Data Protection and Governance Manager

N26 Inc.; Berlin (NH); On-site; USD 101,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Personal development budget

Work from home budget

Fitness & wellness discounts

Premium N26 account subscription

Relocation with visa support

Job summary

N26 Inc. is seeking an experienced Data Protection and Governance Manager to join the CISO Office. In this pivotal role, you will help ensure N26 meets its data protection obligations and embed privacy requirements in day-to-day operations.

You will work across the business to operationalise data ownership, manage privacy risk across GDPR and emerging regs (EU AI Act), support the DPO, design privacy metrics, and drive audits and vendor risk management.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in data protection and data governance.
• Experience implementing privacy risk frameworks and risk registers.
• Knowledge of encryption, access controls, logging, and incident response.
• Familiar with GRC tooling and AI risk reporting.
• Certifications preferred: IAPP CIPM/CIPP/E or security/risk certs.

Responsibilities

• Operationalise data ownership, stewardship and lifecycle controls across the business.
• Maintain the 2LoD risk framework and privacy risk registers for GDPR, DORA, MaRisk, and EU AI Act.
• Triage the DPO mailbox and manage complex queries and processes.
• Design privacy metrics, health checks, and executive reporting for governance forums.
• Close audit findings and manage third-party/vendor risks (DPAs, PIAs/TIAs).

Skills

Data privacy

Privacy risk mgmt

Data governance

GRC tooling

ServiceNow

Audit actions

English comms

Education

Tech/Law/Risk degree

Tools

ServiceNow

Job description

About the opportunity

Are you ready for your next career step? We are looking for an experienced Data Protection and Governance Manager to join the Data Protection and Governance team within the CISO Office. In this pivotal role, you will help ensure N26 meets its data protection obligations. You will play a key role in ensuring continuity of privacy risk coverage, supporting regulatory readiness, and strengthening how data protection requirements are embedded in day-to-day operations..

What You Will Do

• Govern and Scale: Operationalise data ownership, stewardship, classification, and lifecycle/deletion controls across the business.
• Manage Privacy Risk: Maintain the 2LoD risk framework, risk register, and effectiveness testing for EU privacy laws (GDPR), DORA, MaRisk, and emerging regulations like the EU AI Act.
• Support the DPO and CISO: Triage the DPO mailbox, handle complex internal/external queries, and run DPO involvement and administrative processes.
• Monitor and Report: Design high-impact privacy metrics, global health checks, and executive reporting for governance forums.
• Drive Execution and Compliance: Partner cross-functionally to close audit findings, manage third-party/vendor risks (DPAs, PIAs/TIAs), and run dynamic privacy awareness initiatives.

What You Need to Succeed

Background and Experience

• strong 3+ years of hands-on experience combining data protection/privacy risk management with data governance (metadata, data quality, stewardship) preferably in banking, fintech, or financial services.
• Proven track record building operational/NFR frameworks, risk matrices, and registers covering personal data, privacy, and AI risks.
• Solid grasp of core InfoSec intersection points: encryption, access controls, logging, and incident response.
• Familiarity with GRC tooling (e.g., ServiceNow) and modern AI-driven risk reporting.
• Certifications (Preferred): IAPP (CIPP/E, CIPM) or Security/Risk credentials (CISA, CISM, CRISC).
• Education: Degree in Tech, Law, Risk, or equivalent practical experience.

Skills and Mindset

• Pragmatic Risk Mindset: Able to translate complex cyber, legal, and AI regulations into clear, actionable advice for non-technical teams.
• Cross-Functional Execution: Strong stakeholder manager who can constructively challenge, prioritize competing workstreams, and close audit actions fast.
• Communication: Exceptional documentation, reporting, and narrative-building skills in English (German is a plus).
• Bias for Action: Resilient, curious, highly analytical, and comfortable innovating processes within an agile, fast-moving environment.

What’s in it for you:

• Accelerate your career growth by joining one of Europe’s most talked about disruptors.
• Employee benefits that range from a competitive personal development budget, work from home budget, discounts to fitness and wellness memberships, language apps and public transportation.
• As an N26 employee you will have access to a Premium subscription on your personal N26 bank account. As well as subscriptions for friends and family members.
• Vacation days vary depending on your location of work. Additional day of annual leave for each year of service.
• A high degree of autonomy and access to cutting edge technologies - all while working with a friendly team of peers of diverse nationalities, life experiences and family statuses.
• A relocation package with visa support for those who need it.

Who we are

N26 has reimagined banking for today’s digital world. Technology and design empower a everything we do and it’s how we are building the global banking platform the world loves to use.

We ve eliminated physical branches, paperwork, and hidden fees for an elegant digital experience and supreme savings. Giving people the power to live and bank their way is what gets us out of bed in the morning and inspires the work that we do.

Founded in 2013, a N26 now has more than 8 million customers in 24 markets. We are headquartered in Berlin with offices in multiple cities across Europe, including Vienna and Barcelona, and a 1,500-strong team of more than 80 nationalities.

N26 is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status.