Information and Privacy adviser

Please note that when selecting your location preference, the Lerwick post is based in Shetland.

Are you experienced in information access, legal, customer service or compliance?

Do you have an understanding of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and UK GDPR/DPA?

Would you like to support the Agency’s compliance with information access/information rights and data protection legislations, including co-ordinating and responding to requests for information?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

The Data Protection and Information Access team works as part of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA’s) Corporate Governance framework to inform the Agency’s compliance with Data Protection and Information Access Legislations.

The team provides independent, expert advice and guidance to the Agency, its staff, volunteers and third parties.

The team act as a point of contact for individuals whose personal data the MCA process and ensure lawful and compliant processing and disclosure of personal information under the relevant legislations.

The function acts to ensure that the MCA’s Executive Officers and Board are adequately informed and advised of Data Protection and Information Access risks, best practice and relevant updates or changes to the regulatory landscape.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at MCA:

MCA roles: Maritime and Coastguard Agency - Department for Transport Careers

The Information and Privacy Adviser will be responsible for supporting the Agency’s compliance with information access/information rights and data protection legislations, including co-ordinating and responding to requests for information.

They will provide an advisory service to the Agency on issues relating to information requested under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) and the Subject Access provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)/Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) to ensure lawful and compliant disclosure.

The role will support the Head of Data Protection in carrying out the statutory tasks of the Department for Transport (DfT) Data Protection Officer (DPO), assisting the team to deliver advice, guidance, support to the Agency, supporting compliance with the data protection legislations.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Logging, considering and responding to Requests for Information (RFI) made pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) and the Subject Access provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)/Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).
• Logging, considering and responding to requests from individuals to exercise the Individual Rights provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)/Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) including requests for Erasure and Restriction of processing.
• Support the wider data protection team in recording, monitoring, and assessing personal data breaches, including ensuring required information is documented in a thorough and timely manner. Support the investigation into data breaches and implementation/co-ordination of mitigations.
• Support team audit and assurance activities to ensure that the agency is meeting its information access and data protection obligations, including assisting with management of the Data Protection Risk register, monitoring and assisting the business deliver mitigations identified.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

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)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

How to apply:

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: Sift of CV and personal statement

Stage 2: Interview

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

Stage 1: Sift

At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (1000-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:

• Understanding of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the subject access provisions under UK GDPR/ DPA and the exemptions and application of those requirements.
• Passed or studying for Freedom of Information Practitioner Certificate or have sufficient prior experience and knowledge to undertake this soon after starting the role.
• Previous experience of working within an information access, legal, customer service or compliance team.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, skilled in the delivery and absorption of information with colleagues at all levels.

The sift will take place on the 29th and 30th of October 2026.

Stage 2: Interview

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Behaviours – (Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Managing a Quality Service)
• Experience

The interviews will take place the week commencing the 16th of November 2026.

This interview will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site (opens in a new window).

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change

Further information on the selection process

We will also hold a 12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert or the information on our website, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage depending on the nature of the dismissal.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

All external applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:

• Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour
• Threats or acts of violence
• Illegal activity or substance misuse
• Sexually explicit material
• Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public. Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It’s not about judging your personality or lifestyle - it’s about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture. If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what’s being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

Vetting

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Feedback

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