DWP is looking to fill the role of Deputy Director, Data Protection Officer in it’s Digital Directorate.
The Data Protection Officer role is part of the senior leadership team in the Security and Data Protection Directorate. You will play a key part in enabling delivery of the Department’s future strategy and have responsibility to the Executive Team and Permanent Secretary.
The role provides leadership not just to the Data Protection Team, but also influences widely across DWP to ensure the imperative of best practice in data protection is embedded in our work, including as we develop and innovate in our service delivery. The scale and complexity of DWP’s data estate also means this role is pivotal in the cross-Government data protection community.
The DPO leads a team of Information Rights specialists, who 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.
A key element of the role is forming a constructive working relationship with senior stakeholders within DWP and the Information Commissioner's Office. Communication skills are key here and the post holder will often have to exercise excellent judgement as to how to present often difficult issues in the clearest and most helpful way.
The post holder will also have responsibility for the Central Information Management team, which is 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 requests the Department receives
The Deputy Director, Information Rights and Data Protection will have accountability for:
* Acting as the Department’s Data Protection Officer.
* Providing the Department with advice with its obligations under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.
* Independently monitoring the Department’s compliance with those obligations and raising issues, risks and concerns.
* Acting as the first point of contact for DWP’s customers (over 20 million) and employees (approximately 90,000) for Data Protection matters.
* Providing advice on Freedom of Information (FOI) requests (approx. 3,000 pa) and overseeing DWP’s overall FOI performance.
* Being the point of contact between DWP and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in relation to Data Protection and FOI matters.
* Leading a team of some 40 Information Rights specialists (including the Departmental Information Management Team).
* As part of the Security and Resilience Senior Leadership Team (SLT), providing leadership and support to the Directorate and SLT colleagues and to ensure integration between our teams.
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