Privacy Operations Manager

Purpose

Run the day-to-day operations of the privacy function within the Data Protection Office. Translate agreed priorities into practical work plans, manage privacy workflows and reporting, and help business teams complete required actions on time. The role combines operational management, hands-on privacy work and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the privacy operating plan, shared inbox and case queues. Allocate work, agree priorities and monitor capacity, service standards and deadlines; escalate material risks and delivery constraints to the DPO.

• Coordinate individual rights requests and privacy enquiries from receipt to closure, including information gathering, identity checks, reviews and response preparation under approved procedures and within statutory deadlines.

• Coordinate the privacy team’s response to personal data incidents. Maintain case records, bring together relevant teams and track decisions and corrective actions, escalating urgent matters promptly so that regulatory notification deadlines can be met.

• Oversee the administration of privacy assessments, including data protection impact assessments, supplier reviews and transfer assessments. Check submissions for completeness, coordinate specialist input and track outstanding actions.

• Maintain privacy records and evidence, including records of processing activities, assessment registers, risk and action logs, and policy review schedules. Work with business owners to keep information accurate.

• Produce management information on workload, response times, overdue actions, incidents, assessment progress and recurring issues. Prepare concise reporting for the DPO and relevant governance forums.

• Improve procedures, templates and privacy systems to reduce manual effort and strengthen consistency. Coordinate training, and awareness activity, and help establish a privacy champion network.

• Coordinate evidence requests for audits and assurance reviews, follow up findings and support external oversight of any external privacy service providers.

• Coach colleagues and, where assigned, manage and develop members of the privacy team.

Authority & Accountability

Work closely with Compliance, Legal, Information Security, IT, Risk, HR, Procurement and business teams, maintaining a clear division of responsibilities with the Compliance function and coordinating on overlapping matters. Exercise day-to-day operational judgement within agreed procedures and delegated authority. Escalate complex interpretations, significant risks and sensitive external correspondence to the DPO .

Support the DPO’s independent advice and oversight. Business owners remain accountable for implementing controls and authorised risk decisions. Regulatory notifications and formal external responses follow the organisation’s agreed approval arrangements.

Essential Experience

• Demonstrable experience in privacy operations, data protection or a related compliance role, with responsibility for managing workflows, competing priorities and delivery.

• Practical understanding of data protection principles and experience supporting individual rights requests, incident handling, privacy assessments and processing records.

• Ability to turn policy and specialist advice into clear procedures, identify gaps and apply sound judgement about when to escalate.

• Experience producing accurate management information, maintaining reliable records and using case management, privacy or governance tools.

• Strong stakeholder management and written communication skills, including the ability to challenge constructively and secure action across teams.

• Careful handling of confidential information, strong attention to detail and a structured approach to problem solving.

Desirable Experience

• A recognised privacy qualification, or equivalent demonstrable experience. Relevant examples: IAPP CIPP/E and CIPM; ISACA CDPSE; the BCS Practitioner Certificate in Data Protection.

• AI governance experience - the EU AI Act, ISO/IEC 42001, or model and system inventories. The IAPP AIGP is relevant where the organisation's AI footprint is growing.

• Familiarity with ISO/IEC 27001 and a working relationship with an Information Security function.

• Experience working effectively with separate compliance, audit and risk functions, with a clear division of responsibilities. Prior exposure to a regulator interaction, audit or complaint investigation, from either side.