Data Protection Officer

ADIB Group; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading group in the financial sector seeks a Data Protection Officer in Abu Dhabi to ensure compliance with GDPR and local data protection laws. The role involves advising on data protection measures, monitoring data management practices, and conducting training programs for employees. Candidates should have extensive experience in data protection roles, particularly within financial institutions, and possess strong analytical and communication skills.

Qualifications

• 10-12 years of experience in data protection roles within financial institutions or similar.
• Extensive knowledge of data protection rules and regulations.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with GDPR and local data protection laws.
• Monitor data management procedures and compliance.
• Deliver training on data protection to bank employees.

Skills

Data protection rules and regulations

Advising senior management

Creating and managing data protection processes

Analytical skills

Problem-solving skills

Consulting skills

Report-writing skills

Presentation skills

Training skills

Project management

Job description

Description

Role: Data Protection Officer

Location: Abu Dhabi

Role Purpose:
Reporting directly to the Senior Management of the relevant department, the Data Protection Officer (DPO) is responsible for advising on the bank's compliance with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and local data protection laws. The DPO monitors the bank's adherence to GDPR standards and acts as a point of contact with supervisory authorities in all relevant jurisdictions and data subjects. The DPO will also create policies that enforce compliance with relevant legislation and deliver ongoing data protection training to bank employees to meet required standards and increase awareness of data protection measures across the group.

Key Accountabilities:

1. Act as the point of contact with relevant staff, internal teams, and supervisory authorities to ensure data protection requirements are understood and adopted within appropriate timeframes.
2. Identify, evaluate, and ensure the ongoing effectiveness of the bank's data processing activities.
3. Provide advice and instructions on conducting Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs).
4. Monitor data management procedures and compliance within the bank.
5. Participate in meetings with managers to ensure privacy by design at all levels.
6. Maintain records of data processing operations.
7. Ensure the bank addresses all queries from data subjects within legal timeframes (e.g., deleting their information from the bank's databases).
8. Liaise with other organizations/vendors who process data on behalf of the bank.
9. Write and update detailed guides on data protection policies.
10. Perform audits and recommend policy or procedural changes to comply with new regulations.
11. Offer consultation and advice on handling privacy breaches.
12. Deliver training on data protection compliance to all bank employees (e.g., GDPR, local data protection regulations).
13. Follow legal and regulatory changes and issue recommendations to ensure compliance.

Skills and Knowledge:

• Extensive knowledge of data protection rules and regulations in developed markets.
• Experience advising senior management in regional or global institutions.
• Ability to create and manage data protection processes across the entire ADIB Group.
• Understanding of laws, rules, and regulations related to data protection.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, consulting, and report-writing skills.
• Excellent presentation, training, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Project management and delivery capabilities.

Experience:

• 10-12 years of experience working in data protection roles within regional or global companies.
• Experience in a similar role within a financial institution is a significant advantage.

Note: The seniority level for this position is not clearly defined.