Senior Associate, Online Safety Supervision

Ofcom; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Ofcom is recruiting for a Senior Associate in the Online Safety Group to supervise key online services and drive engagement with regulated services. You will develop supervision strategies, report progress, and act as the main contact for services while balancing Ofcom’s strategic aims.

The role focuses on governance, risk assessment, and ensuring protections for users, with opportunities to lead cross-functional programmes and mentor junior staff. Fixed-term contract for 12 months in London.

Qualifications

• Ability to produce clear, concise, well-structured communications for internal/external use.
• Experience with regulatory issues or policy compliance is required.
• Ability to anticipate trends and align actions with long-term objectives.
• Strong planning skills and resource management.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and environments.
• Collaborative work style across cross-functional teams.
• Able to persuade and influence stakeholders to achieve consensus.
• Support and develop others to grow their skills.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain strong relationships with relevant online services.
• Develop expertise in supervised services and the online safety programme.
• Assess and drive improvements in user protections and obligations under the Online Safety Act.
• Conduct research and analysis, reporting for the team.
• Prepare clear briefing and research documents for internal/external use.
• Oversee workload of juniors and cross-functional colleagues.
• Coordinate with Ofcom teams to stay aligned with strategic priorities.
• Contribute to initiatives across the Supervision Team, including cross-regulatory work.
• Communicate updates clearly across the Online Safety Group.

Skills

Articulating Ideas

Policy compliance

Strategic foresight

Project planning

Adaptability

Team collaboration

Influence & communication

Coaching & development

Mentoring juniors

Job description

Closing Date: 28/09/2026

Group: Online Safety Group

Management Level: Senior Associate

Job Type: Fixed Term (Fixed Term)

Job Description

Please note that this role will close at 00:01 on Monday 28 September, and therefore we advise getting your application in by no later than midnight on Sunday 27 October.

We have two fixed-term positions available, we expect them to last for 12 months.

About the Team

The Online Safety Group’s purpose is to ensure UK citizens have a safer life online by implementing and overseeing the requirements under the Online Safety Act 2023. The Group is responsible for delivering online safety policy, supervising online services, and building technical expertise to meet the regime's aims. This role sits within Ofcom’s Supervision Team. The Supervision Team provides close, structured engagement with specific services in scope of the online safety regime, alongside an approach to promoting compliance across many thousands of services. This role will consider industry practices in good governance and standards in online safety risk assessments, working closely with other specialist teams in Ofcom and the supervision team to identify improvements.

Purpose of the Role

Our Supervision Senior Associates manage our engagement with some of the online services people use every day. You will directly supervise key tech firms, building healthy relationships so we can understand their user protections and, where necessary, encourage them to do better. As you grow into the role, we’ll support you in building your knowledge of online safety measures and the services you supervise, so you can become an expert in protecting users from harmful and illegal content. You will be working as part of a team to supervise a portfolio of key services. You will develop supervision strategies for each service and report on progress against them to the wider Online Safety Group. You will be Ofcom's main point of contact for your services, ensuring that all of Ofcom’s engagement and requests for information align with its strategic aims while balancing proportionality. Senior Supervision Associates also play a role in compliance delivery programmes across key harm areas, which align with Ofcom’s strategic priorities. This activity involves driving programme management across several services. Content information and safeguarding.

Content information and safeguarding

Applicants should be aware that whilst these roles should not involve direct exposure to illegal content, they could include working time spent on distressing content, material, and themes. Ofcom is committed to safeguarding our colleagues who undertake this type of work and offers a range of tailored support options, including training, annual psychological assessments for those regularly doing this work and 24-hour access to counselling services.

Your key responsibilities

• Build and maintain strong relationships with relevant online services
• Develop deep expertise in your supervised services and across Ofcom’s online safety programme, keeping across online safety, markets and tech developments
• Understand, assess and, where necessary, drive improvements in protections offered to users and other obligations under the Online Safety Act
• Identify and drive research, information gathering and analysis about the services you supervise and ensure analysis and outputs are drawn together for the wider team
• Ensure the delivery of clear, concise and focused documents, such as briefings and research reports, for internal use or external publication
• Oversee and manage the workload of junior and cross-functional colleagues as needed to ensure we deliver against our strategic priorities
• Build and maintain effective relationships with teams across Ofcom that work with us, ensuring they are updated, included and feel heard
• Deliver or contribute to initiatives across the Supervision Team to support our strategy, e.g. international or cross-regulatory engagement or developing expertise in specific markets
• Ensure clear communication and information sharing at all levels with the rest of the Online Safety Group and deliver clear updates on the services you supervise when requested.
• Drive effective programme management of compliance delivery for a strategic priority, including developing OKRs, effective prioritisation of issues, and supporting and working with relevant supervision teams to help them meet deadlines.

The skills, knowledge and experience you will need for success

• Articulating Ideas: Presentation and drafting skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise and understandable communications or documents for internal and external use.
• Experience of working in complex policy compliance or with regulatory issues
• Scanning Horizons: Grasp the bigger picture, foresee upcoming trends and challenges, and ensure actions and decisions are in sync with long-term objectives.
• Executing Plans: Organise tasks and set clear goals, managing resources wisely while monitoring progress.
• Embracing Change: Remain flexible in the face of change, anticipating and adjusting to shifts.
• Harmonising Work: Work effectively with others, creating an honest team environment and sharing valuable information and resources.
• Channelling Influence: Guide opinions and decisions with compelling communication and persuasion techniques, aiming to get everyone on the same page.
• Empowering Development: Support others in growing their skills and strengths.
• Empower them with guidance and let their potential shine.

Inclusive hiring at Ofcom

At Ofcom, our mission is clear: to make communications work for everyone. To achieve that, our people must reflect the diversity of the UK, in background, identity and experience. We believe innovation thrives when difference is valued and everyone feels empowered to contribute their ideas and perspectives. That’s why we welcome colleagues of all ethnicities and races, sexes, genders and gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, faiths and beliefs, and those with apparent and non-apparent disabilities. We value socio-economic diversity, life experience and neurodiversity too. Whether you’re a carer, a parent, a veteran, or re‑entering work after time away, your voice and perspective matter here. Flexibility is at the heart of how we work because we want you to thrive in a way that suits you best. Most roles can therefore be adapted for part‑time hours, job shares, or other flexible arrangements. Learn more about our Rewards, Benefits and Wellbeing on our careers page.

Our recruitment process is intentionally designed to be open and accessible. If you need adjustments, information in a different format or an alternative way to apply, contact us at [e-mail] or 0330 912 1378.

As a proud Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee interviews for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for a role. You can read more about this commitment here.

Whoever you are, whatever your story, you belong at Ofcom. We make communications work for everyone. As the UK's communications regulator, we’re delivering vital work that helps keep the UK connected and shapes the future of how we’ll stay connected with each other. Our work covers everything from phones and broadband, through to TV, radio, the postal service, and wireless devices. And we need people of all backgrounds, skill sets, and experiences to help us achieve our goal of making communications work for everyone. Ofcom’s remit is huge – we keep UK citizens and consumers safe from harm and ensure they receive the best possible service from their communications providers. Find out more about Ofcom, where we operate, and the different types of work we do to keep the country connected. At Ofcom we are determined to do all we can to promote diversity and equality inside our organisation and in the wider sectors we regulate. Diversity and equality are fundamental to achieving our purpose to make communications work for everyone. We need to make the best decisions for all UK consumers and citizens. To do this, it is essential that all levels of our organisation are diverse and foster an inclusive culture.