Senior IG Officer in Sheffield

• Main area Information Governance Grade NHS Af C: Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours
• Full time
• Job share
• Flexible working
• Home or remote working

37.5 hours per week (Flexible working or reduced hours may be considered) Job ref 190-1910-DIR

Employer Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site 2 Claremont Place Town Sheffield Salary £39,959 - £48,117 pa/pro rata for part time staff Salary period Yearly Closing 28/09/2026 23:59 Interview date 08/10/2026

• Senior IG Officer
• NHS Af C: Band 6

We are committed to helping our staff balance their work and home lives and ensure they feel supported, valued and appreciated so whilst you care for our patients and clients, we’ll take care of you.

We offer many different ways of helping staff including career development opportunities, flexible working, good annual leave and pension schemes , health and wellbeing packages and financial support systems.

Joining the Trust also allows you access to a number of saving options via our salary sacrifice schemes and a wide range of discount opportunities with retailers and service providers.

Job overview

The Senior Information Governance (IG) Officer will work as part of a small IG team within Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

You will support the team's important work in promoting good practice around data protection and confidentiality across the Trust, working to ensure the Trust meets its statutory and legal obligations.

This will include overseeing complex Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, managing Subject Access Requests, supporting the annual Data Security and Protection Toolkit submission process, participating in data security incident investigations and generally acting as a source of expert IG knowledge for colleagues across the Trust.

Main duties of the job

Independently manage and process highly complex information requests, including Subject Access Requests (SARs) from members of the public, Trust staff, solicitors and patients, involving sensitive information.

Oversee and quality-assure complex Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, ensuring responses from clinical directorates comply with statutory deadlines.

Support the annual completion and evidence-gathering process for the NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT), taking part in collection and indexing of the required evidence.

Participate in investigations into complex data security incidents and confidentiality breaches reported via the Trust’s incident management system (Datix).

Act as an internal source of knowledge to clinical directorates, research teams, and administrative managers, responding to queries with clear and practical advice on GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and Caldicott Principles.

Facilitate and review Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) for high-risk projects, including artificial intelligence (AI) clinical tools, cloud migrations, and research trials.

Assist with investigations into complaints regarding data protection breaches, or with internal reviews of FOI complaints.

Liaise with the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) to support this complaints process where needed.

Working for our organisation

You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves.

The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its employees.

This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.

Person specification

Education and qualifications

• Expert knowledge of information governance and data protection acquired through qualification to graduate degree level, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Post-graduate level qualification in a relevant discipline, or equivalent working experience.
• Professional qualification in data protection (e. g. BCS, ISEB or CIPP/E).
• Relevant accredited qualification such as BCS Practitioner Certificate in Freedom of Information.

Experience

• Significant experience of working in an Information Governance role.
• Experience working within an NHS organisation or similar public body, preferably an acute Trust.
• Experience of writing key information governance documents, including policies and procedures, data protection impact assessments, privacy notices, etc.

Ability to tailor such documents to the specific audience.

• Experience in conducting IG related research in order to perform role, such as locating and interpreting relevant national guidance or legislation.
• Preparation of Freedom of Information Act and/or Subject Access Request responses with practical experience of the exemptions, the public interest and prejudice tests, collaborating with colleagues to finalise responses.
• Preparing and coordinating evidence for the annual Data Security & Protection Toolkit submission.
• Experience in assisting and supporting colleagues with urgent response activities such a personal data breach response and urgent project / programme issues.
• Assisting in the investigation of IG incidents in line with NHS, ICO and UK GDPR requirements.

Skills and Knowledge

• Expert knowledge of GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018, Freedom of Information Act 2000, and awareness of other relevant legislation such as the Access to Health Records Act 1990.
• Knowledge of the SIRO role, its responsibilities, the inter- relationship with Information Security, Cyber Security, Information Governance and Information Assets and their Owners.
• An awareness of the NHS research process as well as the role of completing DPIAs as part of innovative or otherwise high-risk projects.
• Ability to translate complex information, including legislative details, into accessible, practical language.
• Ability to appropriately challenge and negotiate with senior members of staff where required.
• Familiarity with document redaction using specialised software.
• Understanding of the specific structure and data challenges within a multi-site NHS Trust.
• An awareness of cyber security with some knowledge of data security frameworks e. g. Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001.
• Personal Qualities
• Able to work under pressure and to deadlines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels.
• Recognition of own personal boundaries and when to refer matters to others/senior colleagues.
• Able to manage time and priorities appropriately, operating on own initiative towards agreed objectives.
• Positive attitude towards learning and development, demonstrated by a record of continuing professional development.

Please note that in order to comply with the UK Government’s rules on Skilled Worker sponsorship, any applicants who do not meet the eligibility requirements or concessions on salary thresholds under the Skilled Worker visa will not be eligible to receive sponsorship from the Trust.

Please keep this in mind when submitting your application.

Further details on these concessions, and who qualifies for them, can be found here .

We encourage applications from all backgrounds and are committed to equality and diversity.

The Trust is committed to its obligations in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, and we positively encourage applications from all sections of the community.

Job Share applicants are welcome for all full time posts unless indicated but cannot be guaranteed. In addition for Fixed Term Contracts, internal secondments may be considered.

All employment with the Trust is subject to a number of NHS Employment Checks being met to a satisfactory standard including verification of identity, eligibility to work in the United Kingdom, references and qualifications in addition to professional registration, a disclosure and barring records check and occupational health check if these are deemed to be a requirement for the position to be undertaken.

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