Data Protection & Assurance Officer

Job Title

Data Protection & Assurance Officer

Organisation

MSV Housing Association

Job Description

The Vacancy

Hours of Work: 35 per week

Closing date: 22nd April 2025

Interviews: TBC

At MSV Housing, we are looking to recruit an enthusiastic individual to join our established team. Reporting to our Head of Risk and Assurance, this role is pivotal in ensuring our organisation maintains the highest standards of data protection management and continued compliance with a range of legislative and regulatory requirements. The successful candidate will be responsible for implementing and maintaining robust data protection practices, providing assurance on personal data handling processes, and supporting the Head of Risk and Assurance in ensuring the organisation maintains an effective internal control framework. In addition, we are looking for candidates that have a passion to advocate on behalf of people and communities.

What will our Data Protection & Assurance Officer do?:

Data Protection

• Compliance: Ensure the organisation complies with all relevant data protection laws and regulations, including GDPR and other applicable regulatory requirements, by updating and maintaining data protection policies and procedures, supporting the delivery of subject access requests, and conducting regular compliance checks to ensure ongoing compliance with data protection policies.
• Data Protection Risk Management: Identify and mitigate data protection risks through supporting colleagues to complete, and later review and update, Data Privacy Impact Assessments.
• Training and Awareness: Deliver training and awareness programs for employees on data protection best practices both in person and via remote technology.
• Incident Management: Manage data breaches and near misses in accordance with established procedures.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Support MSV management to ensure data protection controls are integrated into business operations.

Internal Control and Assurance

• Internal Audit: Support the Head of Risk and Assurance to oversee the internal audit programme, specifically logging all identified actions and collating evidence provided by colleagues or review by MSV’s internal auditors.
• Compliance Monitoring: Support the Head of Risk and Assurance in maintaining and updating the schedule of returns and submissions and Assets and Liabilities Register.

What we are looking for;

• Certified Data Protection Officer qualification or willing to complete within 9-12 months.
• Proven experience in a data protection role, preferably in a similar industry.
• Extensive knowledge of the requirements of UK data protection legislation.
• Excellent communication and project management skills.
• Proven track record in delivering to targets and working to deadlines.

We offer a range of great benefits including:

• Flexibility on where you work with home working kit provided.
• 33 days holiday per year plus bank holidays, and a holiday buy scheme.
• Company pension scheme with up to 10% matched contributions.
• Company funded access to a health cash plan, where you can claim back costs of everyday health treatments such as optical, dental and much more.
• Enhanced sick pay with up to 3 months full pay and 3 months half pay.
• Health and Wellbeing Support including an employee assistance programme, free counselling, mental health first aiders and numerous wellbeing initiatives.
• Life assurance subject to being a member of our company pension scheme.
• Learning and development to support you to develop the skills you need to fulfil your role and progress in your career.
• Commitment to Equality and Inclusion with employee network groups covering anti-racism, LGBTQ+, disability and long-term health conditions, carers, and menopause.

MSV are committed to Equality and Inclusion. All applications are scored against the essential criteria of the role; however, we encourage candidates to submit an anonymised CV if they can do so.

MSV are also committed to supporting you to balance work and life, including with any caring or parental responsibilities you might have, and have a range of flexible working options and wellbeing support available to all colleagues to facilitate this.

For more information about the role please visit our careers page where you will find a candidate pack and apply for the role. Careers Page.

If you wish to discuss the role informally, please contact Alison Riley, Head of Risk and Assurance on 07703807200.

Interviews are scheduled to take place towards the end of April/start of May 2025; however, interviews may be carried out throughout the recruitment process and the role closed if a suitable candidate is found. Therefore, we strongly recommend candidates to apply early.

We’re passionate about inclusion and we’d love to hear from people from diverse backgrounds for this role.

If you are not sure whether you meet our requirements for this role, but want to apply, go ahead. We will decide whether or not you are what we are looking for.