Five things to consider before appointing an Outsourced Data Protection Officer

Finding the right Outsourced Data Protection Officer (DPO) can be challenging with so many providers available. In this guide, we share five essential tips to help you select a DPO service that meets your organisation’s needs.

Tip #1 - Check Their Experience

Experience is key to successful delivery of the service, and outsourcing the role is a way to get experienced hands for a fraction of the price of employing the same experienced role internally. Ensure you understand exactly who your Outsourced DPO, including how many years of data protection experience they have and their previous data protection roles.

Tip #2 - Ensure Availability

If you appoint an outsourced DPO, you want to be able to contact them when you need. Some providers only allow for assigned and allocated days to contact your DPO, whilst others allow you access as and when you need.

Tip #3 - Confirm Non-Restrictive Service

A DPO has statutory tasks they must undertake. You should understand whether for the quoted price the Outsourced DPO will complete these as required, or whether there are restrictions on their time, which could see you incur further costs.

Tip #4 - Look for a Personable Approach

Often outsourced services can feel 'distant' to the company and staff, despite paying a premium price. A personable DPO who integrates well with your team can make a big difference in communication and compliance culture.

Tip #5 - Verify Qualifications

There is no formal Data Protection Officer qualification approved by the UK regulator. So look out for qualifications such as Masters in Law (although there is absolutely no requirement for a DPO to be a lawyer), the BCS Data Protection Practitioner Certificate or CIPP/E.

Do your comparisons

There are many providers out there to choose from, all offering different levels and styles of service. Use this checklist to compare providers.

About Iniver

Iniver is a specialist data protection consultancy firm providing only 'Full-Service' DPO services, led by Joe Stock LLM, a data protection professional with 14 years experience.