Digital, Social & Creative Content Manager

Locations: Wilmslow, Cheshire, Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London/Hybrid

Contract type: Full time - Fixed term up to 12 months

End Date: June 12, 2026

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

Work location and hybrid working: Contracted to our Wilmslow, London, Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast office; relocation to Manchester city centre from 28 September 2026. Through hybrid working we offer flexible home and office-based working opportunities.

Why work for the ICO?

• 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

The ICO’s work affects every single person in the UK. Our regulatory role impacts how healthcare can innovate, how social media firms select the content you see and how police can use technology to reduce crime. We oversee how you can access information about how your taxes are spent, or about how a company is using your data. It is our communications department’s role to tell those stories.

We work to support the office’s work in explaining the law and influencing the behaviour of organisations. We help people to understand their information rights, and support public trust and confidence in the responsible use of data. And we increase public and stakeholder awareness of the benefits of what we do, protecting and enhancing our reputation.

What does that mean in practice?

• Running impactful campaigns that change people’s lives.
• Working with national print and broadcast media, placing stories, building a contacts book and spotting opportunities.
• Growing our social media following, finding new ways to engage audiences in our work and creating content people want to see.
• Ensuring our website reflects the breadth of work and level of detailed guidance that characterise the ICO.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the independent regulator of information rights. 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.

Our Digital, Social and Creative Content Manager is at the centre of our work to engage people in what the ICO does. We want an experienced digital comms professional who can communicate, explain and raise awareness of the ICO’s work, with creative content at the heart of their approach.

You will be comfortable working across the full range of social and digital channels, and you will be able to integrate that work with the output of teams across communications, with a pivotal role in our campaigns, news delivery and wider communications.

We want someone who can lead our digital team, ensuring our work is prominent and engaging, as well as prioritised and focused on strategic outcomes. In doing so, you will help equip your communications colleagues with the skills they need to adopt new and innovative approaches to communicating.

You will have overall responsibility for leading and managing a team of nine, including a web content team, graphic design team, social media team and a speechwriter – the former two managed by team managers.

You will be responsible for overseeing and ensuring successful delivery of year two of our 2025-27 social media strategy, a key role in delivering the ICO’s Digital Vision, and overseeing the increasing professionalisation of our graphic design service.

We want someone who can be a key member of the Senior Management Team, playing an active role in the continued improvement and evolution of our communications function, and helping to deputise for the Head of Media.

You will help further embed a culture of proactivity, flexibility and collaboration in teams across the directorate to make sure we are delivering the very best communications.

This is an exciting and challenging opportunity for a candidate who is able to demonstrate creative thinking, engaging story-telling, excellent news judgment and strong leadership – with a keen eye on detail, delivery, impact and the bigger picture.

Crucially, the role requires an ability to form good, productive, effective and professional working relationships with people across the organisation, including at the most senior levels.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the successful delivery of the final year of our impactful social media strategy, working closely with Insight and Evaluation (I&E) colleagues to ensure objectives are met.
• Provide overall editorial responsibility for content across the ICO’s digital channels, including our website, owned social media channels and our evolving newsletter offer.
• Lead the digital and creative content team, ensuring the continued high performance and motivation of our highly skilled team.
• Lead and expand the ICO’s reach with segmented audiences on social media.
• Drive innovation in the use of technology in communication by leading experimentation and analysis of new platforms, tactics and engagement methods.
• Be a key member of Communication Directorate’s Senior Management Team (SMT), deputising when necessary for the Head of Media.
• Scan and interpret the modern communications landscape to identify risks to ICO’s reputation and service continuity.
• Working closely with I&E colleagues, lead the analysis of social media channel performance data and audience insight.
• Achieve the best return on investment by managing resources, maximising the use of existing assets.
• Work closely with colleagues in communications to develop their technological skills and promote a digital-first culture.
• Building close and highly effective working relationships across the organisation and with counterparts in other arms-length bodies and other partner organisations.
• Help develop the ICO’s external identity, including tone of voice through our social media strategy, messaging and content.

Person specification

Essential criteria assessed at application stage:

• Experienced across PR, digital, media and social media.
• Extensive experience of digital and creative content production, marketing and campaigning approaches.
• Track record of developing and delivering proactive communications strategies.
• Proven leadership skills and ability to promote a digital-first culture for communications.
• A passion for and deep knowledge of modern communication methods.
• A very high standard and track record in a range of content types including writing, photography, video and working with designers.

Essential criteria assessed during interview:

• A track record of gaining the confidence of and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret and learn from digital performance data.
• The ability to work well under pressure and manage multi-level priorities and short deadlines.
• Sharp news sense, excellent judgement, strong political savvy and outstanding communications skills.

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