaches.
• Assist audit/assurance activities and maintain the Data Protection Risk register.

Job description

Information and Privacy adviser

Company: Government Recruitment Service

Salary: £37,019 to £37,019 a year

Hours: Full-time

Location: Belfast

Job type: Permanent

Posting date: 15 Oct 2026

Closing date: 28 Oct 2026

Please note that when selecting your location preference, the Lerwick post is based in Shetland.

Are you experienced in information access, legal, customer service or compliance?

Do you have an understanding of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and UK GDPR/DPA?

Would you like to support the Agency’s compliance with information access/information rights and data protection legislations, including co-ordinating and responding to requests for information?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

The Data Protection and Information Access team works as part of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA’s) Corporate Governance framework to inform the Agency’s compliance with Data Protection and Information Access Legislations.

The team provides independent, expert advice and guidance to the Agency, its staff, volunteers and third parties.

The team act as a point of contact for individuals whose personal data the MCA process and ensure lawful and compliant processing and disclosure of personal information under the relevant legislations.

The function acts to ensure that the MCA’s Executive Officers and Board are adequately informed and advised of Data Protection and Information Access risks, best practice and relevant updates or changes to the regulatory landscape.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at MCA:

MCA roles: Maritime and Coastguard Agency - Department for Transport Careers

The Information and Privacy Adviser will be responsible for supporting the Agency’s compliance with information access/information rights and data protection legislations, including co‑ordinating and responding to requests for information.

They will provide an advisory service to the Agency on issues relating to information requested under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) and the Subject Access provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)/Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) to ensure lawful and compliant disclosure.

The role will support the Head of Data Protection in carrying out the statutory tasks of the Department for Transport (DfT) Data Protection Officer (DPO), assisting the team to deliver advice, guidance, support to the Agency, supporting compliance with the data protection legislations.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Logging, considering and responding to Requests for Information (RFI) made pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) and the Subject Access provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)/Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).
• Logging, considering and responding to requests from individuals to exercise the Individual Rights provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)/Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) including requests for Erasure and Restriction of processing.
• Support the wider data protection team in recording, monitoring, and assessing personal data breaches, including ensuring required information is documented in a thorough and timely manner. Support the investigation into data breaches and implementation/co‑ordination of mitigations.
• Support team audit and assurance activities to ensure that the agency is meeting its information access and data protection obligations, including assisting with management of the Data Protection Risk register, monitoring and assisting the business deliver mitigations identified.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

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