Principal Policy Adviser – Cloud services
Location
London, England, United Kingdom
Employment TypeFull-time
Posted At5/1/2026
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Description
London
Job Summary
Principal Policy Adviser – Cloud services
Full time / Part time
Salary: £57,815- £65,021, with potential for further progression to £73,211 our pay progression scheme.
Location: Hybrid
Contracted to our London, Wilmslow, Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast office.
Our Wilmslow office will be relocating to Manchester city centre from 28 September 2026. Once the move takes place your contracted office will be Circle Square, Manchester. Through hybrid working we offer flexible home and office-based working opportunities and 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?
The Technology Department is the ICO’s hub for cutting‑edge technology expertise, leading the development of innovative policy and regulatory approaches to new and emerging technologies. Our work sits at the intersection of advanced tech and public interest, tackling complex, high‑impact challenges that shape the future of digital regulation. If you want to work at the frontier of technology and policy, this is where your impact will matter.
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.
Job Description
Job Summary
Principal Policy Adviser – Cloud services
Full time / Part time
Salary: £57,815- £65,021, with potential for further progression to £73,211 our pay progression scheme.
Location: Hybrid
Contracted to our London, Wilmslow, Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast office.
Our Wilmslow office will be relocating to Manchester city centre from 28 September 2026. Once the move takes place your contracted office will be Circle Square, Manchester. Through hybrid working we offer flexible home and office-based working opportunities and 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 Technology Department is the ICO’s hub for cutting‑edge technology expertise, leading the development of innovative policy and regulatory approaches to new and emerging technologies. Our work sits at the intersection of advanced tech and public interest, tackling complex, high‑impact challenges that shape the future of digital regulation. If you want to work at the frontier of technology and policy, this is where your impact will matter.
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.
Job Description
As a Principal Policy Advisor specialising in Cloud Services, you will lead the development of policy positions and regulatory guidance on cloud technologies. You will ensure that ICO policy reflects technological realities and supports compliance with UK data protection law. This role bridges technology and policy, influencing national and international standards for cloud adoption.
The ICO is an influential digital regulator both internationally and domestically, consulting key decision-makers on technology policy. This is an opportunity for you to influence high-impact policy and undertake work at the forefront of innovation.
You will enjoy substantial autonomy, often working directly with more senior colleagues, including members of the ICO Executive and Senior Leadership Teams, and will regularly provide advice and expertise in internal briefings and at external events and meetings. You may also work directly with external researchers or technologists, and industry fora as part of this role.
Key Responsibilities:
The ICO is an influential digital regulator both internationally and domestically, consulting key decision-makers on technology policy. This is an opportunity for you to influence high-impact policy and undertake work at the forefront of innovation.
You will enjoy substantial autonomy, often working directly with more senior colleagues, including members of the ICO Executive and Senior Leadership Teams, and will regularly provide advice and expertise in internal briefings and at external events and meetings. You may also work directly with external researchers or technologists, and industry fora as part of this role.
Key Responsibilities:
The ICO is an influential digital regulator both internationally and domestically, consulting key decision-makers on technology policy. This is an opportunity for you to influence high-impact policy and undertake work at the forefront of innovation.
You will enjoy substantial autonomy, often working directly with more senior colleagues, including members of the ICO Executive and Senior Leadership Teams, and will regularly provide advice and expertise in internal briefings and at external events and meetings. You may also work directly with external researchers or technologists, and industry fora as part of this role.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the development of ICO policy on cloud computing, including public, private, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments.
- Draft and publish guidance, codes of practice, and policy statements on cloud-related issues.
- Provide expert advice to senior leadership on the regulatory implications of cloud technologies.
- Engage with government, industry, and international bodies to shape policy and standards for cloud services.
- Monitor emerging trends (e.g., edge computing, serverless, containerisation) and assess their policy impact.
- Support investigations and enforcement actions by providing policy interpretation and advice.
- Represent the ICO at conferences, working groups, and stakeholder meetings on cloud-related topics.
- Collaborate with technical advisors to ensure policy is informed by sound technical understanding.
The ICO is an influential digital regulator both internationally and domestically, consulting key decision-makers on technology policy. This is an opportunity for you to influence high-impact policy and undertake work at the forefront of innovation.
You will enjoy substantial autonomy, often working directly with more senior colleagues, including members of the ICO Executive and Senior Leadership Teams, and will regularly provide advice and expertise in internal briefings and at external events and meetings. You may also work directly with external researchers or technologists, and industry fora as part of this role.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the development of ICO policy on cloud computing, including public, private, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments.
- Draft and publish guidance, codes of practice, and policy statements on cloud-related issues.
- Provide expert advice to senior leadership on the regulatory implications of cloud technologies.
- Engage with government, industry, and international bodies to shape policy and standards for cloud services.
- Monitor emerging trends (e.g., edge computing, serverless, containerisation) and assess their policy impact.
- Support investigations and enforcement actions by providing policy interpretation and advice.
- Represent the ICO at conferences, working groups, and stakeholder meetings on cloud-related topics.
- Collaborate with technical advisors to ensure policy is informed by sound technical understanding.
Person specification
Essential Criteria Assessed At Application Stage:
- Significant relevant experience, which could have been gained from a policy, operational or corporate environment.
- Experience of interpreting complex information which could include legislation or operational rules and procedures.
- Excellent understanding of the technology sector and internet economy, including associated data protection and internet safety issues (also measured at interview).
- Strong understanding of the wider parliamentary, democratic, political and regulatory framework in the UK and overseas (also measured at interview).
- 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 (also measured at interview).
- Experience of working in a technology and/or digital focused environment, with significant privacy, innovation and/or regulatory elements.
Please visit ico.jobs for full details, including salary and benefits.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
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 recruitment@ico.org.uk
Closing Date
Please submit your CV and cover letter by 23:59, 27 May. 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.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Medical
Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
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.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Medical
Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
Working for the Civil Service
Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
- Name : recruitment@ico.org.uk
- Email : recruitment@ico.org.uk
- Email : recruitment@ico.org.uk
https://ico.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/ICO/details/Principal-Policy-Adviser---Cloud-Services_JR746-1