Closing Date:
09/03/2026
Group:
Online Safety Group
Management Level:
Principal
Job Type:
Fixed Term (Fixed Term)
Job Description:
Please note that this role will close at 00:01 on Monday 9 March, and therefore we advise getting your application in by no later than midnight on Sunday 8 March.
About Ofcom
As the UK's communications regulator, we're delivering vital work that helps keep the UK connected and shapes the future of how we'll stay connected with each other.
Our work covers everything from phones and broadband, through to TV, radio, the postal service, and wireless devices. We're also taking on the challenge of making the online world a safer place. And we need people of all backgrounds, skill sets, and experiences to help us achieve our goal of making communications work for everyone.
About the team you'll be part of
The Online Safety Group's purpose is to ensure UK citizens have a safer life online, using the duties set out in the Online Safety Act 2023. The Group leads engagement with a broad range of technology companies, including some of the biggest in the world, and works with functional teams across Ofcom to ensure the aims of the regime are met. The OS product team is part of a new function, the Online Safety Data and Intelligence (OSDI) team, which acts as the central hub for data strategy and insight across the Online Safety Group.
The OS Product Team is accountable for driving the product strategy and roadmap to enable intelligence-led decisions by the broader Online Safety Group. This team, through both product expertise and cross-functional collaboration, creates user-driven, sustainable solutions that optimize for speed, quality and cost. The team plays a crucial role in supporting Ofcom's mission to ensure a safer digital life in the UK by leveraging technology and data to inform decision-making and drive impactful outcomes.
The purpose and scope of the role
At Ofcom, we're committed to making the UK a safer place to be online. The Online Safety Programme aims to promote better risk management and governance, protect children, reduce illegal and harmful content online, embed safety by design in tech firms, and drive platform transparency and accountability. It is high profile work, driving real change to people's experience online, and subject to extensive public scrutiny.
This OS Product Principal role reports to the Director of Online Safety Data and Intelligence and will lead the strategic direction, development, and delivery of online safety products. This role has a significant leadership impact, driving the product strategy, influencing cross-functional teams, and ensuring value for money through budget management. The role holder will be a thought leader and subject matter expert, responsible for defining and owning the internal tooling strategy for Online Safety and representing all product work at a leadership level. The role will also shape the OS data strategy, as well as how OS integrates the use of AI in both tooling and business processes.
Your Key Responsibilities
Product and Data Strategy & Leadership:
* Develop and implement comprehensive product roadmaps and strategic frameworks.
* Design and execute a strategic vision, identifying emerging needs and opportunities, and developing OKRs to align with organisational objectives.
* Represent product work at a leadership level, enabling cultural and organizational change.
* Define and align the Data strategy and AI strategy for Online Safety with organisational goals.
Product Development:
* Lead the online safety product development programme across both the product team and the Online Safety Group and its delivery partners.
* Manage resources, operational needs and cross-functional constraints for smooth product development.
* Foster continuous improvement and agile practices, resolving intra and inter team challenges.
Team Leadership:
* Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing, collaborative product team.
* Provide strategic direction to own team and cross-functional teams, including Technology and Data Science
* Champion upskilling and professional development
Stakeholder Engagement:
* Engage with internal stakeholders and communicate product strategy and desired outcomes.
* Build strong relationships to facilitate collaboration and advocacy for product initiatives.
* Manage dependencies and solve problems cross-functionally to mitigate risks to delivery
Data-Driven Decision Making:
* Utilise data analytics and user feedback to inform product decisions.
* Implement user testing and methodologies to validate and improve solutions.
* Ensure robust metrics and KPIs to measure product performance.
Budget Management/Commercial Acumen:
* Manage a budget and ensure value delivery for product operations and deliverables.
* Ensure the correct tools for product managers and design tools as needed, and the team is properly resourced.
The skills, knowledge and experience you'll need for success:
* Record of delivery in product management roles through both standard methodologies and creative solutions.
* Strong understanding of system architecture, APIs and data warehouses
* Familiarity with AI/ML technologies and prompt engineering.
* Knowledge of data analytics and user feedback methodologies.
Desirable skills:
* Familiarity with cross-organizational data strategies
* Proficiency in design and wireframing tools
* Experience working with technology and data science teams.
* Experience managing budgets and financial performance.
Grade-Based skills:
* Building solutions: Develop and implement sustainable product and processes solutions
* Owning Accountabilities: Take responsibility for outcomes, delivering on time and to spec
* Trailblazing ideas: Bring fresh perspectives through original ideas that create better processes.
* Articulating Ideas: Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with the ability to convey complex information to both technical and non-technical audiences
* Channeling influence: Able to build strong relationships and influence stakeholders at every level.
Inclusivity Statement
Ofcom has a clear mission: to make communications work for everyone. To be able to deliver on this, we want our organisation to reflect the diversity of background, experience, upbringing and thought that exists across the UK. We aim to recruit from the widest pool of candidates possible – no matter your social background, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or disability. We also warmly welcome applicants who are returning to the workforce after a break – for whatever reason. If you have taken time away and are ready to rejoin, we look forward to reviewing your application.
Where positions are listed as full-time, we remain open to reduced hours, part-time arrangements, job shares, and other flexible working options. From day one, we champion flexible work arrangements to accommodate individual needs. You can read more about our Rewards, Benefits and Well-being on our careers page.
Our recruitment processes prioritise accessibility and inclusivity. If you need adjustments, information in an alternative format, or prefer to apply in a different way, please contact us at or call
As a Disability Confident Leader, we offer interviews to disabled applicants who meet essential criteria for advertised roles. Learn more about this scheme here.