The Data Protection Lead/Champion Role
So, you've been asked to be the data protection champion/lead in your organisation! We explain what that means for Data Protection Education customers.
The data protection champion acts as a central point of contact for all data protection matters in an organisation. In this context, Data Protection Education fulfills the role of the Data Protection Officer (DPO). The DPO is an independent expert in data protection, adequately resourced and reports to the highest management level in an organisation. The DPO's role is to inform and advise an organisation of their obligations under data protection law.
The data protection lead/champion role is internal to an organisation and involves working with the DPO (us) closely and receiving a bit more training about how to handle data protection compliance in their organisation. They might be the first line of support for their own organisation.
The data protection lead has several responsibilities, but their main one is to promote awareness about data protection and best practice; to foster a culture of data privacy.
✅Advising on compliance - provide guidance and best practice to the staff, governors and the organisation about data protection law
✅Managing data breaches - ensure breaches are logged, and followed up on i.e. appropriate action is taken following a breach.
✅Maintaining records - ensuring records of processing activities are kept up to date.
✅Training - ensure that staff (and governors) receive regular data protection and cyber security training.
✅Handling Subject Access Requests - assisting with requests from individuals regarding their data (subject access requests)
✅Liaising with the DPO - regularly meeting with the DPO.
SLT data protection lead:
✅Strategic oversight - having a member of the senior leadership team as a data protection lead elevates the importance of data protection within the organisation's strategic planning.
✅Drive cultural change - will help lead by example and embed data protection principles across the organisation.
✅Make informed decisions - they will understand and have the authority to assess any risks.
✅Allocate resources effectively - they can help ensure the necessary budget, time allocation and staffing are available for data protection compliance.
✅Report to governors - providing regular updates on the organisation's data protection posture to the governing body. It is advised that there is a data protection and digital lead governor to help support this role.
Operational data protection lead (administrative staff member):
This person, often from the admin team, focuses on the day-to-day operational aspects of data protection and is crucial for efficient implementation:
✅Handle practical tasks - managing data subject requests, updating privacy notices, assisting with breach investigations, assigning training.
✅Be the frontline contact - an immediate contact for parents, staff, customers for queries regarding data handling.
✅Coordinate training logistics - organise and track staff data protection and cyber security training.
✅Draft policies - ensure data protection policies are put into practice across all departments.
✅Clearer division of work - the SLT member provides high-level strategic direction, while the admin staff member handles the detailed operational tasks. This prevents either person from being overwhelmed and ensures both areas are adequately covered.
✅Improved efficiency - strategic decisions are made with practical implementation in mind, and operational issues can be escalated efficiently to the strategic lead.
✅Enhanced accountability - data protection is owned by the highest level of the organisation while also being practically embedded in daily operations.
✅Greater expertise - each individual can develop deeper expertise in their respective area, leading to more robust data protection practices.
✅Reduced risk - a comprehensive approach to data protection significantly reduces the risk of data breaches and non-compliance. It also ensures that data breaches or subject access requests are not missed, especially if one person is not available.
By adopting a collaborative approach, organisations can build a more resilient and effective data protection framework, safeguarding personal information and fostering trust within their community.
Sometimes taking on this role can be worrying for the person, as they may feel they need to be an expert in data protection - that really isn't the case - that's our job! We've put a short video together to explain what the role means and how we can support you:
If you're one of our customers, take a look at the Data Protection Lead Role Description in the Best Practice Area.
The data protection champion acts as a central point of contact for all data protection matters in an organisation. In this context, Data Protection Education fulfills the role of the Data Protection Officer (DPO). The DPO is an independent expert in data protection, adequately resourced and reports to the highest management level in an organisation. The DPO's role is to inform and advise an organisation of their obligations under data protection law.
The data protection lead/champion role is internal to an organisation and involves working with the DPO (us) closely and receiving a bit more training about how to handle data protection compliance in their organisation. They might be the first line of support for their own organisation.
The data protection lead has several responsibilities, but their main one is to promote awareness about data protection and best practice; to foster a culture of data privacy.
The Data Protection Lead/Champion Role:
✅Advising on compliance - provide guidance and best practice to the staff, governors and the organisation about data protection law
✅Managing data breaches - ensure breaches are logged, and followed up on i.e. appropriate action is taken following a breach.
✅Maintaining records - ensuring records of processing activities are kept up to date.
✅Training - ensure that staff (and governors) receive regular data protection and cyber security training.
✅Handling Subject Access Requests - assisting with requests from individuals regarding their data (subject access requests)
✅Liaising with the DPO - regularly meeting with the DPO.
Who should be the data protection lead/champion?
While a single data protection lead can be effective, experience has shown us that for larger organisations the role functions optimally when split between a member of SLT and an admin member of staff.SLT data protection lead:
✅Strategic oversight - having a member of the senior leadership team as a data protection lead elevates the importance of data protection within the organisation's strategic planning.
✅Drive cultural change - will help lead by example and embed data protection principles across the organisation.
✅Make informed decisions - they will understand and have the authority to assess any risks.
✅Allocate resources effectively - they can help ensure the necessary budget, time allocation and staffing are available for data protection compliance.
✅Report to governors - providing regular updates on the organisation's data protection posture to the governing body. It is advised that there is a data protection and digital lead governor to help support this role.
Operational data protection lead (administrative staff member):
This person, often from the admin team, focuses on the day-to-day operational aspects of data protection and is crucial for efficient implementation:
✅Handle practical tasks - managing data subject requests, updating privacy notices, assisting with breach investigations, assigning training.
✅Be the frontline contact - an immediate contact for parents, staff, customers for queries regarding data handling.
✅Coordinate training logistics - organise and track staff data protection and cyber security training.
✅Draft policies - ensure data protection policies are put into practice across all departments.
Why this partnership works
This dual-role approach offers several significant advantages:✅Clearer division of work - the SLT member provides high-level strategic direction, while the admin staff member handles the detailed operational tasks. This prevents either person from being overwhelmed and ensures both areas are adequately covered.
✅Improved efficiency - strategic decisions are made with practical implementation in mind, and operational issues can be escalated efficiently to the strategic lead.
✅Enhanced accountability - data protection is owned by the highest level of the organisation while also being practically embedded in daily operations.
✅Greater expertise - each individual can develop deeper expertise in their respective area, leading to more robust data protection practices.
✅Reduced risk - a comprehensive approach to data protection significantly reduces the risk of data breaches and non-compliance. It also ensures that data breaches or subject access requests are not missed, especially if one person is not available.
By adopting a collaborative approach, organisations can build a more resilient and effective data protection framework, safeguarding personal information and fostering trust within their community.
Sometimes taking on this role can be worrying for the person, as they may feel they need to be an expert in data protection - that really isn't the case - that's our job! We've put a short video together to explain what the role means and how we can support you:
If you're one of our customers, take a look at the Data Protection Lead Role Description in the Best Practice Area.