Senior Manager - Data Privacy

MENA Recruit; Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution in Dubai seeks a Senior Manager – Data Privacy for a 12-month contract. This critical role involves leading the Data Privacy Office, ensuring compliance frameworks, and managing regulatory risks. Ideal candidates will have 8-10 years of data privacy experience and strong communication skills. This position offers a dynamic environment within a reputable organization.

Qualifications

• 8-10 years of proven experience in data privacy, compliance, or legal risk.
• Strong knowledge of global and regional data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR).
• Professional certifications such as DPO, CIPP, or equivalent is desirable.
• Proven leadership and stakeholder management experience.
• Strong communication, reporting, and influencing skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Data Privacy team, including DPIA analysts and breach management analysts.
• Embed a culture of learning, improvement, and service excellence within the team.
• Champion the highest standards of data protection across the Group.
• Support the Group DPO in identifying, assessing, and mitigating privacy risks.
• Oversee training delivery to build organization-wide awareness of data privacy risks.

Skills

Data privacy expertise

Regulatory compliance knowledge

Leadership skills

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Education

Professional certifications (DPO, CIPP)

Job description

Overview

The Role MENA Recruit is supporting a leading financial institution in the search for a Senior Manager – Data Privacy on a 12-month contract. This high-impact role sits within the Group Legal function, reporting directly to the Group Data Protection Officer (DPO). The successful candidate will be responsible for leading the organisation’s Data Privacy Office, implementing compliance frameworks, and managing regulatory risk across the Group.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Data Privacy team, including DPIA analysts and breach management analysts.
• Embed a culture of learning, improvement, and service excellence within the team.
• Champion the highest standards of data protection across the Group.
• Support the Group DPO in identifying, assessing, and mitigating privacy risks, including taking corrective actions where required.
• Oversee training delivery (directly or via external counsel) to build organisation-wide awareness of data privacy risks.

Qualifications

• 8-10 years of proven experience in data privacy, compliance, or legal risk.
• Strong knowledge of global and regional data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR).
• Professional certifications such as DPO, CIPP, or equivalent is desirable.
• Proven leadership and stakeholder management experience.
• Strong communication, reporting, and influencing skills.

About the company

MENA Recruit came to fruition in response to a growing need for international legal talent in London and Dubai. Its initial focus began in the Legal sector, evolving as a service provider for other sectors such as Administration, Marketing, Business Development, HR, IT, Finance and C-Suite positions. Over the last two decades, with roots firmly planted in the Middle East and operations expanding into the APAC region, MENA Recruit has gained intuitive industry knowledge and expertise. With its unique, people-focused approach, the firm has yielded competitive advantage for its clients and rewarding careers for the professionals it has supported throughout the years. The company is dedicated to delivering the highest quality of talent and service to its clients while working tenaciously towards helping them achieve higher retention rates. For this reason, MENA Recruit is considered by both candidates and clients as a consultant in the truest sense of the word, offering guidance to both people and organizations on how to adapt to the constant change in market conditions and how to anticipate present and future challenges. Presently, MENA Recruit provides services to organizations and professionals in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and the United Kingdom. With such an extensive global reach, strong brand value, decades of expertise, and an innovative approach towards business challenges, it’s clear why MENA Recruit is the partner of choice for both in-house recruiters and candidates internationally.