Head of Enterprise in London

Fixed term until 31 March 2027

Full time / Part time

Salary: 69,371 - 79,372 with potential for further progression to 89,369 with our pay progression scheme.

Location: Hybrid. Contracted to our Wilmslow, London, Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast office; however, we offer flexible home and office‐based working opportunities. There will be times when you will be expected to attend the office to collaborate with colleagues or travel due to business need. Please note from Autumn 2026 our head office will relocate from Wilmslow to Manchester city centre.

This role is open to secondment opportunities.

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.
• Online discount scheme to save money at major supermarkets, retailers, gyms, restaurants, insurance providers and many more.
• Health Cash Plan.
• Fantastic development opportunities to learn and progress.

Job summary:

The Enterprise Department sits within the ICO's Technology Innovation and Enterprise Directorate charged with influencing the most significant firms in the digital economy to demonstrate high standards of data protection across their full range of products and activities. The department's work is high‐profile and high‐impact, shaping the experience of digital services for people across the UK.

The Information Commissioner's 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:

As Head of Enterprise you will lead the department and forge productive relationships at the highest level in both industry and government to drive forward the ICO's goals. You will grow and develop a high‐performing team that shares your ability to rapidly scrutinise emerging policy and product developments and take effective decisions on how to respond to these. You will be results‐driven, ensuring that your team focuses on the most significant issues of the day and drives forward meaningful change in industry, including through regulatory action where appropriate.

You will do so in partnership with the UK's other major digital regulators such as Ofcom, the Competition and Markets Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority, maximising the synergies between our respective regimes in order to deliver impact. You will lead the ICO's interface with the new online safety and digital markets regulatory regimes and shape the debate about how privacy should be reconciled with other regulatory goals on issues from online advertising to end‐to‐end encryption. You will lead the ICO's contribution to the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum, ensuring that this delivers real benefits for our customers and stakeholders.

Key responsibilities include:

• Grow, coach and lead the ICO's Enterprise Department ensuring that team members are clear about expected standards of performance, motivated and equipped to deliver results.
• Forge candid productive relationships at the highest level with the most significant digital economy firms, using your insight and influence to drive forward the ICO's regulatory goals and ensure compliance with data protection law.
• Build the analytical and intelligence functions needed to identify and scrutinise the most significant market product and policy developments and take effective decisions on how to respond to these.
• Work with Ofcom to manage the interface between the data protection and online safety regimes, ensuring that firms are required to uphold high standards of both safety and privacy and resolving areas of potential regulatory overlap.
• Work with the Competition and Markets Authority to manage the interface between the data protection and digital markets regimes, ensuring that privacy considerations are designed into pro‐competition interventions at a strategic and operational level.
• Lead the ICO's contribution to the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum, promoting regulatory coherence that delivers better outcomes for businesses and citizens.
• Represent the ICO externally on matters of digital regulation: speaking at conferences, engaging with C‐suite stakeholders, giving evidence to Parliamentary committees, taking part in media activity.

Person specification:

Essential criteria assessed at application stage:

• Substantial experience relevant to the role requirements as described in the role responsibilities and person specification and accumulated through any combination of academic or vocational qualifications or experience.
• Substantial experience in leadership or management roles in a policy or regulatory environment.
• Expert influencer able to build impactful relationships at C‐suite level; influence external partners and stakeholders to secure mutually beneficial outcomes; communicate with conviction and clarity in the face of tough negotiations or challenges.
• People leader able to grow and develop high‐performing teams, taking action where needed to address capability needs; support and coach individuals to reach their full potential; give teams the space and authority to deliver objectives whilst holding them accountable for outcomes.

Essential criteria assessed during interview:

• Strategic thinker able to maintain in-depth insight into market developments and policy/regulatory changes; identify, create and lead agendas building strong coalitions for change; develop and implement strategic plans focused on improving outcomes for citizens and businesses.
• Effective decision‐maker able to develop and evaluate options; commission and use expert analysis; demonstrate transparency around decision‐making; invite challenge and engage stakeholders in decisions; and make unpopular decisions (where necessary) and defend them.
• Results‐driven able to develop clear structures, systems and resources needed to support a high‐performing department; swiftly adjust priorities as changing situations dictate; ensure the department continues to deliver on core priorities irrespective of external challenges.

Equality, diversity and inclusion:

The ICO is committed to promoting and enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion. We are focused on developing a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve and together we are building an inclusive workplace where all of our colleagues have the opportunity to make a real difference. We are championing this through our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board together with a number of staff networks.

Candidates with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for this vacancy will be invited to interview as part of the ICO's commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme.

As part of the ICO's commitment to our EDI objectives and creating a workplace that represents the communities and societies we serve, we guarantee an interview to candidates who declare they belong from an ethnic minority background and who meet the minimum criteria for this vacancy.

If you are disabled or have an impairment and require an alternative application method please email the HR team.

Closing Date:

Please submit your CV and cover letter by 23:59 23 November. Your cover letter should be no more than 1000 words and should clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. To ensure your application is considered we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application please contact us.

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. However, we encourage you to stay in touch and apply for future roles that match your interests.