Director for AI and Biometrics in City of London

Fixed term until March 2027

Full time / Part time

Salary: 88,403 – 101,223 with potential progression to 114,042.

Location: Hybrid Contracted to Wilmslow, London, Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast offices with flexible home and office-based working. The head office will relocate from Wilmslow to Manchester city centre from Autumn 2026.

Why work for the ICO:

• Pay progression scheme.
• Hybrid and flexible working options.
• 25 days paid holiday per year plus public holidays.
• Flexi leave (up to 26 additional days leave per year).
• Pension (employer contribution around 28.9%).
• Online discount scheme to save money at major supermarkets, retailers, gyms, restaurants and insurance providers.
• Health Cash Plan.
• Fantastic development opportunities to learn and progress.

Job summary:

Artificial intelligence and biometric technologies are transforming how services are delivered, how decisions are made and how people interact with the world. They bring opportunities for innovation and growth but also create risks of bias, discrimination, loss of transparency and erosion of trust. Regulators around the world are under pressure to respond with clarity and confidence. The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) is the independent regulator of information in a data-driven world. We provide advice, guidance and support to organisations enabling compliance with their obligations as well as protecting individuals and their personal data. As an employer we are passionate about making a positive difference to the lives and careers of our people and we empower you to be curious, impactful, collaborative and respectful.

Job description:

The Director for AI and Biometrics will lead the ICO's response to these challenges with accountability for the cross-cutting programme to deliver its AI and Biometrics Strategy. Working through a matrix-managed team drawn from policy, technology, legal and supervisory colleagues the role ensures the ICO anticipates emerging risks, provides organisations with certainty and safeguards people from harm. This is a high-profile leadership role at the intersection of technology, law and society. You will set direction, bring coherence across complex workstreams and represent the ICO with authority at the highest levels of government, industry and civil society. You will have the opportunity to shape how AI and biometric technologies are governed in the UK and to influence international debates on responsible AI for years to come.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide leadership on key priority issues, scoping the issue and determining what good outcomes look like; assess how to deploy interventions most effectively and oversee timely delivery.
• Ensure proper governance, quality and ethical standards are met.
• Maximise resource efficiency and deliver value for money; continually review activities, align to strategic priorities and re-align when necessary.
• Take responsibility for achieving the ICO's strategic priorities, translating them into clear objectives and driving achievement.
• Make effective, confident, and timely decisions, articulating options and recommending preferred courses of action.
• Promote teamwork, knowledge sharing and resource coordination across directorate functions, working with senior leaders to achieve wider outcomes.
• Champion staff development, fostering an inclusive environment that values diversity, encourages learning and addresses capability gaps.
• Use initiative, be innovative and seek strategic change to deliver world-class services; recognise ideas and challenge the status quo where appropriate.
• Coordinate cross-office delivery, aligning contributions from multiple functions for coherent and impactful outcomes.
• Represent the ICO externally, building senior partnerships across government, regulators, industry, civil society, academia and international bodies to influence global debates on trustworthy AI.
• Advise the Commissioner and Executive Team with authoritative insight on AI and biometrics risks, opportunities and regulatory responses.
• Lead a matrix-managed team, embedding a culture of inclusion, wellbeing and high performance.
• Contribute to corporate leadership, supporting the Senior Leadership Team's decision-making and championing organisational change.

Person specification:

Essential criteria assessed at application stage:

• Substantial experience relevant to the role’s responsibilities, including engagement with the intersection of information rights and technology, and/or innovation through academic or vocational qualifications or experience.
• Experience of engaging and negotiating with senior external stakeholders.
• Substantial experience of managing and deploying resources, including budgets.
• Ability to seek out, manage and influence.

Essential criteria assessed during interview:

• Deep familiarity with the use of technology to process personal data and promotion of innovation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, negotiation and presentation skills.
• Inclusive and supportive staff leadership skills.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise and delegate.

Equality, diversity and inclusion:

The ICO is committed to promoting and enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion. We aim to build a workforce representative of the communities we serve and create an inclusive workplace where all colleagues can make a difference. Candidates with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for this vacancy will be invited to interview as part of the ICO's Disability Confident Scheme. We guarantee an interview to candidates who identify as belonging to an ethnic minority background and who meet the minimum criteria for this vacancy.

Closing Date:

Please submit your CV and cover letter detailing your suitability to the role by 23:59 on 28 September 2025. We reserve the right to close this vacancy before this date should we receive sufficient applications. In the event of a high volume of applications we may not be able to invite all candidates who meet the minimum criteria to interview, but we encourage you to stay in touch and apply for future roles that match your interests. All candidates who meet the minimum criteria and apply in line with our guaranteed interview scheme for disabled and ethnic minority applicants will be interviewed.