Please note that this role will close at 00:01 on Thursday 6th June, and therefore we advise getting your application in no later than midnight on Wednesday 5th June.

Fixed Term Contract (12 months)

How to Apply

To be considered you must submit your CV and a covering letter of no more than 2 pages detailing your relevant experience and interest in the role. Please note that you are able to upload multiple documents at the point where you upload your CV.

About Ofcom

Ofcom is the regulator for the communications services that we use and rely on each day. We make sure people get the best from their broadband, home phone and mobile services, as well as keeping an eye on TV and radio.

Our culture is clear – we live by our values: Empowerment; Excellence; Collaboration; Agility and Respect. These define how we work to deliver our purpose, now and in the future. The behaviours which support these values set the path for a fully inclusive and innovative culture at Ofcom.

We focus not only on what we do, but how we do it. We pride ourselves on being an organisation of people who genuinely care about helping others.

About the Team

Almost every part of our lives is now online: we use online spaces to learn, play, make connections, do business and keep in touch. Alongside the many benefits, users face real risks from harmful or illegal content - from fraud, hate speech, bullying and harassment, child sexual exploitation, and more. Ofcom is the new regulator for online safety in the UK and there has never been a better time to join us on our mission to create a safer life online.  

Ofcom’s role will be to hold online services to account for the steps they take to protect their users from harmful content, in order to ensure a safer life online for UK internet users. These roles provide an opportunity to help create a safer online environment and leave a lasting legacy for future generations. 

This role will be part of Ofcom’s Online Safety Group, whose broader purpose is to lead our work in ensuring UK citizens have a safer life online. The Group consists of five teams – Policy Development, Supervision, Strategy Delivery, Tech Policy and Trust & Safety. This role sits within the Policy Development team, who are responsible for establishing and implementing our policy codes and guidance.

Purpose of the Role

We are recruiting a Principal on a fixed term 12-month contract to cover maternity leave. The purpose of this role is to lead Ofcom’s work related to Trust & Safety policy outputs across the three phases of Online Safety (OS) regulation and the existing video-sharing platform (VSP) regime. The successful candidate will be responsible for all policy workstreams related to Terms of Service, Content Moderation, Automated Technology, Reporting & Complaints, and Search, and managing the relevant teams for each workstream.

This is a key role within our efforts to set up the online safety policy regime. While the role sits within the online safety policy team, the successful candidate will work with a multi-disciplinary project team compromising of policy specialists, researchers, technologists, economists, and lawyers working on the associated deliverables.

We are looking for candidates with experience of working for online services’ internal trust and safety or integrity functions, including in content moderation, content policy, operations, investigations, and/or incident management. The successful candidate will also have experience of leading and implementing a complex work programme, delivering effectively through others, and effectively managing stakeholder relationships.

Your key responsibilities

Working to the Policy Development Directors, this role will:

• Drive delivery of key work products related Phase 1 and 2 Statement, Phase 3 Consultation, and VSP Policy, empowering own team and others across Ofcom to progress critical milestones
• Provide critical thinking and challenge while effectively managing project/programmatic risk
• Represent Ofcom in engagement with stakeholders to learn from others and ensure our approach is appropriately reflected
• Assist in the leadership and management of the team and wider group by contributing to the strategic direction of policy work, supporting colleagues’ wellbeing, and driving broader Online Safety leadership priorities

The above list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive, and the successful candidate will be expected to perform different tasks as necessary.

The skills, knowledge and experience you will need for success

Essential

• Experience of working with or for online services in relation to those services’ internal trust and safety or integrity functions, including in content moderation, content policy, operations, investigations, and/or incident management.
• Excellent written communication skills, with significant experience in overseeing production of large and complex publications, ensuring clear and coherent narrative flows. 
• Experience of directing broad, complex projects, balancing competing priorities, delivering the implementation through others, and working collaboratively with colleagues at all levels and across cross-functional teams.  
• Experience of leading or managing others, setting direction, and helping colleagues develop. 
• Experience weighing up complex arguments and making proportionate, evidence-based decisions.  
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with proven ability to influence and persuade. Must be comfortable handling challenging conversations.   

Desirable

• Strong understanding of Ofcom’s duties and regulatory remit.
• Experience of applying or formulating rules, guidance, policy, or systems and processes for compliance in relevant sectors.
• Experience working in ambiguity, proactively identifying challenges, and creating or improving processes. 

At Ofcom we prioritise inclusive and diverse recruitment in order to truly reflect the society we represent.

Where positions are listed as full time, we remain open to reduced hours, part-time arrangements, job shares and other flexible working options from day one of employment.  We warmly welcome applications from candidate returning to work after a break – for whatever reason.

As a disability confident employer, we offer interviews to any disabled applicant who meet essential criteria for advertised roles.  Learn more about the scheme here.

If you need information in an alternative format or have specific preferences, please contact our recruitment team.