Principal Policy Adviser

Principal Policy Adviser – AI Policy

Fixed term until March 2027 fixed term

Full time / Part time 

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

Job summary

We are hiring a fixed term Principal Policy Adviser (PPA) for the AI Policy team at the ICO. The PPA will be contracted until the end of March 2027 and will report to the Group Manager for AI Policy.

The PPA will be part of the AI Policy team at the Technology department. This is the ICO's centre of technology policy and technical expertise. It specialises in developing novel policy and regulatory interventions in relation to new and emerging technologies.

We are an influential digital regulator both internationally and domestically, consulting key decision-makers on AI policy and regulation.

You will be joining us at an interesting time and will play a key role in driving forward or supporting the delivery of the AI & Biometrics Strategy we launched in June 2025. You will be also feeding into a variety of AI work across the office, including advising external stakeholders on ICO's approach to AI regulation.

The role also covers significant cross regulatory and international commitments, as the ICO's policy contact into the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF) and the Global Privacy Assembly (GPA), and providing briefings to support the Commissioner and CEO to inform their engagements. You can see more about our work on AI here.

The PPA will support our work on ensuring AI-driven services and products at the forefront of innovation comply with data protection, respect individuals' rights and bring wider benefits to society and the economy.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in influencing innovation and adoption in the AI space, while ensuring people's rights and freedoms are protected.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide expert insight regarding emerging data protection and information rights matters with a technical dimension, ensuring this expertise is deployed to anticipate issues and produce incisive policy responses.
• Lead multi-disciplinary teams, drawing on expertise and skillsets across the ICO, to produce high-impact policy outcomes.
• Build and maintain excellent relationships with internal and external stakeholders, by representing the ICO in a variety of forums, and negotiating with senior stakeholders to ensure we are able to develop, communicate and maintain a clear approach to our policy lines.
• Provide strategic advice to the Commissioner and his senior leadership team, including the delivery of timely and high-quality briefings.
• Proactively develop legislative and technical expertise, keeping abreast of AI developments in all information rights legislation and regulations overseen by the ICO.
• Lead fast-paced policy projects to explore the implications of specific developments in technology and innovation in greater depth, and make recommendations on the appropriate course of action.

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.
• Significant relevant experience, which could have been gained from a policy, operational or corporate environment that relates to AI.
• Experience of leading successful AI related projects from concept to sign-off.
• Experience of interpreting complex information which could include legislation or operational rules and procedures.
• Excellent understanding of the AI technology, the relevant sector and its impact on individuals, including associated data protection and AI regulation and governance issues. (Also measured at interview)

Essential criteria assessed during interview:

• Excellent written communication skills, including the abilities to analyse complex information and legislation, and to formulate clear and persuasive arguments for a range of audiences.
• Ability to demonstrate an agile approach to technical upskilling is an advantage.
• A strong understanding of the wider parliamentary, democratic, political and regulatory framework in the UK and overseas is essential.
• Excellent verbal communication and presentation skills and an ability to represent the ICO with a range of stakeholders. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to negotiate and maintain good relationships with senior stakeholders in all areas of public life and make sound judgements.
• Ability to work under pressure and at pace.
• Ability to identify, understand and evaluate the strategic, social and practical implications around AI technologies and processing that affect people's rights in relation to data protection.
• Ability to travel to meetings and events in the UK and overseas (possibly outside office hours)

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. 

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 identify as belonging 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 at

Closing Date 

Please submit your CV and cover letter by 23:59,4 January 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 

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.