# Tom McGrath (@tsjmcgrath.co.uk)

Profile: https://sifa.id/p/tsjmcgrath.co.uk
Headline: Supervision Associate at Ofcom. Ex-European Parliament.

## About

I am a tech policy professional with experience in human rights, digital inclusion, and regulatory policymaking. I work in Ofcom's Online Safety Supervision team, engaging with industry to help them comply with our measures. At Ofcom, I also serve as the project manager for one of the regulator's strategic priorities, coordinating a group of over 40 colleagues across our Legal, Policy, and Tech teams. As PM, I provide critical insights to senior leaders in the organisation to ensure we meet our objectives.I was previously at Careful Industries – a research studio focused on the social impacts of technology
\- where I focused on digital inclusion issues and AI ethics. I also have experience in the charity sector from my time at Good Things Foundation, where I designed policies to make internet access more affordable for all. I also bring experience from the academic and parliamentary environments, having worked at The University of Sheffield and the European Parliament. I have a deep interest in how people and policymakers communicate, how those communications are understood by the public, and what the impact of those communications are on people’s lives. As a result, my interests include digital inclusion, human rights, and poverty and inequality, as well as the interplay between these areas.

## Career

- **Supervision Associate at Ofcom** (May 2025 - Present)
  Project managed a strategic priority, coordinating a complex programme of work with 40 colleagues and providing senior leaders with critical updates Established structured data processes and built a content assessment process to analyse instances of harmful content on platforms Owned the organisation's relationship with major platforms Convened stakeholders, including academics, civil society, and industry representatives through roundtables and workshops
- **Policy Analyst at Ofcom** (Jun 2024 - May 2025)
  Developed Ofcom's codes of practice on Illegal Harms, Protection of Children, and Additional Safety Measures Led thorough reviews of stakeholder responses, developing innovative techniques to ensure consistency and quality in referencing responses Worked flexibly across teams to help Ofcom meet its statutory deadlines
- **Policy Researcher at Careful Industries** (Jun 2023 - Jun 2024)
  Careful Industries is a research studio, founded by Rachel Coldicutt OBE, which explores the social impacts of AI, data, and technology.
  
  Organised an AI ethics conference for civil society and leading academics to explore the societal impacts of emerging technologies Adopted Agile policy methodology to design policies on broadband affordability, which were successfully adopted by the Starmer government Collaborated with civil society organisations to co-design safe, ethical usage policies for generative AI which centred community experiences Conducted qualitative research and analysis to explore the impacts of digital exclusion
- **Policy and Research Officer at Good Things Foundation** (Jul 2021 - May 2023)
  Good Things Foundation is the UK’s leading digital inclusion charity, working with thousands of community organisations across the UK to help people get online.
  
  Co-designed qualitative research with local charities and people with lived experience of digital exclusion to design effective, community-led policies Organised and represented the organisation at political advocacy events with key stakeholders including Andy Burnham, DSIT, and parliamentary committees Worked closely with our strategic business partners, including Vodafone, Virgin Media O2, and Nominet, to improve corporate responses to digital exclusion
- **Policy and Public Affairs Intern at Good Things Foundation** (Sep 2020 - Jul 2021)
- **Knowledge Exchange Officer – SPERI at University of Sheffield** (Mar 2020 - Aug 2020)
  Sheffield, England, GB
  I worked at SPERI at the University of Sheffield on a mixed-methods, ESRC funded research project concerning public attitudes to taxation in the UK. My core responsibilities were to research and analyse tax attitudes based on the existing literature and our commissioned focus groups.
  
  As part of this work I was responsible for reviewing existing literature, transcribing focus groups, analysing this data, and producing reports for our partners. I’m also co-authoring an academic paper based on my work. I have conducted qualitative data analysis (assisted by programs such as NVivo) and am well versed in analysing policy reports, academic papers, and of course focus group feedback.
- **Parliamentary Assistant at European Parliament** (Dec 2019 - Feb 2020)
  Brussels Area, BE
  I served as one of Shaffaq Mohammed MEP's Parliamentary Assistants. My duties included following the development and human rights committees, including work on European Parliament resolutions; following the South Asia delegation; administrative and secretarial roles for my MEP; social media output; and graphic design and video content.
  
  During my time in Parliament, much of my work was focused on human rights and foreign affairs, particularly with in South Asia. For instance, I contributed to and supported my MEP's efforts for a resolution on human rights concerns in India. As part of our work, I also met with human rights and democracy groups from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and we helped to champion their causes in Parliament. Towards the end of our time in Parliament, we welcomed visitors from the British-Yemeni community, organising meetings with EU-27 MEPs so that they could effectively campaign within Parliament after Brexit.
  
  I moved to Brussels in mid-November after the second Brexit extension and formally signed my contract in early December, but my position was made redundant when the UK left the EU.
- **Digital Media Officer at European Parliament** (Sep 2019 - Dec 2019)
  Sheffield, GB
  Assist in the production of graphics and digital media posts for Shaffaq Mohammed MEP's office and social media accounts, as well as assisting the wider Liberal Democrat party.
- **Elections Ambassador at Sheffield Students'​ Union** (Sep 2017 - Mar 2018)
  Sheffield, GB

## Publications

- Digital inclusion: from sticking plasters to sustainable progress — Careful Trouble (Feb 2024) https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61b777e69d4a594596081bcc/t/65d750927e18b46e9f89da20/1708609697937/Digital%2Binclusion%2B-%2Bfrom%2Bsticking%2Bplaster%2Bto%2Bsustainable%2Bprogress_updated.pdf
- The social meaning of wealth taxes — Economy and Society (Nov 2023) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03085147.2023.2264063
- CHESS: Co-defining what counts as a ‘good’ solution to data poverty — Good Things Foundation (Apr 2022) https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org/data-poverty-lab/

## Skills

### Creative
- Affinity Designer
### Other
- Analytical Skills
- Communication
- Content Analysis
- Creo Parametric
- Data Analysis
- Design
- Digital Communication
- English
- Event Planning
- External Relationships
- Graphic Design
- Media Relations
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Photography
- Policy Analysis
- Policy Development
- Politics
- PowerPoint
- Project Management
- Public Affairs
- Python (Programming Language)
- Qualitative Research
- Research
- Research Projects
- Social Media
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Teamwork
- Windows
- Written Communication

## Education

- **The University of Sheffield** — Master of Arts - MA (2018 - 2019)
  My dissertation was titled 'Lessons from Latin America: A Comparative Analysis of the (De)Securitisation of Asylum-Seeking in Colombia and the UK.' I explored why attitudes towards asylum-seekers differed so drastically between Colombia and the UK, and also why Colombia has taken such an exceptional approach even within Latin America. I argued that both Colombia and the UK's approaches preceded the current populist surge by decades. Further, Colombia's institutional factors allowed it to more successively 'desecuritise' asylum-seeking during the ongoing situation with Venezuela, whereas institutions in the UK (such as the 'hostile environment') have made for a more securitised approach.
  
  In addition to my dissertation, I studied modules including the 'Political Economy of Poverty and Inequality,' 'Approaches to Political Economy,' and 'Global Health and Global Politics.' I was awarded the The Department of Politics Prize for Excellence in MA Global Political Economy.
  Activities & Societies: Co-Chair of Mental Health Matters Society (April 2018 - April 2019) • Chair of Sheffield Young Liberals (April 2018 - October 2018)
- **The University of Sheffield** — Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) (2015 - 2018)
  My dissertation explored the relationship between LGBT+ Rights and Right-Wing Populism in North-West Europe. Specifically, I was interested in whether right-wing populist parties had begun appealing to the LGBT+ community, and asked whether this appeal was genuine or simply for electoral gain. The dissertation had a particular focus on the Netherlands, where LGBT+ rights are more widely accepted across the political spectrum than in other nations, and France, where the traditionally anti-LGBT+ rights Front National was seeing some increase in support from the LGBT+ community (albeit primarily men).
  
  I studied a range of modules throughout my degree, including, but not limited to, the Economic Analysis of Inequality and Poverty, US Foreign Policy, Education Economics, and Comparative Politics.
  Activities & Societies: Sheffield Mental Health Matters Society - Vice President - April 2017-April 2018  Sheffield Mental Health Matters Society - Secretary - April 2016-April 2017  Sheffield Model United Nations Society - Member - September 2015-December 2016  Delegate at several Model United Nations Conferences.
- **Ripley St Thomas Church of England Academy** (2008 - 2015)
  A2 Economics
  \- Grade A A2 History
  \- Grade B A2 Mathematics
  \- Grade B AS Product Design
  \- Grade a AS Critical Thinking
  \- Grade a  12 GCSEs, grades A*-A

## Awards

- Political, Campaigning, Volunteering, or Fundraising Society of the Year (May 2018)
  Mental Health Matters was awarded Political, Campaigning, Volunteering, or Fundraising Society of the Year for 2017/18 during which time I served as Vice President.

## Involvement

### Volunteering
- Sheffield Students' Union (Apr 2018 - Apr 2019)
  Co Chair of Mental Health Matters Society
  Co-Chair of Mental Health Matters, a society which seeks to raise awareness of mental health issues and reduce the stigma surrounding them.
- Sheffield Students' Union (Jun 2017 - Apr 2018)
  Vice President of Mental Health Matters Society
  Vice President of Sheffield Mental Health Matters Society for 2017-18. We aim to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and improve mental health awareness across the university.
- Sheffield Students' Union (Sep 2016 - Jun 2017)
  Secretary of Sheffield Mental Health Matters Society
  Secretary for a society at Sheffield Students' Union which campaigns and raises awareness about mental health.

## Languages

- English (native)

## Links

- linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tsjmcgrath