Head of Data Protection Policy and Police Support

Job summary

Can you produce high-quality policy advice, communicating complex information clearly and confidently to senior officials, ministers and key stakeholders?

Have you successfully built influential relationships with senior leaders, government departments or external partners, helping to shape policy and deliver organisational priorities?

Are you politically aware, confident managing sensitive issues and risk, and committed to maintaining high standards of governance, including the appropriate handling of information, meeting security and data protection requirements?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

The Data Protection Policy team plays a vital role in supporting the DVLA's engagement with ministers, the Department for Transport (DfT), and wider government stakeholders. Working at the centre of strategic decision-making, the team provides high-quality policy advice, and contributes to ministerial briefings and other sensitive correspondence that supports government and agency priorities.

Operating in a fast-paced and high-profile environment, the team works closely with senior leaders, policy colleagues, legal advisers, and external partners to ensure accurate, timely, and effective delivery. The team is responsible for driving policy development, managing risks, maintaining strong governance standards, and ensuring compliance with legislative, ministerial and departmental requirements. Through collaboration, expertise and innovation, the team helps shape policy outcomes and supports the Agency in delivering its strategic objectives whilst complying with it's legal obligations. The role also includes leadership for operational delivery of a range of key DVLA services to meet the specific requirements of the police and other law enforcement stakeholders.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at DVLA:

DVLA roles: DVLA – Home , Civil Service Careers

Job description

You will lead the strategic direction of the Data Protection Policy and Police Support teams, providing expert advice and guidance on complex and high-profile issues. Build and manage effective relationships with ministers, senior officials, and key stakeholders to support policy development and legislative change. Ensure the delivery of accurate, timely, and impactful briefings, advice, and communications, representing the DVLA professionally in a fast-paced and politically aware environment. You will also manage the provision of critical services relied on by important government stakeholders.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

1. Leading the Data Protection Policy and Police Support teams, acting as the key contact within the Agency and ensuring the delivery of high quality, accurate and timely policy advice, briefings, parliamentary responses, sensitive correspondence in line with DfT protocols, and delivery of key operational services.
2. Lead the development and delivery of policy and strategic initiatives, providing expert advice, engaging with stakeholders across government, and ensuring policies support Agency and government priorities while delivering high-quality outcomes.
3. To provide leadership on the strategic direction of data protection policy and act as the champion for policy changes, working closely with relevant cross-agency colleagues. To provide guidance and direction to own teams about the requirements for new polices/initiatives.
4. Lead workforce planning and team development, ensuring resources, skills and capabilities are effectively managed to deliver directorate priorities and objectives.
5. Lead risk management activities, maintaining risk registers, promoting a proactive risk culture, and ensuring appropriate mitigations are implemented to support effective decision-making and delivery.
6. Ensure personal and team compliance with corporate responsibilities and policies such as data protection, absence management, security, health and safety.

Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills set out in the Civil Service Line Management Standards.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile.Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

1. Experience of building and maintaining effective relationships with senior stakeholders. This could include senior officials, senior civil servants, ministers' offices, or external partners in the Civil Service and public sector, and equivalent roles in the private sector like Chief Executive Officers (CEO), Managing Directors and Heads of Department. Ability to influence outcomes and work collaboratively across organisational boundaries.
2. Experience of developing, implementing, or influencing policy, supported by sound analysis and a strong understanding of the wider political environment. Ability to provide strategic advice that aligns with government and organisational priorities.
3. Experience of drafting, coordinating, or quality assuring high-quality ministerial submissions, briefings, parliamentary responses, or sensitive correspondence. Demonstrable strong written communication skills and the ability to present complex information clearly and concisely.
4. Experience of leading and developing teams, managing competing priorities, and ensuring resources are effectively deployed to deliver strategic objectives and high-quality outcomes in a fast-paced environment.
5. Experience of identifying, managing, and mitigating risks, ensuring compliance with governance requirements and organisational policies. Awareness of data protection principles and experience of handling sensitive information appropriately would be beneficial.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will be expected to undertake appropriate training in data protection disciplines as needed, and hold or be prepared to gain industry standard qualifications in this field. In this case, a willingness to undertake such training is required.

Additional Information

We welcome applications from candidates who can speak Welsh and English. Welsh language skills could be useful in this role, but it is not an assessment criterion, so it won’t put you at any disadvantage during recruitment if you aren’t a Welsh speaker. Please note that the application and assessment process will be held in English.

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