Apply before
09/11/2026, 23:55
Reference number
958
Salary
£37,428
London weighting allowance (Per Annum)
£4,379
Role grade
G5
Contract type
Permanent
Command
Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT)
Business Area
Chief Data Office (CDO)
Type of role
Governance, Knowledge and Information Management
Working pattern
Full time, Part time, Flexible Working, Job share
Number of roles available
1
Chief Data Office Officer
Location(s)
Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Leicester, London, Normanton (Calder), Warrington
About the Role
Information about the Command
Digital, Data & Technology (DDaT), supports NCA operational commands with how we exploit data and to ensure the NCA uses the best technology platforms with the right tools and applications to further enable the NCA to protecting the public from serious and organised crime. We are responsible for defining and delivering our data and technology strategy, policy and architecture, and building and sustaining resilient services which are critical to our mission success.
The pace of change within the digital and tech world means we need to be agile and innovative in how we respond to threats while exploiting the opportunities this presents.
Information about the Business Area
The Chief Data Office (CDO) provides specialist advice and guidance on all areas of data and information management including knowledge and information management, data governance, and data protection. CDO is the accountable lead for the NCA’s relationship with the Information Commission and also has regular engagement with other regulators and inspectors.
All areas of CDO regularly engage across policing and government departments in relation to the management of information and data.
Role Summary
As an Officer within the CDO, you will play an important role in helping the NCA manage, protect and govern its information and data assets. Working across a range of data protection, information governance, knowledge and information management, risk, assurance and compliance activities, you will support the Agency in meeting its legal and regulatory obligations whilst enabling the effective and responsible use of information.
The CDO is an integral part of the wider Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) directorate. Together, we help shape the future of the NCA by ensuring information and data are managed effectively, ethically and in support of the Agency’s mission to protect the public from serious and organised crime.
Important Note:
CDO offers a wide range of roles across the full range of information management functions. As part of a small number of the roles offered there will be some exposure to child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) material. This will not include imagery as CDO does not have viewing rights to this. Some material will however include detailed written descriptions of indecent images, videos and offences against children. It may be necessary for you to read investigation reports around the CSAE cases so that you can identify and discuss risk factors from the case in your written reports. Where it is proposed that you are posted to one of these roles we will discuss this in more detail with you prior to an appointment being made.
Role Description
As a member of the CDO, you will play an integral role in helping the NCA manage, protect and govern its information and data assets. Working across a wide range of functions, you will support the Agency’s compliance with legislative, regulatory and organisational information management requirements, enabling the responsible use of data to protect the public from serious and organised crime.
Our work spans two key areas: Data Protection & Engagement and Information Governance. Depending on the team you join, you may support activities including data protection compliance, information sharing, data ethics, personal data breaches, data subject rights, information governance, information risk management, records and information management, audit and assurance, disclosure services, and the management of information throughout its lifecycle.
You may also contribute to the development of policies, standards and guidance; provide advice and support to business areas; help deliver training and engagement activities; support governance boards and panels; undertake assurance and audit activities; and assist with the implementation of information management controls and processes across the Agency.
All of our roles align with the Government Knowledge & Information Management Profession Framework and contribute to ensuring the Agency can confidently meet its legal, regulatory and operational responsibilities for information and data management.
This is an exciting time to join the NCA as we continue to develop our information management capabilities and expand our use of innovative technologies and data-driven approaches. Successful candidates will help ensure that information and data are managed effectively, ethically and in line with legislative requirements.
Our roles offer excellent opportunities for individuals with an interest in data protection, information governance, knowledge and information management, risk, audit, assurance and compliance who are looking to develop their professional skills and experience within a diverse and evolving environment.
Successful candidates should be willing to be flexible and support wider business objectives where required.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Support information and data governance activities: Contribute to the effective management, protection and governance of information and data, ensuring compliance with legislative, regulatory and organisational requirements.
- Provide advice and guidance: Support colleagues by providing advice on information management, data protection, information governance, records management and related policies, processes and procedures.
- Deliver compliance and assurance activities: Assist with activities that support the Agency’s compliance obligations, including assurance, audit, risk management, disclosure, governance and information management processes.
- Manage information throughout its lifecycle: Support the creation, storage, use, review, retention, disposal and preservation of information in line with organisational requirements and best practice.
- Support data protection and privacy activities: Contribute to the delivery of data protection processes, including breach management, data sharing, privacy compliance, information rights and associated governance requirements.
- Support governance, risk and decision-making processes: Assist with the preparation of information, reports and recommendations for boards, committees and governance groups, helping to inform effective decision making.
- Maintain accurate records and management information: Record, monitor and analyse information to support performance reporting, compliance monitoring, audit requirements and business improvement activities.
- Build effective working relationships: Develop positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders, providing support, guidance and collaboration to achieve shared objectives.
- Promote good information management practices: Support engagement, training and awareness activities that help improve information and data management capability across the Agency.
- Contribute to continuous improvement: Identify opportunities to improve processes, controls, guidance and ways of working to strengthen information management, governance and data protection practices.
Person Specification
- Understanding of information management, data protection and privacy principles: Has a sound understanding of information management and records management principles, together with relevant data protection and privacy requirements. Applies this knowledge to support compliance, manage risks, and provide informed advice on the effective governance, use and management of information and data.
- Good verbal and written communication skills: Able to communicate clearly and accurately in both written and verbal formats. Ensures information is presented in a way that is easy to understand, supporting effective collaboration and reporting.
- Ability to engage with stakeholders at all levels: Builds positive working relationships and communicates in a professional and approachable manner. Adapts communication style to suit different audiences across the Agency to achieve shared objectives.
- Experience of working in a fast-paced environment and meeting tight deadlines: Demonstrates ability to manage competing priorities and deliver tasks within agreed timeframes. Shows resilience and flexibility when responding to changing demands in a dynamic work setting.
Virtual Open Evening Event
To find out more about the role and the application process we will be holding a virtual opening evening via MS Teams on Thursday 22nd October 2026 at 18:00.
This event is by invitation only.
To register, please click on the following link
Virtual Event – Chief Data Officer – Thursday 22nd October 2026
You will be asked for your name and email address.
Registration will close on Tuesday 20th October 2026 at 15:00.
You will not be able to register after this date and time.
Salary
A pay flexibility case seeking to modernise NCA pay frameworks was approved by the Government in July 2026. The NCA recognises and engages in collective bargaining with three trade unions: The National Crime Officers Association (NCOA), Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) and FDA. Therefore, our terms and conditions are currently undergoing a formal review, in consultation with these recognised trade unions. The outcome is expected to be known by early 2027.
Allowances are reviewed annually and may be increased, decreased or removed.
All salary offers will be made in line with Remuneration Policy.
- Roles based in London will receive an additional London Weighting (Per Annum) of £4379
Benefits
All NCA employees are members of the UK Civil Service and eligible for the Civil Service pension scheme, alongside your salary the NCA contributes £10,843. Further information on the benefits of the scheme is available on the Civil Service Pension Website.
New entrants to the NCA receive 26 days annual leave, rising to 31 on completion of 5 years continuous service, plus 8 bank holidays.
If qualifying criteria is met new joiners from UK Police Forces or the UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) will have service with those employers taken into account for continuous service purposes for annual leave entitlement only, this will be up to a maximum of 31 days leave (including 1 privilege day).
Other benefits include:
- Flexible working, including flexi-time, compressed hours and job sharing (in line with business requirements)
- Family friendly policies, notably above the statutory minimum
- Learning and Development opportunities
- Interest free loans and advances, including season tickets, childcare and rental deposits
- Housing schemes – Key Worker status
- Discounts and Savings with a wide variety of services including Cycle to Work, Smart Tech schemes, dental insurance, gym discounts and savings on everyday spending, available through the Reward Gateway | Edenred and Blue Light Card schemes.
- Staff support groups/networks
- Sports and social activities, including membership to the Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC)
Further information is available on the NCA Website.
Selection Process Details
This vacancy is using the Success Profiles framework and will assess using the following criteria: Behaviours, Experience, Technical Skills
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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
How we will assess you
Your application will be assessed against the following:
Experience – This will be assessed:
CV
Please include your full career history, training, qualifications, key responsibilities, and achievements. Explain any employment gaps in the last two years. Ensure all accreditation dates are accurate.
Details of what is expected within your CV are as follows: Please explain how your skills, knowledge, and experience meet the criteria set out in the Person Specification. Your CV should clearly outline your employment history, education, training, and professional development. Particular emphasis should be placed on demonstrating your understanding of information management legislation and applicable data protection and privacy principles.
Your CV should be font size 11, 2 pages only, any additional pages will not be considered. Please ensure no personal data is included in the CV to ensure anonymity during the sift stage.
In the event of a high volume of applications, a longlisting exercise may be undertaken. Candidates must achieve the minimum pass mark at the CV assessment stage to progress to the full sift, where the experience criteria will be assessed.
Experience Criteria – will be assessed by 250 word examples on:
- Experience of using excellent verbal and written communication skills to build and maintain effective relationships with internal and/or external stakeholders
- Experience of managing and prioritising competing demands in line with department and agency Organisational requirements.
A panel will assess how well your application demonstrates the requirements outlined above.
You will receive an acknowledgement once your application is submitted.
We aim to have sift completed and scores released within 10 working days of the closing date of the advert. For high volume campaigns this timeframe may be extended.
Scores will be provided but further feedback will not be available at this stage.
For guidance on the application process, visit:
NCA Applying and Onboarding
Assessment 1
The format of this assessment will be Interview which will be tested on the criteria listed in the Success Profiles at Assessment section.
Additional assessment methods used alongside Interview
As part of the assessment process Role Play will be required to assess the criteria outlined below:
You will be provided with a work-based scenario 1hr prior to your interview. The panel, acting as stakeholders, will assess the behaviours of Making Effective Decisions and Seeing the Big Picture through your advice and recommendations.
Success Profiles at Assessment
Behaviours
- Making Effective Decisions
- Seeing the Big Picture
Technical
- An understanding of information management legislation and relevant data protection and privacy principles
Assessment Outcome
Outcomes will be communicated via the NCA recruitment portal.
If successful but no role is immediately available, you may be placed on a reserve list for 12 months.
Reserve lists can be used to fill similar role types across the Agency where the assessment criteria is considered a match by the recruitment team and the business area.
In the event of a tie at the assessment stage, available roles will be offered in merit order using the following order:
- Lead criteria (behaviours/technical/experience)
- If still tied, desirable criteria will be assessed (if advertised)
- If still tied, application sift scores will be used
Feedback is provided only to those who attend an assessment.
You will be subject to vetting and pre-employment checks before appointment.
Once the vacancy closes, the advert will no longer be accessible. Please save a copy for your records.
We encourage all candidates to visit the NCA Careers Page for more information.
Eligibility, Pre-Employment Check and Vetting
Please see the NCA T&Cs and Privacy Policy (pdf) for details on how your data is handled.
If you are an internal candidate who has passed interview but is undergoing an internal investigation or have a written warning in place preventing a post move you may not be able to be posted until this investigation is concluded or restriction lifted.
Nationality Requirements
This role is broadly open to the following groups:
• UK nationals or dual nationals, where one component is British
• 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
You will be required to participate in digital right to work and address checks as part of the recruitment process.
Security and Vetting
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is SC Enhanced. All security clearances will be managed by the NCA.
For more information on security vetting please visit: UK Security Vetting guidance for applicants and Demystifying Vetting and see our vetting charter at: The Vetting Charter.
Vetting requirements – SC Enhanced
Prior to commencing the role, you will need to successfully complete SC Enhanced clearance.
The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.
For further information on National Security Vetting checks please visit the following page Demystifying Vetting
Individuals will be required to undertake and pass a substance misuse test as part of pre-employment checks.
Occupational Health
Successful candidates will be expected to undertake an occupational health assessment. Depending on the role an in-person medical may be required in either London or Warrington. Unfortunately, travel costs will not be reimbursed.
Things you need to know
Multi Location
Where multiple locations are advertised, appointments will be made in merit order for each location.
Please indicate up to three location preferences clearly. Only your first three preferences will be considered. You may be allocated to any of the locations you select. If you decline an offer for a location you have selected as a preference, a further offer may not be made.
If you choose to reject an offer and no alternative preferred location can be offered, you will not be able to return to the process or be placed on a reserve list.
Only the advertised locations are available; any additional notes added to the application will not be taken into account.
Near Miss
If you meet the criteria for a lower grade, you may be offered that role if not appointable at the advertised grade.
Conversely, if found appointable at a higher grade but no posts are available, you may be offered a lower-grade role.
All offers are made based on merit.
Hybrid Working
The NCA supports hybrid working. The extent of remote working will depend on the role and can be discussed at the offer stage.
Reasonable Adjustments
We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and an inclusive, equal opportunities employer.
We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone can be their authentic self. If you’re neurodiverse, have a disability, or live with a long-term health condition, we encourage you to let us know about any reasonable adjustments you may need during the recruitment process.
If you experience accessibility issues with the advert or require reasonable adjustments, please contact our Recruitment Team at Log in to view email before the advert closing date.
Please ensure you complete the ‘Equal opportunities’ and ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ sections in the application form to inform us on what support you may need in the recruitment process.
For more on our Disability Confident commitment, visit Disability Confident Scheme | Civil Service Careers.
Visit NCA Benefits and Support for more details.
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 and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy
In order to monitor the effectiveness of the National Crime Agency’s Diversity & Inclusion strategy, we require certain personal details about you on submission of your application for statistical and monitoring purposes only. Please note that this will be treated in confidence and will not impact your application.
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit on merit through fair and open competition, in line with the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.
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.
If you believe your application has not been treated fairly, email: Log in to view email(quoting the vacancy reference).
If unresolved, you may escalate your complaint to the Civil Service Commission.
Working for the NCA
The National Crime Agency is a 24/7 organisation, and working patterns must support business requirements. Some roles may require you to respond at short notice or outside of core hours.
If preferable, alternative contract types may be available. Please review the green bar of this advert to view all available contract types for this role. Where Loan or Secondment options are available, these would be for existing Civil Servants (Loan) and applicants from accredited Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) or any other employer (Secondment). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.
If you have any specific queries about the role that are not covered by the advert, please contact:
Name : Central Recruitment Team
Email : Log in to view email
