Data Compliance Officer

Blue Cross; Burford; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

38 days holiday rising to 43

Wellbeing programmes

GP access (MetLife)

Health cash plan

Employee assistance programme

Pension scheme

Professional development support

Life assurance

Enhanced family friendly policies

Retail worker discounts

Job summary

Blue Cross in Oxfordshire seeks a Data Compliance Officer to join the Data & Insights team as the data compliance SME supporting the Data Strategy. This hybrid role requires you to work from our Burford office twice weekly, ensuring data practices, marketing activities and fundraising comply with current regulation.

You will translate DMA, PECR and GDPR requirements into practical guidance, handle Subject Access Requests and data incidents, and collaborate with marketing, fundraising and digital

Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of DMA and PECR.
• Working knowledge of UK GDPR and compliance monitoring.
• Ability to explain complex issues clearly to non-experts.
• Collaborative approach across teams to achieve compliance.

Responsibilities

• Provide practical compliance guidance across DMA, PECR, and GDPR.
• Assist with Subject Access Requests and data incidents.
• Review marketing and fundraising communications for compliance.
• Develop data quality KPIs and standard operating procedures.
• Advise on responsible use of data in AI and staff training.

Skills

DMA knowledge

PECR knowledge

UK GDPR

Data privacy

Stakeholder comms

Risk management

Attention to detail

Project collaboration

Job description

Contract: Permanent, hybrid 35 hours per week

Location: Burford, Oxfordshire, OX18 4PF

We’re recruiting a Data Compliance Officer! You’ll be joining our Data & Insights team and be our data compliance subject matter expert (SME) in support of the successful delivery of the Blue Cross Data Strategy. In this position you will help us continue cultivating a data-driven culture across our organisation, building a charity-wide community focused on data. This is a hybrid role and you must be able to work from our Burford office in Oxfordshire twice a week.

More about the role

We are looking for a Data Compliance Officer to join our Data & Insights team within Information Services, working in close collaboration with our Head of Legal and Data Protection (DPO). In this role, you will be the day to day subject matter expert ensuring our data practices, marketing activities, and fundraising operations are compliant, robust, and aligned with current regulation. If you want to use your regulatory knowledge in a supportive, purpose-driven environment, this is a great opportunity to make a real impact.

This role focuses on delivering clear, practical compliance guidance across the charity rather than taking a theoretical or box-ticking approach. You will act as the go to contact for advice on the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) code, PECR, and HMRC Gift Aid compliance, while supporting the DPO to maintain alignment with the UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018, and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. Your day to day work will range from assisting with Subject Access Requests and data incident responses to reviewing targeted communications, ensuring valid permission statements are in place, and auditing third-party supplier standards.

You will collaborate closely with marketing, fundraising, and digital project teams to understand their goals and help them design compliant, effective processes from the start. Working alongside colleagues in Information Services, you will help develop data quality KPIs, establish standard operating procedures, and identify areas for automation and process improvement. You will also have the opportunity to advise on emerging challenges, including the responsible and transparent use of data in Artificial Intelligence, and deliver straightforward training and guidance that helps colleagues handle data with confidence.

This is a hybrid role and you must be able to work from our Burford office in Oxfordshire twice a week.

About you

You have a solid foundation in data protection and direct marketing regulations, with a knack for translating complex legal rules into simple, practical advice that colleagues can readily apply. You take an analytical, considered approach to your work and feel comfortable balancing multiple projects, queries, and statutory deadlines without losing sight of detail.

Collaboration is key to how you work. Rather than simply highlighting obstacles, you enjoy working alongside different teams to find workable solutions that achieve their objectives while keeping the organisation fully compliant. You bring sound judgment, the confidence to elevate risks when necessary, and strong communication skills that allow you to build positive working relationships across all levels of the charity.

Essential Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

• In-depth working knowledge of Direct Marketing Association code (DMA) and Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR)
• A good working knowledge of UK GDPR, experience in the practical application of UK GDPR principles and effective monitoring of compliance, including Subject Access Requests and Data Privacy Impact Assessments
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to explain complex issues clearly and calmly to non-experts
• Ability to work with diverse personalities and different perspectives to find common ground and influence positive outcomes
• Possess the confidence and integrity to highlight and elevate risks.
• Possess strong attention to detail.
• Ability to demonstrate understanding of and application of our Blue Cross values

Desirable Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

• Practical experience of fundraising, marketing, and income generation
• Demonstrable awareness of Gift Aid and the requirements for HMRC compliance
• Experience of working in a not-for-profit environment
• Good working knowledge and understanding of risk management
• Experience of being part of a project team

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.

• Full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)
• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support
• Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family
• Health cash plan
• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme
• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution
• Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and personal development support.
• Life assurance
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers

To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.

If you’d like to learn more about Blue Cross, our mission, and the work we do to support animals and people, take a look at our About Us page