Audit Team Manager in Wilmslow

Full time / Part time Salary: £44,297- £49,813 with potential for further progression to £56,082 with our pay progression scheme.

Location: Hybrid Contracted to our Wilmslow 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.

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.

Job summary: Drive the ICO's assurance work by managing a team that audits, assesses, and supports organisations in meeting their information rights obligations. This role blends leadership, stakeholder engagement, and strategic delivery to strengthen good practice across the sector.

The Assurance department's activities focus on helping organisations implement appropriate and effective controls in relation to their information rights obligations. Our approach utilises powers of audit and assessment through both voluntary or compulsory engagements to improve information rights practice. The department activity and focus is shaped by the strategic direction of the ICO, its corporate plans and emerging areas of information rights risk. As well as audit work, the department works with other ICO departments and external stakeholders to promote good information rights practice.

As the Team Manager you will be responsible for the management and delivery of this programme of work, and for managing and developing a team of Assurance staff.

Key responsibilities:

• Working with Group Managers, develop and maintain a balanced programme of risk‑based Assurance activities in line with departmental and organisational strategy.
• The risk identification, scoping and planning of audits of public and private organisations to ensure that engagements are focused, effective and deliver identifiable benefits to both the external organisation and the ICO.
• Line manage a team of Assurance staff monitoring their performance, supporting their development, and ensuring they are utilised effectively.
• Manage audits and other Assurance activities, within agreed timescales, to ensure that they deliver pragmatic, robust recommendations supported by evidence that will improve the organisation's compliance with legislation.
• Liaise clearly and confidently with all internal and external stakeholders to plan, agree, schedule and deliver Assurance activities, representing the ICO at relevant stakeholder events (including speaking engagements) and forums where required.
• Liaise with data controllers' information governance and internal audit departments before engagements to build business intelligence/background information, and after, to disseminate results and outcomes.
• Liaise with other ICO departments to build, share and act upon relevant intelligence regarding data controllers, including participation in cross‑office groups and tasking and coordinating activities, where required.
• Manage the production and dissemination of outcomes reports and other outputs which summarise key themes and lessons learned from our work programme for specific audiences.
• Take ownership of deliverables produced by the team for internal and external stakeholders, in particular ensuring the quality of written output.
• Manage team projects, setting clear objectives, ensuring outcomes are delivered and disseminated effectively.
• Support the development and review of departmental policies and procedures, including the Assurance Manual, to ensure they are kept up to date with both internal procedures and external standards.

Person specification:

Essential criteria assessed at application stage:

• 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.
• Possession of, or willingness to undertake, relevant professional training in audit, risk or information management.
• Compliance assessment experience and a knowledge / understanding of relevant methodologies (also measured at interview).
• Experience of managing teams operating in a compliance assessment environment (also measured at interview).
• Ability to develop and manage staff performance (also measured at interview).

Essential criteria assessed during interview:

• Good intellectual and analytical ability in order to be able to apply complex legislation to a variety of practical circumstances.
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate at all levels with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Good standard of literacy and effective written skills including strong report writing skills.
• An understanding of how to constructively influence change in outside organisations.
• A good understanding of general business processes with specific reference to the management and handling of personal data.
• Ability to travel occasionally as required to support the development of Lead Auditors and to attend meetings on behalf of the team or department.

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.

Closing Date: Please submit your CV by 23:59, 29 March. 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.