Data protection jobs

Working in data protection

The data protection officer is a role defined in law, with independence requirements that shape where it sits in an organisation. Public bodies and organisations carrying out large-scale processing of sensitive data must appoint one, which is why so many of these vacancies come from health, local government, education and financial services.

Advertised titles vary. Information governance officer, data protection adviser and privacy manager can describe very similar work, so read the responsibilities rather than relying on the title.

What employers usually ask for

• Detailed knowledge of UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and PECR
• Experience handling subject access requests and personal data breaches
• Confidence reporting to senior leadership and, where needed, to the regulator
• For public bodies, familiarity with freedom of information law