If you choose to have someone with the title of Data Protection Officer, it conveys certain responsibilities. Sometimes it’s mandatory that you have one, and you can also choose to appoint one voluntarily, or you can use another name such as Data Protection Lead.
Either way, your legal obligations to comply with the UK GDPR are the same.
If you do appoint a DPO, then the law says that they must:
- report directly to the highest level of management
- be an expert in data protection
- be involved, in a timely manner, in all issues relating to data protection
- be given sufficient resources to be able to perform their tasks
- be given the independence and autonomy to perform their tasks
So a DPO must be independent and have the resources they need to perform the role.
If you are unsure if you need a DPO, or whether you should appoint one anyway, or what a Data Protection Lead needs to do, then just get in touch – the free 25-minute calls are a good starting point.