Director for AI and Biometrics (PACE)

The Director for AI and Biometrics (PACE) will lead the ICO’s response to these challenges, with accountability for the cross-cutting programme to deliver its AI and Biometrics Strategy. Working through a matrix-managed team drawn from policy, technology, legal and supervisory colleagues, the role ensures the ICO anticipates emerging risks, provides organisations with certainty, and safeguards people from harm.

This is a high-profile leadership role at the intersection of technology, law and society. You will set direction, bring coherence across complex workstreams, and represent the ICO with authority at the highest levels of government, industry and civil society. You will have the opportunity to shape how AI and biometric technologies are governed in the UK and to influence international debates on responsible AI for years to come.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide leadership to PACE teams within the ICO on key priority issues to scope the issue; identify what a good outcome would look like; assess how we deploy the available interventions most effectively to deliver this; and oversee effective delivery in a timely manner.

• Ensure proper governance, quality and ethical standards are met during the course of PACE team activity.

• Maximise resource efficiency within PACE teams and deliver value for money. This will involve the continual review of activities and their contribution to the ICO’s strategic priorities and deciding when change is necessary to re-align activity to meet the ICO’s objectives.

• Take responsibility and be accountable for achieving the ICO’s strategic priorities, translating these into clear and deliverable objectives for the resources within the PACE teams and providing the energy and drive to achieve them.

• Make effective, confident and timely decisions, involving relevant Heads of Department, technical experts and consulting others where needed, articulating options and making recommendations for preferred courses of action.

• Provide advice and support at all levels within the PACE teams, providing challenge and technical input where appropriate.

• Promote team working, knowledge sharing and resource co-ordination across directorate functions, working with other senior leaders to achieve these outcomes more widely across the ICO.

• Champion the development of staff, creating an inclusive environment which values diversity, encourages learning and development and identifies and acts where capabilities need to be improved.

• Use initiative, be innovative and seek opportunities for strategic change to deliver world class services.  Seek, encourage and recognise ideas and have the courage to take risks and change how things are done, challenging the status quo appropriately where required.

• Coordinate cross-office delivery, aligning contributions from multiple functions to deliver coherent, impactful and timely outcomes.

• Represent the ICO externally, building senior partnerships across government, regulators, industry, civil society, academia and international bodies, and influencing global debates on trustworthy AI.

• Advise the Commissioner and Executive Team, providing authoritative insight on AI and biometrics risks, opportunities and regulatory responses.

• Lead people across boundaries, motivating and developing a matrix-managed team and embedding a culture of inclusion, wellbeing and high performance.

• Contribute to corporate leadership, supporting Senior Leadership Team decision-making and championing organisational change.