Data Protection Specialist

Babcock; Rosyth, Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday allowance

Matched contribution pension with life

Digital GP and Aviva DigiCare+

Employee share scheme

Flexible working

Be Kind Day

Job summary

Babcock is seeking a Data Protection Specialist to safeguard personal data across a global defence and engineering organisation. You will partner with the Group Head of Data Protection to embed privacy by design and ensure regulatory compliance across the business.

Day-to-day you will advise colleagues, support data protection activities such as DPIAs and DSARs, deliver training, and monitor controls, while contributing to a culture of privacy in a hybrid UK environment and pursuing professional

Qualifications

• Knowledge of UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.
• Experience in compliance, risk, governance, or information security.
• Understanding of DPIAs, DSARs, RoPA, data retention, lawful basis, and data breaches.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills.
• Excellent organisation and attention to detail; proficient in Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert data protection guidance to colleagues.
• Support compliance activities with UK legislation and internal policies.
• Assist with Data Protection Impact Assessments, data subject access requests, and governance processes.
• Deliver training and awareness on privacy across the organisation.
• Monitor, report, and drive continuous improvement of data protection controls.

Skills

UK GDPR

Data protection

Risk assessment

Analytical thinking

MS Office

Education

Degree or equivalent

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Job Title: Data Protection Specialist

Location: Hybrid, UK

Compensation: Competitive Salary + Benefits

Role Type: Full time / 12-month Fixed Term Contract

Role ID: SF76999

Help Shape the Future of Data Protection in a Global Defence and Engineering Organisation

At Babcock, we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together. If you join us, you can play your part as a Data Protection Specialist at Babcock Hub Bristol, near Bristol, Gloucestershire.

The role

As a Data Protection Specialist, you'll play a vital role in supporting and enhancing Babcock's data protection programme across the organisation. This is an exciting opportunity to help ensure personal data is managed responsibly, securely, and in line with regulatory requirements, while working at the heart of a business that delivers critical services across defence, aerospace, and engineering.

Partnering closely with the Group Head of Data Protection and stakeholders across the business, you'll help embed a culture of privacy by design, provide practical guidance, and support compliance activities that protect both our people and our operations. This role offers excellent exposure across a complex international organisation, making it an outstanding opportunity for professional development and career growth.

Day-to-day, you’ll be required to:

• Provide expert advice and guidance to colleagues on data protection requirements and best practice.
• Support data protection compliance activities, helping ensure alignment with UK legislation and internal policies.
• Assist with personal data risk management activities, including privacy assessments and governance processes.
• Deliver training and awareness initiatives to foster a strong culture of privacy across the organisation.
• Monitor, reporting, and supporting continuous improvement of data protection controls and processes.

This role is full time, 37.5 hours per week and provides hybrid working arrangements with days onsite and days working from home.

Essential experience of the Data Protection Specialist

• Knowledge of UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and core data protection principles.
• Experience working within a compliance, risk, legal, governance, information security, or data protection environment.
• Understanding of data protection activities including Data Protection Impact Assessments, Data Subject Access Requests, Records of Processing Activities, data retention, lawful basis, and personal data breaches.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to provide practical and balanced recommendations.
• Excellent organisational skills, attention to detail, and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Qualifications for the Data Protection Specialist

• Educated to degree level or equivalent professional experience.

We value difference and don’t have a fixed idea when it comes to background or education, provided you can show the required level of experience and/or willingness to learn then we would like to hear from you.

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Standard (BPSS) and Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role.

Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

What we offer

• Generous holiday allowance
• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
• Employee share scheme
• Employee shopping savings portal
• Payment of Professional Fees
• Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave
• Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows the majority of employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement
• 'Be Kind Day' enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
• Flexible working - we give people more options to better integrate their work and personal life, whilst ensuring that business needs are met
• A dynamic working environment

Babcock

We’re Babcock - a global FTSE 100 organisation with over 29,000 people working together to make a difference.

Here, you’ll be part of something bigger. From initial design to final decommissioning, your work will contribute to products and services that are essential to national security and public infrastructure. Together, we’re building a future that lasts - not just through the impact we make, but through meaningful careers that respect your work-life balance.

We call that lifetime engineering.

Join us and see how far we can go, together.

We are a disability confident, committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email [e-mail] with the subject header 'Reasonable adjustments requirement'. We’re committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone’s free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working - please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.

Closing date: 10/11/2026