Data Protection Specialist - 12 Month Fixed Term Contract (July 2026 - June 2027)

Division: Risk and Compliance Oversight

Department: Data Privacy and Compliance

Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £52,400 to £62,700 and London from £57,700 to £68,000 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience)

This role is graded as: Senior Associate - Regulatory

About the FCA and team

We regulate financial services firms in the UK, to keep financial markets fair, thriving and effective. By joining us, you’ll play a key part in protecting consumers, driving economic growth, and shaping the future of UK finance services. SPC oversees firms and individuals (supervision), creates and reviews the rules by which they operate (policy) and identifies and remedies ineffective competition in markets (competition). The Risk and Compliance Oversight Division (R&CO) performs the second line of defence function in the FCA. R&CO help the FCA identify, assess, and report risks that threaten the FCA's ability to deliver its statutory objectives.

Role responsibilities

• Act as a specialist adviser to 1LoD functions and business areas, translating complex legal and regulatory requirements into practical guidance that supports the lawful, ethical and professional handling of personal data across the organisation.
• Manage medium to low‑risk data breaches and support senior colleagues on major investigations, helping to contain issues quickly and protect individuals and the organisation, with flexibility for occasional out‑of‑hours work when needed.
• Provide self‑directed advice on complaints, queries and escalations, maintaining key documentation such as ROPA, privacy notices and policy frameworks to enhance the organisation’s compliance posture and reduce regulatory risk.
• Deliver against core privacy objectives by identifying compliance gaps, assessing risks and ensuring corrective actions are completed, enabling clear oversight and robust reporting to senior stakeholders.
• Support the integration of the privacy framework, monitoring regulatory developments and trends, actively contributing to cross‑directorate initiatives that promote consistency, collaboration and shared standards.
• Develop and deliver engaging training and awareness programmes, ensuring colleagues understand their data protection responsibilities and helping to embed a consistent, organisation‑wide “privacy‑aware” culture.

Skills required

• Demonstrable experience interpreting and applying complex legal and compliance requirements, complemented by knowledge of privacy governance in AI and ethics.
• Prior experience in privacy operations, advisory and assurance including the implementation of robust privacy controls and training programs.
• Prior experience in a role requiring reporting clear communication, for promoting privacy practices, be to wider business specifically to non‑experts and effectively negotiating with cross‑functional teams.
• Demonstrated experience in providing privacy operations and producing reports, encompassing incident response, complaint resolution, and handling complex regulatory queries with MI and reporting.
• Ability to prioritise operational requirements while meeting objectives outlined in the privacy roadmap.
• Effective stakeholder management skills and communicating the strategic importance of data protection while delivering high‑quality advice/outcomes across the organisation.
• Proficient in implementing agile Scrum methodologies to improve efficiency and continuous improvement.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Hybrid model where employees work a minimum of 40% in the office each month (expectation of 50% for senior leaders). Changing from September to a minimum of 50% in the office each month (expectation of 60% for Directors and Executive Directors).
• Non‑contributory pension (8–12% depending on age) and life assurance at eight times your salary.
• Private healthcare with Bupa, income protection, and 24/7 Employee Assistance.
• 35 hours of paid volunteering annually.
• A flexible benefits scheme designed around your lifestyle.

Our values & culture

Our colleagues are the key to our success as a regulator. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture: one that’s free from discrimination and bias, celebrates difference, and supports colleagues to deliver at their best. We believe that our differences and similarities enable us to be a better organisation – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation, and delivers better regulation. If you require any adjustments due to a disability or condition, your recruiter is here to help - reach out for tailored support. We welcome diverse working styles and aim to find flexible solutions that suit both the role and individual needs, including options like part‑time and job sharing where applicable.

Disability Confident: our hiring approach

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, and therefore, people or individuals with disabilities and long‑term conditions who best meet the minimum criteria for a role will go through to the next stage of the recruitment process. In cases of high application volumes, we may progress applicants whose experience most closely matches the role’s key requirements.

Useful information and timeline

• Advert Closing: Friday 20th March.
• CV Review/Shortlist: Tuesday 24th March.
• Interviews: W/C 30th March.

SC Clearance is required for this role (SC Guidance) - you will hold or will be required to obtain Security Check (SC) level vetting.