In response to rising requests from government agencies and consumers for more strict security, trained privacy and data protection experts are in high demand. Businesses that comply with GDPR are legally compelled to have data protection officers working for them full-time.
Employing a Data Protection Officer is one of the critical actions you can take to boost your data protection compliance efforts. A DPO should have privacy domain expertise and operational capabilities to effectively collaborate with all the critical stakeholders in the company to advocate for data protection policies, procedures, technical safeguards, and employee training programs.
DPO Skills
To successfully fulfill the responsibilities outlined in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a DPO will need a wide array of expertise, which includes as well “soft” and “hard” abilities. This is why choosing the right DPO takes work. Candidates should have the following abilities and experiences that range from legal to technical.
1. Knowledgeable in Legal Matters
Suppose you are a DPO. That is the essential skill they must have. A competent DPO will have an in-depth knowledge of these regulations and monitor any legislation changes that could impact the company. This requires a keen sense of details and the ability to quickly analyze data to determine which category of processing the operation is in and then provide the company with advice accordingly.
A DPO should be knowledgeable about the law and preferably have some experience in law and also have compliance assessment services as a qualification. They should be proficient at writing policies and other legal documents.
2. Good Communication Skills
A DPO’s job’s success depends on his ability to interact with people from every aspect of life. Cultural sensitivity goes far in dealing with people from different countries with different business traditions and norms. They must communicate with regular people without disrespecting them or using excessive terminology. As complaints handlers, they must balance being friendly and professional.
A DPO with iso 27001 latest version compliance is also likely to have frequent meetings with top-level executives and specialists who may need more specialized expertise in privacy concerns. A DPO needs to be authoritative as well as able to train others.
3. Well-Versed in Technology
A Data Protection Officer (DPO) is expected to have a working understanding of the IT platforms through which processing is performed. You need to know what causes breaches and how to prevent them from providing the right advice to deal with them. It is essential to know the workings of new technologies and the dangers they bring to data security or standard procedures.
A DPO’s general familiarity with risk reduction is helpful because they’re often required to provide advice when conducting privacy by design analyses. As the sensitivity of the data gets more sensitive, so do the security measures used.
4. Credible
A DPO candidate has to prove that they have no conflicts of interest. If the head of an IT department were also the DPO, there would be a conflict of interest because the head of the IT department would evaluate their own department’s performance. The DPO’s responsibilities should be separated from the duties of others employees.
In dealing with regulatory bodies, a DPO must appear credible. Consistently helpful cooperation may result in significant financial savings due to reduced penalty assessments. Maintaining positive relations with the authorities is vital.
5. Independent
Due to their distinct role, DPOs have fierce independence. The GDPR requires a DPO to be accountable to the top management. They need to be empowered and have the authority to resolve any issues. They are not allowed to accept direction from any other employee.
A DPO requires access to adequate resources from the employer to accomplish their task effectively. A DPO should be appropriately integrated into the organization by management. If DPOs need to perform their duties effectively, they should be involved in ongoing projects and kept apprised of upcoming deadlines.
