CEO, Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA)

The opportunity

Digital verification and trust services can make it easier for people to prove who they are and complete important tasks safely. They only work when the public, government and the market have confidence in them.

As Chief Executive of DIA, you will set the strategic direction for a new organisation with an important public purpose. You will shape the policy, governance and legislative framework for trusted and secure digital verification and trust services across the UK. You will also make sure the department delivers its statutory functions effectively and earns confidence across the public and private sectors.

This is a visible, demanding leadership role. You will bring together ministers, senior officials, regulators and industry leaders, often where interests and expectations differ. You will turn complexity into clear choices, maintain strong safeguards, and help digital identity services develop in a way that protects privacy, security and public trust.

What you will do

• Set direction. Develop and lead the Office for Digital Identities and Attributes policy and strategy, aligning ministerial priorities, legislative requirements and cross-government digital transformation goals.
• Build credible governance. Put in place governance and accountability arrangements that give ministers and the market confidence that DIA’s statutory functions and approximately £9 million budget are well managed.
• Influence across sectors. Build trusted relationships with senior officials, ministers, regulators and private-sector leaders, using them to shape and influence the future of digital identity.
• Manage risk and safeguards. Identify and manage policy risks involving privacy, security, interoperability and funding constraints.
• Lead the statutory and legislative agenda. Oversee the statutory functions in Part 2 of the Data (Use and Access) Act and lead the development of legislative proposals and regulatory frameworks that support the adoption and integrity of digital identity services.
• Grow a strong team. Build and lead a high-performing policy team, creating an inclusive culture that supports innovation and delivery excellence.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• 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) (opens in a new window)
• 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 (opens in a new window)

How to apply

Selection process details

a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and cover letter of up to 1000 words. Important tip - please ensure that your cover letter includes how you meet the skills and experience listed in the “person specification” section above

a 60 minute video interview

In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

Candidates will be assessed using the Civil Service Success Profiles framework, including:

• Behaviours: Leadership, Seeing the Big Picture, Delivering at Pace, Working Together.
• Experience: Relevant policy leadership in digital or identity-related fields.
• Technical Skills: Understanding of digital identity, data protection, and public sector governance.
• Strengths: Strategic thinking, resilience, collaboration.

Recruitment Timeline

Closing date: 23.55 23rd November 2026

Sift completion: W/C 30/11

Panel interviews: W/C 07/12

Sponsorship

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

Security: SC Clearance

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For meaningful checks to be carried out, you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time, to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Whilst a lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance, and expectation of UK residency may range from 3 to 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements needed for the role may result in the withdrawal of provisional jobs offers.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.