Lawyer - Data Privacy Advice in Wilmslow

Full time / Part time

Salary: £57,815 - £65,021 pa, with potential for further progression to £73,211 pa 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.

Why work for the ICO?

• Pay progression scheme.
• Hybrid and flexible working options.
• 25 days paid holiday per year, plus privilege and 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, insurance providers and many more.
• Health Cash Plan.
• Fantastic development opportunities to learn and progress.

The postholder will be taking the role at a pivotal moment for the organisation and for the UK’s information rights framework. The ICO is becoming the Information Commission, reflecting our evolving role and responsibilities following the Data (Use and Access) Act, alongside the introduction of a new corporate strategy with refreshed priorities. The ICO Legal Service plays a central role in delivering this new strategic ambition.

As a lawyer they will work within the ICO Legal Service (Data Privacy Advice team) on some of the most high-profile data protection and cyber matters, involving cutting edge legal issues. This will include providing quality, timely and risk based legal advice in relation to the UK GDPR, DPA 2018, FOIA 2000, PECR 2003 and NIS 2018. They will act in accordance with directions given by the Executive Team and the senior legal leadership team, under the overall supervision of the ICO’s General Counsel.

As a lawyer in the Data Privacy Advice team, they will provide technical legal support to others across the organisation. They may supervise other lawyers and staff in the Legal team, and will work with external lawyers where appropriate.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide high quality, timely and risk based legal advice on queries received across the ICO.
• Provide expert advice in areas of responsibility to decision makers regarding possible solutions, options and issues which need to be considered by them.
• Effectively manage a caseload of on-going legal issues/cases/queries and ensure that matters are dealt with in line with ICO standards, policy and regulatory priorities.
• Ensure that guidance published by the ICO is legally accurate and reflects current legislation.
• Liaise with case officers, managers and decision makers with regard to on-going legal matters and work as part of a project team as necessary.
• Ensure the ICO is professionally represented externally at key meetings, and events (both nationally and internationally), court/tribunals hearings (where appropriate) and at public speaking engagements.
• Contribute to the development of colleagues in the ICO by preparing or delivering in-house training as required.
• Oversee the legal aspects of the workflow of support staff and ensure that such work is performed to the required standards.

Person specification

Essential criteria assessed at application stage:

• Applicants must be qualified to practise as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales or, in respect of Applicants qualified in a jurisdiction outside of England and Wales, must have an appropriate equivalent professional qualification and may be required to undertake the Solicitors’ Qualifying Examinations (or apply and be granted an exemption of one or both parts) within a defined period.
• Current practising certificate (or entitlement to obtain one) from the Law Society or Bar Council.
• Post qualification experience in information law work or the ability to quickly develop expertise in this area.
• Experience of providing strategic legal advice in a regulatory environment including knowledge of public law principles and/or the ability to quickly develop skills in this area.
• Experience of liaising with and instructing external lawyers and other organisations.

Essential criteria assessed during interview:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to interpret and apply legislation to particular situations.
• The ability to understand and assimilate information quickly and make sound reasoned decisions in relation to matters of law.
• Excellent legal analytical skills.
• Experience of managing own workload effectively, particularly in a pressurised environment.
• Understanding of the regulatory environment and the public sector generally.

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. Read more about our commitment on our website.

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. If you have a disability or impairment and require an alternative application method, please email the HR team at recruitment@ico.org.uk.

Closing Date

Please submit your CV and cover letter detailing your suitability to the role by 23:59 on Wednesday 15th July 2026. Your cover letter should be no more than 1,000 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 at recruitment@ico.org.uk.

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 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.

Interviews are to take place on w/c 10th August 2026.

Clearance Required for this role: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)