Senior Data Protection Advisor

Job summary

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) helps businesses invest, innovate, export and grow across the UK. The Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) directorate helps to deliver this by designing, building and running the services, platforms and technology that businesses and colleagues rely on every day.

Our teams work on a wide range of services and technologies, including:

• digital services that help businesses access government support, guidance and opportunities
• data and AI products that support decision making and enable innovation
• internal tools and services that help colleagues work more effectively
• secure technology and platforms that support critical government services
• cyber security services that protect systems, data and users

By joining DDaT, you'll work on services used by businesses, colleagues and citizens across the UK. You'll be part of multidisciplinary teams focused on improving services, solving complex problems and delivering better outcomes for users.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace. In recognition of this, we were named Best Public Sector Employer at the Women in Tech Employer Awards 2025!

Job description

As a Senior Data Protection Advisor, you will support the department's operational data protection risk assurance function, ensuring personal data is handled lawfully, securely and responsibly while enabling the effective delivery of departmental priorities.

You will work in a small specialist team, provide expert advice on complex and high-risk Data Protection Impact Assessments, and work closely with stakeholders across Digital, Knowledge and Information Management, Legal and business areas to enable innovation, digital transformation and the responsible use of data, including emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.

Main responsibilities

You will:

• Lead complex, high-profile and high-risk Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA) reviews from triage to sign-off, providing authoritative risk assurance and practical mitigation for the Department’s most challenging processing activities
• Work with teams and suppliers to identify and mitigate data protection risks, making sure actions are taken and tracked using the right tools.
• Ensure DPIA recommendations and risks are clearly documented and the Record of Processing Activity (RoPA) for the processing is accurate.
• Liaise with the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Data Protection Officer (DPO) when medium/high risks have been identified.
• Drafting/assuring privacy notices, data sharing agreements, and Article 28 clauses: coordinate with Cyber, Commercial and Technology subject matter experts.
• Lead or support ICO consultation (where required) and prepare clear, decision-ready risk products for senior governance forums (e.g., ARAC).
• Administrate BIST’s Data Protection Assurance platform, identifying and implementing improvements to meet business needs while ensuring compliance with data protection legislation.
• Line-manage junior analysts and provide key leadership within the Data Protection Team

Person specification

It is essential that you have:

• Data protection expertise and risk assurance: Strong knowledge of data protection legislation, including UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and ICO guidance, with the ability to apply this expertise to complex DPIA reviews, identify and assess privacy risks, exercise sound professional judgement and recommend proportionate, practical mitigations. (Lead)
• Management skills with the ability to confidently support a team and to flexibly manage resources.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, work independently and deliver high-quality outcomes in a fast-paced environment.
• An ability to build productive working relationships with colleagues, customers, and internal and external stakeholders.
• Possess strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to convey complex information to a variety of stakeholders.

It is desirable that you have:

• A relevant professional qualification or working towards one in Data Protection.
• Knowledge of KIM profession and associated information legislation and standards, cyber risks or assurance frameworks.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

At the interview stage for this role, you will be asked to demonstrate relevant Strengths and Behaviours from the Success Profiles framework.

Strengths are designed to test your innate talents so are not listed on the advert to ensure you provide a natural answer.

Behaviours

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

How to apply

As part of the application process you will be asked to upload a two-page CV and complete a 750 word personal statement outlining how you meet the essential skills and experience listed above. You can use bullet points and subheadings if you prefer.

Sift will be from week commencing 25/11/2026

Interviews will be from week commencing 7/12/2026

Please note these dates are indicative and may be subject to change.

If there is a high volume of applications, we will sift looking at your Lead Criteria only. You may then be progressed to full sift or straight to interview.

How we offer

Offers will be made in merit order based on location preferences. If you pass the bar at interview but are not the highest scoring you will be held on a 12-month reserve list in case a role becomes available. If you are judged a near miss at interview, you may be offered a post at the grade below the one you applied for.

This role requires SC clearance. BIST's requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Failure to meet this requirement will result in your application being rejected and your offer will be withdrawn.

Checks will also be made against:

• departmental or company records (personnel files, staff reports, sick leave reports and security records)
• UK criminal records covering both spent and unspent criminal records
• your credit and financial history with a credit reference agency
• security services record
• location details

More about us

This role can only be worked from within the UK, not overseas. If you are based in London, you will receive London weighting. BIST employees work in a hybrid pattern, spending 2-3 days a week (pro rata) in the office on average. Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by BIST, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.

You can find out more about our office locations, how we calculate salaries, our diversity statement and reasonable adjustments, the Recruitment Principles, the Civil Service code and our complaints procedure in the candidate pack attached to this advert.

Find out more about life at BIST, our benefits and meet the team by watching our video or reading our blog!

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

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)
• 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 (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).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.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in 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 : DDaT Recruitment
• Email : Ddat.recruitment@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Ddat.recruitment@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DBT by email at Resourcing@trade.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Civil Service Commission Complaints

Attachments

DDaT Candidate Pack (BIST) Opens in new window (pdf, 569kB)