JOB DESCRIPTION

The Government Digital Service (GDS) is the digital centre of government. We are responsible for setting, leading and delivering the vision for a modern digital government.
Our priorities are to drive a modern digital government, by:
1. joining up public sector services
2. harnessing the power of AI for the public good
3. strengthening and extending our digital and data public infrastructure
4. elevating leadership and investing in talent
5. funding for outcomes and procuring for growth and innovation
6. committing to transparency and driving accountability
We are home to the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (I.AI), the world-leading GOV.UK and at the forefront of coordinating the UK’s geospatial strategy and activity.
We lead the Government Digital and Data function and champion the work of digital teams across government.
We’re part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and employ more than 1,000 people all over the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and Bristol.
The Government Digital Service is where talent translates into impact. From your first day, you’ll be working with some of the world’s most highly-skilled digital professionals, all contributing their knowledge to make change on a national scale.
Join us for rewarding work that makes a difference across the UK. You’ll solve some of the nation’s highest-priority digital challenges.
In this role, you will be part of the Government Digital Service (GDS) Data Directorate at an exciting time as we work to improve access to public sector data across central government and public services, develop guidance and good practice for safe and responsible use and deployment of Artificial Intelligence, improve government digital and data function.
Within this function we recognise the need to develop cross government approaches to building trust, mitigating common data protection and security challenges. We need great people to make that happen.
This will involve solving complex problems to deliver on the ambitions in the Blueprint for Modern Digital Government. You’ll be working with colleagues from other government departments and wider public sector, as well as external stakeholders, challenging others to be ambitious in transforming the way data is used and shared lawfully, securely and ethically across government to help deliver joined-up, trusted public services that meet the needs of their users.

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)
• 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)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

As a senior data protection advisor, you’ll:
Play a key role in compliance with legal obligations and user expectations for privacy and data protection, and provide high-quality independent advice on best practice across government.
Develop and oversee delivery of strategic data protection and privacy frameworks, guidance and advice to support lawful and secure access to public sector data, responsible and safe deployment and use of AI for government working with stakeholders and other government departments.
Manage the relationship between GDS, government departments, the wider public sector and the Information Commissioner’s Office for best practice in data protection and privacy to enable GDS roadmap ambitions.
Work with other digital and data professionals in GDS to provide advice, support and challenge functions to departments on data and innovation programmes and make recommendations to policy teams, senior civil servants and Ministers on data sharing, data protection and privacy.
Assist in the delivery of large-scale user-focused digital and data programmes and support GDS cross government data communities.
Deputise for the Head of Data Protection and Privacy for the UK Government where required.