Data & Privacy Risk Specialist Manager in Leeds

We’re looking for a technically strong data specialist to advance how we deliver high-impact, insight-driven oversight within the Data Privacy, Retention & Records Management Risk team. This is not a traditional privacy or programme delivery role. It is suited to someone who understands how data is structured, processed and controlled in real systems, and can use that expertise to assess how data use translates into real privacy and customer outcomes.

You’ll operate at the forefront of how we evolve oversight—bringing deeper technical interrogation, clearer insight, and stronger evidence of how risks manifest in practice. This includes assessing:

• How intrusive data processing is within real implementations
• How code and models influence automated decision-making (ADM) and customer outcomes
• Whether data structures and architecture support proportionate, non-invasive processing

Working with Senior Managers and the Head of Function, you’ll apply and continuously improve analytical methods, tooling and repeatable routines that increase the quality, consistency and impact of oversight. A strong understanding of the end-to-end data lifecycle is essential. Prior privacy experience is not required – your value comes from translating technical data behaviour into clear, actionable risk insight that drives improvement.

This role does not focus on delivering privacy programmes or producing management reporting; it focuses on interrogating data, systems and code to evidence how privacy risks manifest in practice.

Key responsibilities:

• Insight-Led & Thematic Oversight (Primary Focus)
  • Conduct targeted thematic analysis to assess how data practices translate into real privacy and customer outcomes
  • Interrogate code, data pipelines and models to understand:
  • The level of intrusion in processing
  • Impact on automated decision-making and customer outcomes
  • Alignment with principles of proportionality and data minimisation
  • Identify where controls are ineffective in practice, providing clear, evidence-based challenge
  • Produce concise, high-impact insight that drives tangible improvement in business practices
• Data Lifecycle, Architecture & DPIA Review
  • Assess how data is collected, structured, transformed and retained within real systems and architectures
  • Play a key role in reviewing Data Privacy Impact Assessments (DPIAs) by:
  • Interrogating the underlying data architecture, code and processing logic
  • Testing whether risks and controls reflect actual system behaviour
  • Conduct structured quality assurance of DPIAs, identifying gaps between documented intent and technical reality
  • Develop and implement automation of repeat oversight activities, including scalable QA routines
• Risk Insight & Practical Challenge
  • Deliver focused, technically grounded challenge on data privacy risks, based on how systems and data operate in practice
  • Translate technical findings into clear, outcome-driven risk insights for business stakeholders
  • Support incident and issue analysis, focusing on root cause and control effectiveness
• Collaboration & Influence
  • Work closely across CCOR, Legal, Engineering and Data teams to ensure oversight is credible, practical and well-evidenced
  • Influence stakeholders through clarity of insight rather than process ownership

What you’ll need:

• Technical Data Expertise (Essential)
  • Hands-on understanding of how data is structured, processed and controlled across the lifecycle
  • Experience working with data pipelines, models and architectures in production environments
  • Ability to read and challenge code (e.g. SQL, Python) and assess how logic translates into outcomes
  • Strong understanding of data structures, metadata and how data is organised for analytics and data products
  • Familiarity with AI/ML concepts and how they influence data usage and control design
• Applying Technical Expertise to Oversight
  • Ability to assess how technical design decisions (code, models, structure) impact privacy and customer outcomes
  • Experience interrogating systems to understand how data is actually used, not just how it is described
  • Comfortable reviewing artefacts such as DPIAs from a technical and data architecture perspective
  • Strong focus on insight, challenge and evidence, rather than programme delivery or reporting production
  • Experience driving automation and repeatability in analytical or oversight activities

Ways of working:

• Confident operating as a technical and analytical specialist within a senior team
• Able to challenge constructively and influence across technical and non-technical audiences
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to make complex ideas clear and actionable

Our ambition is to be the leading UK business for diversity, equity and inclusion supporting our customers, colleagues and communities and we’re committed to creating an environment in which everyone can thrive, learn and develop. We offer reasonable workplace adjustments for colleagues with disabilities, including flexibility in office attendance, location and working patterns. We also offer a wide-ranging benefits package, which includes:

• A generous pension contribution of up to 15%
• An annual performance-related bonus
• Share schemes including free shares
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• 30 days’ holiday, with bank holidays on top
• A range of wellbeing initiatives and generous parental leave policies

If you’re excited by the thought of becoming part of our team, get in touch! We’d love to hear from you!