Director - Data Privacy Officer
Full Job Posting
Qualifications
- Educational and Technical Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Law, Information Governance, Cybersecurity, Business, Compliance, or a related discipline.
- Relevant privacy or data protection certifications strongly preferred (e.g., CIPP/E, CIPP/M, CIPM, CIPT, or equivalent).
- Language Skills:
- Excellent English; Spanish and Arabic languages are an advantage in a global operating environment.
- Years of Experience:
- Minimum 10 years’ experience in data privacy, data protection, compliance, legal, or related governance roles, including senior leadership responsibility in complex multinational organizations.
- Nature of Experience:
- Demonstrated experience designing and rolling out a data privacy program for a global company across multiple jurisdictions and business functions.
- Strong hands-on GDPR experience, including privacy governance, DPIAs, records of processing, data subject rights, breach response, and cross-border transfer compliance.
- Proven ability to partner with executive leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to embed privacy by design into operations, technology, procurement, and strategic initiatives.
- Experience engaging with regulators, auditors, and external counsel on privacy matters is highly desirable.
- Strong analytical, policy drafting, communication, and leadership skills, with the ability to influence at board and executive level.
Responsibilities
- Core Responsibilities
- Lead the enterprise-wide data privacy program for a global organization, establishing the strategy, governance model, policies, standards, and controls required to manage privacy risk effectively.
- Serve as the senior subject-matter expert on GDPR and other applicable privacy laws and regulations, translating legal requirements into practical business and operational controls.
- Act as the primary privacy advisor to the Chief Compliance Officer and senior leadership on strategic initiatives, emerging privacy risks, enforcement trends, and regulatory obligations.
- Program Design, Rollout & Governance
- Design, implement, and mature a global data privacy program, including privacy governance forums, accountability structures, policies, procedures, notices, standards, and reporting mechanisms.
- Drive global rollout of privacy requirements across business units, functions, and geographies, ensuring consistent implementation while accommodating local legal and operational needs.
- Establish and maintain records of processing activities, data inventories, data retention standards, and privacy controls that support regulatory compliance and audit readiness.
- Risk Assessment, Advisory & Operational Oversight
- Oversee privacy risk assessments, data protection impact assessments, transfer impact assessments, and control reviews for new and existing processing activities, products, systems, and business initiatives.
- Embed privacy by design and default into projects, digital platforms, data analytics use cases, HR processes, customer journeys, and vendor onboarding.
- Advise on lawful bases for processing, data subject rights, consent management, retention, anonymization, cookies, profiling, and cross-border data transfer mechanisms.
- Partner closely with Legal, Compliance, Cybersecurity, IT, Procurement, HR, Internal Audit, and business leaders to ensure privacy obligations are operationalized effectively.
- Monitoring, Incident Response & Regulatory Engagement
- Monitor compliance with privacy laws, internal policies, and program standards through audits, reviews, metrics, and ongoing assurance activities.
- Lead or coordinate the privacy response to personal data incidents and breaches, including assessment, escalation, regulatory notification support, remediation, and lessons learned.
- Act as a key point of contact for regulators, supervisory authorities, auditors, and external counsel on privacy-related matters.
- Track developments in global privacy regulation and enforcement, assess organizational impact, and drive timely enhancements to the privacy framework.
- Culture, Training & Leadership
- Build and lead privacy capability within the organization, including developing team members, defining accountability, and strengthening privacy awareness across all levels.
- Develop and deliver targeted privacy training and communication programs for executives, control functions, and high-risk business areas.
- Provide regular updates, metrics, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership on the maturity and effectiveness of the privacy program.
Preferred Qualifications
- Relevant privacy or data protection certifications strongly preferred (e.g., CIPP/E, CIPP/M, CIPM, CIPT, or equivalent).
About AD Ports Group
Publicly listed UAE ports, logistics, maritime, industrial-zone, and digital-services group enabling global trade for businesses.
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