Director, Strategy and Policy

Closing Date:

01/09/2026

Group:

Strategy and Research Group

Management Level:

Senior Management Specialist

Job Type:

Permanent

Job Description:

Please note that this role will close at 00:01 on Tuesday 1 September and therefore we advise getting your applications in by no later than midnight on Monday 31 August.

Due to the summer period, we anticipate that the interview process for this role will begin in mid-September.

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 Strategy and Policy (S&P) team is part of the Strategy and Research Group which brings together our research, public policy, international and strategy expertise to ensure Ofcom is served with insights and analysis that enable strategic choices. It is a group that is focussed on delivery today always in the context of the longer-term horizon. The S&P team’s role in this is to:

• Shape and own the Ofcom strategy: working collaboratively with colleagues across Ofcom to develop our three-year strategy with the Executive leadership team and the Board, support the development of annual plans, and work with strategic finance partners to track delivery and understand outcomes.

• Make space to see the bigger picture and further ahead: bringing in wider views, data and insight to test our thinking, providing senior leaders and the Board with integrated, forward‑looking insight across the communications sectors.

• Deliver strategic projects where best placed to lead, including on cross-cutting or complex strategic questions.

To deliver, the team invests in great cross-team working, leveraging expertise and excellent internal and external relationships to bring insight and shape strategic direction.

The purpose and scope of the role

The Strategy Director will ensure Ofcom’s horizon scanning and strategic thinking activity is expert, evidence‑based, and clearly communicated. They will work closely with teams and groups across Ofcom to provide strategic input and advice on a wide range of policy work.

Working in close collaboration with their fellow Strategy Director, the postholder will have clear, singular accountability for delivery across a specific portfolio of work, while retaining strong joint ownership of the overall strategy.

Your key responsibilities

• Act in partnership with your fellow Strategy Director providing a joined-up view of the future of communications, the strategic opportunities and challenges for Ofcom, and seamless leadership to the team as a whole.

• Develop Ofcom’s organisational strategy working closely with groups across Ofcom on the three-year strategy, as well as the annual Plan of Work and reporting against delivery, ensuring risks are escalated as appropriate.

• Work to provide – and support the team to provide – strategic input and advice across a wide range of policy areas – with a particular focus on online and broadcasting markets - based on excellent understanding of likely future macro trends as well as technological, market and consumer developments.

• Lead and sponsor major cross‑cutting projects that shape the future direction of regulation, particularly in relation to media and online safety.

• Ensure high standards of analytical rigour, insight and creativity across all work, with decisions grounded in evidence and a strong understanding of commercial and technological dynamics.

• Represent Ofcom externally with senior stakeholders, government, industry, international partners and the public.

• Lead, inspire and develop diverse, high‑performing teams, creating an inclusive environment that supports learning, innovation and talent development.

• Work collaboratively with fellow Directors to lead the Strategy and Research Group, contributing to the Group's strategic direction, decision-making and culture.

The skills, knowledge and experience you’ll need for success

Leading Impact – Strategy, Insight and Delivery

Candidates will demonstrate:

• Significant senior leadership experience in setting and delivering strategy, policy and complex programmes in large, matrixed or highly regulated organisations, with clear evidence of impact and an ability to bring colleagues with you.

• A strong track record of turning insight into clear strategic choices, shaping priorities and using that to inform organisational direction.

• Deep analytical capability, including synthesising complex evidence, market insight and external context to inform high‑quality, timely decision‑making.

• Strong commercial and economic awareness of the TMT sector, including understanding of incentives, investment dynamics, risk and system‑wide trade‑offs.

• Experience operating with collective accountability at executive level, while personally owning delivery and outcomes within defined areas of responsibility.

• Credibility and effectiveness in engaging up and out, including representing the organisation with senior stakeholders and influencing with integrity.

Leading Others – Organisational, People and Resource Leadership

Candidates will demonstrate:

• Proven experience leading large, multidisciplinary teams, including setting clear priorities, enabling ownership and accountability, and developing future leadership capability.

• Experience operating at executive and Board level, including advising, influencing and constructively challenging senior decision‑makers.

• A strong record of leading through others to deliver outcomes at scale, while maintaining quality, pace and alignment across organisational boundaries.

• Experience directing significant budgets and resources, balancing short‑term delivery with long‑term value, sustainability, performance and risk.

• Inclusive leadership capability, creating the conditions for challenge, collaboration and high performance, and enabling people to contribute at their best.

• Experience leading organisations or functions through change, providing clarity, confidence and stability through ambiguity and transformation.

Leading Self – Judgement, Values and Resilience

Candidates will demonstrate:

• Sound judgement in navigating complexity, ambiguity and competing priorities, balancing long‑term outcomes with risk and uncertainty.

• Curiosity and adaptability, with experience fostering innovation, learning and continuous improvement in themselves and others.

• A strong values base, consistently role‑modelling Ofcom’s values through inclusive, accountable and ethical leadership.

• Personal resilience and self‑awareness, with experience sustaining performance over time and supporting others to do the same.

Inclusive hiring at Ofcom

At Ofcom, our mission is clear: to make communications work for everyone. To achieve that, our people must reflect the diversity of the UK, in background, identity and experience.

We believe innovation thrives when difference is valued and everyone feels empowered to contribute their ideas and perspectives. That’s why we welcome colleagues of all ethnicities and races, sexes, genders and gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, faiths and beliefs, and those with apparent and non‑apparent disabilities. We value socio‑economic diversity, life experience and neurodiversity too. Whether you’re a carer, a parent, a veteran, or re‑entering work after time away, your voice and perspective matter here.

Flexibility is at the heart of how we work because we want you to thrive in a way that suits you best. Most roles can therefore be adapted for part‑time hours, job shares, or other flexible arrangements. Learn more about our Rewards, Benefits and Wellbeing on our careers page.

Our recruitment process is intentionally designed to be open and accessible. If you need adjustments, information in a different format or an alternative way to apply, contact us at resourcing@ofcom.org.uk or 0330 912 1378.

As a proud Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee interviews for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for a role. You can read more about this commitment here.

Whoever you are, whatever your story, you belong at Ofcom.