Lady Wilcox worked as a teacher for over 30 years and an external examiner for both the WJEC and AQA.

In 2004 she won the seat of the Gaer Ward at Newport City Council and won a further three elections in 2008, 2012 and 2017. She became Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture in 2012 and in 2014 she held the Council’s largest portfolio as Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services.

In 2016 Councillor Debbie Wilcox became the first female Leader of Newport City Council and in May 2017 won the election ensuring a Labour majority administration in the city.

In June 2017, she became the first female Leader of the Welsh Local Government Association, the body representing all councils in Wales. She also represented Wales as a member of the Local Government Association (LGA) Executive in London.

She sat for two terms as a member of the Arts Council of Wales. In 2018 she was invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts

Councillor Wilcox was elevated to the House of Lords as a Life Peer in October 2019 with the title of The Baroness Wilcox of Newport. In March 2020 Lady Wilcox was appointed as an Opposition Whip joining the local government team in the Lords and in September 2020 was appointed as Shadow Spokesperson for Women & Equalities.

Since March 2021 she holds the Shadow Ministerial Portfolio for Wales and is the Education Whip on the Lords Front Bench.