Group Head Of Privacy

Role Introduction:

Established in 1992, Applegreen is a leading convenience roadside retailer in the Republic of Ireland, the UK and the US in both large-scale Motorway Service Areas and Travel Plazas, as well as smaller petrol stations. The business has grown to over €3BN in annual revenue, operating 600 Motorway Service Plazas and forecourt sites internationally and employing over 16,000 people. In 2021 Applegreen joined forces with Blackstone Infrastructure Partners

Applegreen is in a rapid growth phase and to support this ambitious growth, we are seeking to onboard a Group Head of Privacy who will be managing a global privacy program. This role reports to the Group Head of Audit & Risk and is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to excel. The successful candidate will be a confident people person who can fit into Applegreen seamlessly and adopt a hands-on approach to their role.

Key Responsibilities:

As Applegreen expands, the responsibilities will evolve and change over time. The core responsibilities will centre around the following areas:

· Serve as the Applegreen DPO in all relevant matters, including informing, providing advice to the business, and responding to any internal queries concerning the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and all other EU & USA (state) privacy and data protection matters.

· Inform, advise and issue recommendations to Applegreen regarding GDPR compliance.

· Foster a privacy culture within Applegreen and help to implement essential elements of the GDPR, such as the principles of data processing, data subjects’ rights, data protection by design and by default, records of processing activities, data protection impact assessments, security of processing, and notification and communication of data breaches.

· Lead the Applegreen risk-based intake cadence which enables the DPO function to make informed decisions about the prioritisation of review areas.

· Oversee the design and ongoing execution of the program activities related to privacy governance and associated processes and controls.

· Evaluate impact and monitor the performance and effectiveness of privacy policies and standards and undertake other privacy and data protection-related reviews.

· Enable people success leading cross functional teams with an inclusive and development-focused philosophy.

· Partner with relevant industry peers, and regulators through a thoughtful networking strategy at external events, ensuring the voice of the DPO is present.

· Develop guidance and training and awareness materials for relevant business functions.

· Maintain a monitoring program and privacy and data protection controls framework.

· Act as contact point for data subjects in any DPO matters, including handling and responding to data subject requests.

· Lead functional virtual teams across planning & delivery to incorporate privacy requirements, and best practices and to ensure consistency.

· Ensure that teams who are developing new or different ways to engage with customers or provide customer support are building in the right privacy features and checkpoints.

· Acting as trusted advisor to the Applegreen leadership team and extended managers community ensuring that current and emerging risks are adequately managed

· Develop and implement robust privacy strategies for AI initiatives, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and ethical standards

The Candidate should have the following:

Qualifications, experience & skills

• Expertise in EU, UK & USA privacy laws and practices and an in-depth understanding of the GDPR and the practicalities of implementation.
• 3rd level relevant qualification (Business or legal related Degree an advantage).
• A formal privacy qualification. For example, CIPP/E, CIPM or other equivalent data protection certification holder.
• Minimum 5-10 years’ experience with implementing Privacy Programs.
• High proficiency in all Microsoft Office software also essential (Excel, PPT)
• Experience in a high-volume retail environment preferred
• Experience in a multinational environment preferred

Additional key skills & attributes:

· A dynamic individual who adapts well to change and can thrive in a rapidly growing organisation that continues to evolve.

· Proven track record of delivering to tight deadlines.

· A highly organised individual with ability to plan and prioritise workloads effectively for maximum impact and adapt to changing priorities as required.

· Ability to perform? at high quality and pace.

· Excellent drive, enthusiasm and commitment and a keen interest in developing a career in Applegreen.

· A ‘can do’ attitude and a positive solution focused mindset.

· Demonstrate strong analytical capability to interpret and challenge data and to interrogate financial systems.

· Has strong commercial acumen and a focus on delivering value to the business.

· Exceptional interpersonal skills, and ability to engage and develop relationships with individuals at all levels of the organisation.

· Be a self-starter, and also be able to work collaboratively as a member of a highly interdependent team across many parts of Applegreen.

· Is resilient and calm under pressure.

· Has sound judgement and objective logical decision-making skills.

· Has strong leadership potential and management skills, who will be a role model for the people and culture at Applegreen.

· Willing to travel ad hoc if required.

Illustrative Application & Screening Process (subject to change):

Application Process

Please submit an up to date tailored CV (max 2 pages) and cover letter