Senior Associate

Ofcom; Belfast; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A digital communications regulator in Northern Ireland is seeking a Senior Age Assurance and Digital Identity Technology Advisor. The role involves providing expert technical guidance on Age Assurance technologies, conducting vital research, and supporting policy development. Candidates should have a strong background in technical advisory roles, particularly in Digital Identity and online safety sectors. This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to make impactful contributions in a dynamic regulatory environment.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Inclusive workplace

Support for returning professionals

Qualifications

• Practical or theoretical expertise in Age Assurance and Digital Identity.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience in a technical advisory role with online safety focus.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert guidance on Age Assurance and Digital Identity to policy teams.
• Independently lead research projects to inform policy decisions.
• Support evaluation of Age Assurance implementations per Ofcom guidance.

Skills

Expertise in Age Assurance

Technical writing

Interpersonal skills

Research and evaluation

Education

Degree in engineering or relevant science subject

Job description

Closing Date:

06/02/2026

Group:

Online Safety Group

Management Level:

Senior Associate

Job Type:

Permanent

Job Description:

Please note this role will close at 00.01 on the 6th February so we advise making your application by midnight on the 5th February.

About the Team

The Online Safety Technology team (OS Tech) provides an advisory role supporting wider multi-disciplinary work areas teams, comprising of policy specialists, technologists, economists, lawyers and others across Ofcom, working collaboratively on associated deliverables.

In addition, the OS Tech Team conducts research to build knowledge and understanding in subject areas fundamental to online safety. This includes, for example, age assurance, AI and machine learning, digital identity, privacy enhancing technologies, decentralisation, user experience, gaming, network infrastructure, and digital forensics

Purpose of the Role

We are looking for a technically strong and strategically minded Senior Age Assurance and Digital Identity Technology Advisor to provide expert guidance on the technical aspects Age Assurance and Digital Identity as they relate to online safety.

The role holder will have an opportunity to work alongside existing team members, carrying out desk research and more technical work to ensure that the OST Team has the most up to date technical knowledge of this fast moving and exciting area. The team work alongside other OSG areas to support the development of policy positions.

This role will be a great opportunity for someone with a strong technical aptitude and a background in Digital Identity, Age Assurance or Identity and Access Management, to work in this key area.

Your key responsibilities

Technical Advisory & Policy Support

• Provide expert guidance on Age Assurance and Digital Identity technologies to policy, supervision and enforcement teams.
• Advise on the technical feasibility and risks of proposed regulatory interventions.
• Translate complex Age Assurance, Digital Identity and wider technology concepts into actionable recommendations for senior leaders, policy experts, and external stakeholders.
• Have a good understanding of the Ofcom guidance on Age Assurance and also other areas where Age Assurance and Digital Identity are involved e.g. ICO Age Appropriate Design Code

Research

• Independently lead research projects—ranging from literature reviews of publishable standard to experimental studies — on new capabilities, system performance, safety, and effectiveness, often in collaboration with multidisciplinary internal teams (e.g., lawyers, economists, data scientists).
• Explore novel and emerging Age Assurance developmentsthat may impact online safety, such as decentralised ID, new and novel Age Assurance products, standards and political developments in this space e.g. Digital Verification Services Trust Framework.
• Develop an evidence base to inform policy decisions and support regulatory innovation.

Evaluation of Age Assurance Systems

• Support work to assess Age Assurance implementions in accordance with Ofcom HEAA Guidance.

Technical Communication & Engagement

• Prepare and present technical briefings, white papers, and demos to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Host internal knowledge-sharing sessions and represent Ofcom in external technical working groups and conferences.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to influence regulatory thinking and promote responsible AI practices.

Horizon Scanning

• Monitor the Age Assurance, Digital Identity and wider technology landscape to identify emerging trends and anticipate regulatory challenges.
• Contribute thought leadership to ongoing debates around Age Assurance and Digital Identity and their use in online services.

Maintain strong relationships with academia, industry, and public bodies to strengthen external research partnerships.

The skills, knowledge and experience you will need for success

To be successful in this role, you will be able to demonstrate:

• Practical or theoretical expertise Age Assurance, Digital Identity or related areas e.g. Identity and Access Management. structured and evidence-based evaluations of the AAmechanisms. Or a demonstrable ability to research and understand these technologies.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences and produce documentation.
• Experience working in a technical advisory role, with a focus on Age Assurance, Digital Identity or online safety is desirable.
• Articulating Ideas: The ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights for non-technical audiences, including internal and external stakeholders, consumers, and policy areas.
• Harmonising work: The ability to work across organisational boundaries in multi-disciplinary project teams of policy professionals, technologists, data specialists and lawyers to understand requirements and their mapping to technical specifications and delivering business outcomes.
• Forming relationships: Strong interpersonal skills and evidence of an ability to interact effectively with, and influence, a range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Scanning Horizons: The ability to take a strategic view by identifying emerging trends, risks, and opportunities, and aligning decisions and actions with long‑term goals to inform effective policy and delivery outcomes.

Qualifications

Educated to at least degree level (or equivalent) in a relevant engineering or science subject but candidates with evidence of equivalent demonstrable skills and experience in required specialist knowledge areas will also be considered.

Inclusivity Statement

Ofcom has a clear mission: to make communications work for everyone. To be able to deliver on this, we want our organisation to reflect the diversity of background, experience, upbringing and thought that exists across the UK. We aim to recruit from the widest pool of candidates possible – no matter your social background, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or disability. We also warmly welcome applicants who are returning to the workforce after a break – for whatever reason. If you have taken time away and are ready to rejoin, we look forward to reviewing your application.

Where positions are listed as full‑time, we remain open to reduced hours, part‑time arrangements, job shares, and other flexible working options. From day one, we champion flexible work arrangements to accommodate individual needs. You can read more about our Rewards, Benefits and Well‑being on our careers page.

Our recruitment processes prioritise accessibility and inclusivity. If you need adjustments, information in an alternative format, or prefer to apply in a different way, please contact us at [e-mail] or call 0330 912 1378.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we offer interviews to disabled applicants who meet essential criteria for advertised roles. Learn more about this scheme here. https://careers.ofcom.org.uk/careers/how-we-hire/