Data protection officer
The data protection officer (DPO) independently monitors the organisation's compliance with data protection law, advises on its duties, and is the contact point for the regulator and for people whose data it holds. In a digital health care organisation, the DPO gives expert advice on the lawful, fair, and transparent use of health data in products, analytics, research, and data sharing.
- Family
- Information governance
- UK GDaD PCF role
- None: this reference defines the role
- ESCO occupations
- data protection officer (ISCO-08 2619)
- On GitHub
- Role document · Role data
Levels
| Band | Role level | UK GDaD PCF level | Civil Service grades | Job evaluation points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8a | Deputy data protection officer | — | — | 560 |
| 8b | Data protection officer | — | — | 593 |
| 8c | Senior data protection officer | — | — | 644 |
In a digital health care organisation
- Data protection law gives the DPO a protected, independent position, reporting to the highest level of management, so the role must be free from conflicts of interest.
- Data protection law gives health data extra protection, and much of it is also subject to a duty of confidentiality, so the DPO advises on both.
- Large-scale processing of health data, data linkage, and AI often need data protection impact assessments and, sometimes, prior consultation with the regulator.
- Patients and the public expect transparency, so the DPO helps the organisation explain clearly how it uses their data.
ESCO occupations and skills
ESCO lists the skills and knowledge that employers usually need (essential) or may need (optional) for each occupation. Use them as a checklist for development conversations.
data protection officer
Data protection officers ensure that the processing of personal data in an organisation is compliant with data protection standards and with the obligations set out in the applicable legislation such as GDPR. They elaborate and implement the organisation policy related to data protection, are responsible for data protection impact assessments and handle complaints and requests from third parties and regulatory agencies. Data protection officers lead investigations into potential data breaches, conduct internal audits and act as point of contact within the organisation on any matters related to the processing of personal data. Data protection officers may develop training programmes and provide training to other employees on data protection procedures.
Essential skills and knowledge (33)
Skills and competences
- advise on government policy compliance
- apply information security policies
- cooperate with colleagues
- define organisational standards
- develop information security strategy
- develop organisational policies
- develop training programmes
- ensure compliance with legal requirements
- ensure information privacy
- identify legal requirements
- implement ICT security policies
- keep up-to-date with regulations
- manage data for legal matters
- monitor legislation developments
- protect personal data and privacy
- provide legal advice
- respect data protection principles
- respond to enquiries
- train employees
- use consulting techniques
Knowledge
Optional skills and knowledge (16)
Skills and competences
- address identified risks
- analyse legal enforceability
- apply system organisational policies
- assist with litigation matters
- conduct impact evaluation of ICT processes on business
- document project progress
- estimate impact of risks
- maintain internal communication systems
- manage digital identity
- manage keys for data protection
- perform data cleansing
- perform project management
- support managers
- write work-related reports
Knowledge
Contains ESCO v1.2.1 data (https://esco.ec.europa.eu/). © European Union. Reuse authorised under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.