Data Protection Officer

Hodge are a financial services business focused on the retail savings, commercial lending and specialist residential mortgage markets.  Working at Hodge is about making a difference. That starts with our purpose: we make life better for customers and society in the moments that matter.

For over 50 years, we’ve shared the same simple mission: to really make a positive difference for our customers and communities. This ethos is in our DNA, as we are 79% owned by a charity, the Hodge Foundation.

The thing that sets us up to succeed with that mission is our people. We are so proud to have exceptional colleagues at Hodge, and we look to develop and invest in our people through their careers. Hodge is at its best when we enable our people to be their best!

The Data Protection Officer is a second line role for the group and will be the subject matter expert in all areas of responsibility.

Working closely with key stakeholders across the business, the job holder will be responsible for leading in the above areas and supporting management during incidents and events.

They should ensure that the organisation has proper risk-based systems of control over the personal data that it processes and deal promptly and professionally with requests for information.

Certification Regime:

This role is identified as falling under a category of staff whose professional activities are deemed to have a material impact on Hodge’s risk profile.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Design and maintain appropriate risk frameworks and provide advice on first line policies across Hodge to ensure compliance with all data protection legislation.
• To be registered as the Hodge DPO with the ICO and be the first point of contact for them and for individuals whose data is processed (employees, customers etc.), working with each to address and resolve data protection related complaints and queries.
• Ensure first line areas have sufficient knowledge, skills, systems and processes to deal with data protection activities and issues, be they from internal employees, a data subject, police, the ICO, or other authorised bodies. Ensure they are dealt with efficiently and in the specified timeframe with the necessary resources from around the business.
• Provide risk based advice to first and second line on data protection matters, prioritising and focusing on more risky activities, for example where special category data is being processed, or where the potential impact on individuals could be damaging.
• Incident Management & Reporting
• Develop appropriate metrics, advise on and monitor the effectiveness of data protection KPI/KRI’s as appropriate to Executive and Board Committees when required.

What we need from you:

• Extensive experience in a data protection role.
• Experience of training staff.
• Experience of auditing systems and controls.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Strong presentational skills.
• Proactive and persistent.
• Good analytical and investigative skills.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.
• Planning and organizational skills.
• Extensive knowledge of the current data protection, security landscape including cyber.

In return we offer:

• Based in Cardiff City Centre or remote operating in a highly flexible Hybrid workspace.
• Private Medical & Health Insurance
• Life Assurance at x6 of salary
• 28 days Holiday with the option to buy more.
• Subsidised Gym Membership.
• Extensive learning and development programme
• Generous, personalised benefits package
• Company pension contribution up to 15%
• 4 days on top of annual leave for community and charity work
• Flexible working options

Please be aware that should we pursue your application, all our Financial Services employees will be expected to complete background checks to assess suitability for employment, these include; a criminal record, identity, sanctions, adverse finance, fraud prevention and reference checks to comply with our regulatory requirements.

Hodge is an advocate of being an equal opportunities employer, We believe in promoting equality and diversity which is central to our lives today. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and recognises the value a diverse workforce brings to an organisation.

ESG and sustainability are at the heart of everything we do and serves as a reminder of the responsibility we have to our stakeholders, customers, colleagues and the communities we operate in to use our position wisely. We’re currently exploring different certifications available and have done an initial review of how we think we’d fare, as we see this as a real opportunity for Hodge given our social purpose.