Authorising Officer in Birmingham

Who we are

The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 established the office of the Investigatory Powers Commissioner (IPC) and provides for the appointment of Judicial Commissioners (JCs) to approve and oversee the use of investigatory powers by public authorities. The current IPC is Sir Brian Leveson. The IPC and JCs have the important function of balancing the public interest and the rights of the individual independently of Government, specifically protecting the public by reviewing whether public authorities’ interference with those rights is justifiable. IPCO are committed to creating an increasingly diverse and inclusive workplace. Our people are our greatest asset and so we aim to foster a safe environment where diversity of thought is welcomed, work-life balance is valued and opportunity for growth is encouraged.

Communications data authorisations

The IPC is responsible for the work of communications data authorisations. The Authorisations Team considers applications for the acquisition of communications data (CD) from law enforcement and public authorities. The team is located across two offices in Birmingham and Manchester. Communications data is the information generated which relates mostly to telephone communication or internet activity. The data describes the communication but not the content of this. Communications data is now used in 95% of serious and organised criminal prosecutions and has been used in every major counter terrorism investigation over the past decade. As such, the acquisition of CD must be independently authorised and that is the function of IPCO as an independent body.

The role of an Authorising Officer

Authorising Officers are responsible for assessing public authorities’ requests to acquire communications data in compliance with the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 and other relevant legislation. Your role will be to independently assess the necessity and proportionality of applications received from public authorities. Applications are received from across the UK, and you will have the responsibility for the final decision as to authorise, decline or return applications. The applications IPCO receive contain large amounts of information and need to be fully considered. Each application should be considered on its own merit, and you will make timely and objective decisions based on the facts available. The role of Authorising Officer is vital as communications data can either support or disprove an alibi and can identify links that may exist between suspects and a crime scene. Sometimes CD is the only way to identify these offenders, particularly where offences are committed online, such as child sexual exploitation or fraud. Our operation is a fast‑paced environment, with high volume workloads. Due to the nature of this work, high levels of discretion will be expected from the successful candidates.