Group Director Customer Services

Group Director of Customer Service (Level H)

Reports to: Executive Director DDaT and Customer Experience

Salary: £116,155pa - £141,007pa with progression to £165,858 per annum with our career banding framework

Location: Wilmslow, Cheshire (Hybrid – approximately 3 days per week in the office). From Autumn 2026 our head office will be relocating from Wilmslow to Manchester city centre.

Closing date: 23:59 on Monday 29 September 2025

About the Role

Reporting to the Executive Director for DDaT and Customer Experience, you will lead the development and implementation of the ICO's Customer Service Strategy, embedding customer experience thinking across everything we do.

With direct responsibility for around 400 staff across our Public Advice & Data Protection Complaints, FOI Complaints & Transparency, and Business Services functions, you will:

• Drive digital and data-enabled transformation of services, including the use of self-service, automation and AI.
• Lead cultural and operational change to improve customer outcomes, increase efficiency, and enhance satisfaction.
• Oversee some of the ICO's highest-volume services, ensuring customers get timely, valuable support.
• Shape the organisation's approach to customer insight, service design and continuous improvement.
• Be the professional lead for customer service at the ICO, setting standards and building capability across the organisation.

This role is both strategic and operational: you'll be at the forefront of designing the future of customer service while also ensuring today's services deliver excellence.

About You

We're looking for a visionary and inspiring leader with:

• A strong track record of transforming large-scale, high-volume customer services.
• Expertise in using data and insight to shape strategy, improve services, and deliver measurable outcomes.
• Substantial experience of leading people and driving organisational change.
• Knowledge of modern change and service methodologies (such as agile, design thinking or systems thinking).
• The ability to influence and collaborate at the highest levels, with excellent communication and stakeholder skills.

Above all, you'll be passionate about delivering high-quality, customer-centred services that support the ICO's role as a world-leading regulator.

Please note that post holders for this role will be required to receive security clearance to, at least, SC level. This requires the disclosure of spent and unspent convictions. Although convictions will be taken into account, any such information will not necessarily prevent you from obtaining a security clearance.

Why Work for the ICO?

• Interesting and challenging work.
• Pay progression scheme.
• Hybrid and flexible working options.
• 25 days paid holiday per year, plus privilege and public holidays.
• Pension (employer contribution 28.9%).
• Online discount scheme to save money at major supermarkets, retailers, gyms, restaurants, insurance providers and many more.
• Health Cash Plan.
• Fantastic development opportunities to learn and progress.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

The ICO is committed to promoting and enhancing equality, diversity, and inclusion. We are focused on developing a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve and together we are building an inclusive workplace where all of our colleagues have the opportunity to make a real difference. We are championing this through our Equality Diversity and Inclusion Board together with a number of staff networks. Read more about our commitment on our website.

Candidates with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for this vacancy will be invited to interview as part of the ICO's commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme.

As part of the ICO's commitment to our EDI objectives and creating a workplace that represents the communities and societies we serve, we guarantee an interview to candidates who declare they identify as belonging from an ethnic minority background and who meet the minimum criteria for this vacancy.

How to Apply

To apply for this role, please provide the following documents:

• An up-to-date CV. Please submit a PDF document labelled 'CV' with your name and the role title.
• A supporting statement. Please submit a PDF document (maximum two pages) that outlines your interest in this particular organisation and role, and your fit against the essential experience criteria set out in the person specification and role description. Please label this document 'Supporting Statement' with your name and the role title.
• A completed diversity monitoring form on the application link.

If you would like to know more about the role or selection process, please contact Emma Law or Rebecca Hopkinson from our Executive Search partners, Green Park by emailing emma.law@green-park.co.uk or Rebecca.Hopkinson@green-park.co.uk.