Lead Compliance Advisor

Job summary

Are you passionate about helping organisations achieve compliance and manage risk effectively?

Can you identify compliance risks, provide practical advice and drive continuous improvement?

Do you have experience using audits, assurance and governance activities to strengthen organisational performance?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

This is an exciting time to join the Digital, Information and Security Directorate within the Department for Transport as we restructure our directorate to ensure we are ready for future challenges, building a more sustainable, skilled and in-house capability.

Monitor compliance. Reduce risk. Build assurance.

Help the Department for Transport strengthen governance, improve compliance and protect information by delivering audits, assurance activities and practical advice that supports informed decision-making.

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  Department for Transport Central - Department for Transport Careers .

Job description

Join the Department for Transport's Digital, Information and Security Directorate and help ensure the department meets its legislative, regulatory and security obligations. As a Lead Compliance Advisor, you'll play an important role in delivering compliance monitoring, assurance and audit activities that support effective governance and risk management across the organisation.

Working within the Assurance, Compliance and Controls function, you'll support the delivery of an annual programme of compliance activity, helping to assess adherence to legislation, policies, standards and best practice. You'll conduct audits, gather and review evidence, identify risks and provide practical recommendations that support continuous improvement.

You'll work closely with policy, legal, digital, data and security teams, building strong relationships and providing advice that helps colleagues understand and meet compliance requirements. You'll support internal audits, monitor management actions and contribute to strengthening governance across the wider DfT Group.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with audit experience who wants to make a tangible impact in a complex and evolving environment.

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

• Supporting the G7 Principal Compliance Manager in delivering the department’s programme of internal compliance monitoring activity.
• Liaising with stakeholders and G7 Principal Compliance Manager to agree scope and recommendations arising.
• Conducting fieldwork and interviewing staff/suppliers, based on the scope, to monitor compliance and identify any risks arising.
• Supporting internal audits by collating accurate, well-managed records and evidence.
• Monitoring and reporting on the implementation of agreed management actions .

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.

Person specification

Essential qualifications:

1. Lead audit qualification such as ISO27001 or similar

You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications at some point during the recruitment process. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn.

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Experience of FOI/EIR, Data Protection legislation and Public Records Act with a willingness to work towards a foundation certificate in data protection law.
• Knowledge of Protective Security, Risk & Mitigation, Threat Assessment
• Experience of working in the field of governance, risk and compliance within a large organisation.
• Experience of internal auditing/compliance monitoring
• BCS Certificate in Information Security Management Principles, or willing to work towards.

Additional Information

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week.

Occasional travel to other offices will be required, which may involve overnight stays. 

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

DfTc does not offer Visa Sponsorship for this role.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,241, Department for Transport contributes

£12,816 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• 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).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies .

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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

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 (1,000 word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:

• Gathering and analysing a range of evidence to produce reports with clear risks and recommendations identified.
• Supporting or delivering audits to gauge levels of compliance with legislation, policy, standards and/or best practice.
• Stakeholder engagement with a wide audience of subject matter experts to drive compliance.
• Tracking management actions, supporting implementation of recommendations, and maintaining complete and accurate records.

Should   a large number of   applications be received,   an initial   sift may be conducted using the lead Success Profile element:

" Supporting or delivering audits to gauge levels of compliance with legislation, policy, standards and/or best practice".

Candidates who pass the   initial   sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.  

The sift will take place from 15 September 2026.

Stage 2: Interview

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

• Behaviours – Communicating and influencing, Managing a Quality Service, Making Effective Decisions, Changing and Improving.
• Experience

The interviews will take place on 6 October.

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.

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.

During your application, you should indicate which location(s) you wish to be considered for and, if successful, you will be placed on an individual list of candidates for each location. Candidates will be held on that list and drawn from it in merit order. We advise you to carefully consider which locations you wish to be considered for. If you decline an offer for a location you have expressed a preference in or have expressed an interest in more than one location and accept an offer, you will be withdrawn from any lists you may be held on. We may also offer candidates a location that they have not expressed a preference for where we have the requirement to do so but this will again be done on the basis of your place in the overall merit order and, in this event, you will not be removed from the list if you decline.

Appointments for this position will be made in order of merit. If you are successful in the selection process but there are no further available posts for the advertised role, you may be contacted to discuss an offer for a lower graded role (with similar experience and responsibility requirements).

If you are unsuccessful in the selection process, your application may be considered for a lower graded position if your demonstrated skills and experience meet the requirements of the alternative position. Candidates will be considered in order of merit.

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 pers