Deputy Director: Data Protection Officer

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Job description

Deputy Director: Data Protection Officer

Pay: 75,000 - 95,000, plus 28.97% pension contributions, flexible working, family-friendly policies.

Locations: Any of Birmingham, Blackpool, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Sheffield

We're need a Data Protection expert to join our Senior Leadership team.

You'll help lead the Security and Data Protection Directorate of DWP's Finance Group.

You'll advise on issues relating to data protection risk and compliance and also play a key part in enabling delivery of DWP's future strategy. You'll make sure that new initiatives are legally compliant and appropriately protect the privacy, and respect the trust, of our millions of customers and circa 100,000 employees

As our Data Protection Officer you will lead a brilliant team of Information Rights specialists.

Your team provide advice and guidance on data protection issues to colleagues and customers and monitor the Department's compliance and risk. The team conducts over 300 Data Protection Impact Assessments a year, often involving complex and cutting-edge data protection issues.

You'll build strong and effective relationships senior stakeholders within DWP and the Information Commissioner's Office.

Your communication skills are going to be important - you will often judge how to present often difficult issues in the clearest and most helpful way.

In this legally required role, you will have responsibility for the central Information Management Team. They're responsible for the Department's compliance with the Public Records Act.

And the central Freedom of Information Team, who look after monthly FOI performance, and ensure DWP's performance meets ICO expectations despite the very large volume of FOI's we deal with.

What are my responsibilities?

• To provide the Department advice with its obligations under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.
• To independently monitor the Department's compliance with those obligations and raise issues, risks and concerns.
• To act as the first point of contact for DWP's customers (over 20 million) and employees (approximately 90,000) for Data Protection matters.
• To provide advice on Freedom of Information requests (approx. 3,000 pa), and oversee DWP's overall FOI performance.
• To be the point of contact between DWP and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in relation to Data Protection and FOI matters.
• To lead a team of some 40 Information Rights specialists (including the Departmental Information Management Team).
• As part of the Security and Resilience SLT to provide leadership and support to the Directorate and SLT colleagues and to ensure integration between our teams.

Essential Criteria for the role

• Hold a recognised Data Protection qualification.
• Experience of operating within a data protection profession in an organisation which processes a significant amount of personal data, delivering a high quality, efficient and cost-effective service by considering a broad range of methods for delivery, ensuring adherence to legal, regulatory and security requirements in service delivery.
• A proven track record of delivering timely quality outcomes, through providing the right resources to do the job, reviewing and adjusting performance expectations and rewarding success. Experience of monitoring the effectiveness of own and team communications and take action to improve where necessary.
• Experience of being an excellent leader, with the ability to coordinate the activities of others and inspire and motivate teams to be fully engaged in their work and dedicated to their role.
• Be confident in encouraging, recognising and sharing innovative ideas from a diverse range of colleagues and stakeholders and create an environment where people feel safe to challenge and know their voice will be heard.
• Have excellent communicating and influencing skills, building and maintaining a network of colleagues and contacts to achieve progress on shared objectives, build strong interpersonal relationships and show genuine care for colleagues.
• Be confident in stakeholder management, communicating with others in a clear, honest and enthusiastic way in order to build trust, and explain complex issues in a way that is easy to understand.

Desirable Criteria - it's great if you have these but don't let it stop you applying if you don't. You'll have opportunities to get these once you join us.

• A recognised Freedom of Information (FOI) qualification.
• A law degree or professional legal qualification.
• A postgraduate qualification in Information Rights.
• Experience of leading an FOI function.
• Awareness of the legal and regulatory framework in which a large organisation operates.

Pay & Benefits

Pay in the range 75,000 to 95,000.

Department for Work and Pensions contributes 28.97% of salary towards your Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension.

We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave - at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro-rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year's continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women's Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Click apply now to find out more and start and application on Civil Service Jobs.

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