Data Protection Officer

The Data Protection Officer executes data governance policies and procedures. He/She ensures the Data Protection Act is implemented and enforced in the organisation, and amongst the respective teams and users. He collaborates with business and project teams in projects and ensures alignment and compliance with the organisations’s data protection guidelines and policies, and with industry standards and guidelines. He also directs a team of professionals and third-party vendors or service providers to achieve organisational goals in accordance with the data governance and data protection policies. He manages risks and data breach incidents. The Data Protection Officer is knowledgeable in areas of data governance, compliance and data protection policies and frameworks, and works within and across teams to mitigate data breaches. He is expected to be proficient in the requirements under the Personal Data Protection Act 2012. The Data Protection Officer adopts a broad and global perspective in his work, and is confident in making critical decisions and handling competing resource needs that may have implications on various projects and stakeholders.

Skills and Competencies

Technical Skills & Competencies

Audit and Compliance
Proficiency Level
"Develop and enhance compliance processes based on an evaluation of gaps in business and IT operations"
4
Budgeting
Proficiency Level
"Manage budgeting and forecasting for annual financial and business planning within the business unit "
4
Business Agility
Proficiency Level
"Lead the implementation of operational initiatives to enhance business agility "
4
Business Negotiation
Proficiency Level
Participate in negotiations.
4
Business Performance Management
Proficiency Level
"Manage organization performance systems across departments "
4

Generic Skills & Competencies

Lifelong Learning
Proficiency Level
Engage in collaborative learning by discussing one’s learning with others and soliciting feedback to continually improve oneself.
Intermediate
Interpersonal Skills
Proficiency Level
Detect and decipher emotions of others to manage interpersonal relationships in social situations.
Intermediate
Leadership
Proficiency Level
Lead by example at team level. Encourage and guide others to adopt a point of view, make changes or take action. Provide a team environment that facilitates relationships building, teamwork and the development of others.
Intermediate
Resource Management
Proficiency Level
Deepen insights into the planning, allocation and deployment of resources to anticipate needs. Plan the allocation and deployment of resources efficiently and effectively.
Intermediate
Virtual Collaboration
Proficiency Level
Use interactive collaborative tools to foster cohesion and commitment among virtual team members to achieve goals. Keep up-to-date with innovative online collaborative tools and applications to enhance one’s proficiency in engaging in virtual collaboration
Intermediate

Critical Work Functions and Key Tasks

Ensure organisation’s compliance to Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA)

• Develop a Data Protection Management Programme (DPMP) to ensure organisation’s compliance to PDPA 
• Assess data protection audit findings and recommendations to introduce changes to ensure continued compliance with PDPA 
• Evaluate the organisation’s data lifecycle and data processing activities to determine compliance and gaps in data protection
• Provide updates on data protection compliance to senior management 
• Create roadmaps to implement new requirements of data protection regulations 
• Monitor the handling of personal data across the organisation 
• Oversee the maintenance of records required to demonstrate data protection compliance

Manage risks associated with collection, use, disclosure and storage of personal data

• Conduct Data Protection and Impact Assessments (DPIA) to identify, assess and address business risks, based on the 
organisation’s functions, needs and processes 
• Propose measures to manage risks associated with the collection, use, disclosure and storage of personal data 
• Act as the organisation’s liaison for laws and guidelines concerning data collection and usage 
• Propose cloud and on-site storage practices that ensure the protection of data from threats

Manage risks associated with collection, use, disclosure and storage of personal data

• Oversee the conduct of simulation exercises to test the data breach response plans to ensure operational readiness 
• Conduct in-depth assessment of the data breaches to mitigate and address risks 
• Report data breaches to regulatory authorities and senior management 
• Consult with key departments in the event of PDPA breaches 
• Conduct investigations into data protection breach incidents 

Drive awareness of PDPA requirements in the organisation

• Develop training programmes to educate staff on personal data protection policies and processes 
• Oversee activities to foster personal data protection awareness within the organisation
• Foster a culture of personal data protection within the organisation
• Ensure employees are aware of their roles and responsibilities in managing data breaches 
• Oversee the implementation and efficiency of the due diligence policies and frameworks across the organisation

Handle queries, complaints and disputes on the organisation’s management of personal data

• Act as the organisation’s key point of contact with PDPA regulatory authorities and to data subjects when exercising their 
individual data rights 
• Analyse complaints relating to the organisation’s management of personal data and respond with remedial action 
• Provide advice on data protection, privacy and compliance 
• Maintain oversight over access and correction requests to personal data 
• Propose and implement measures to safeguard data based on the vulnerability and criticality of the types of data sources 

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