East Sussex County Council is seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Data Protection Support Officer to join their team. This is a fantastic opportunity for individuals who are naturally curious, self-motivated, and enjoy problem-solving. Strong communication skills are essential as you will be supporting data protection compliance across various departments.
This role is ideal for someone passionate about data privacy, regulatory requirements, and improving information governance. If you are currently based in the UK and require visa sponsorship, a Work Permit may be available for the right candidate.
About the Council
East Sussex County Council (ESCC) provides a wide range of essential services to residents, businesses, and visitors across East Sussex, South East England. As one of the largest employers in the county, ESCC plays a vital role in supporting the local community through key service areas:
Adult Social Care and Health – Delivering social care services for residents over 16, including residential and sensory care, along with public health responsibilities.
Governance Services – Overseeing legal, constitutional, and governance aspects of the council.
Children’s Services – Providing social care, state education, and childcare services for those under 16.
Business Services – Managing finances, IT, human resources, procurement, and property.
Communities, Economy, and Transport – Handling libraries, registrars, customer services, transport planning, and environmental initiatives.
With a strong sense of purpose and achievement, ESCC offers a rewarding work environment, where employees contribute to improving lives and strengthening communities across East Sussex.
Position: Data Protection Support Officer
Salary: £35,252 – £37,538 per annum
Job Type: Full Time
Location: Lewes
About the Role
Do you have a good understanding of data privacy regulations, respect for confidentiality and excellent interpersonal skills? Then this diverse and challenging role supporting the Data Protection Officer, who works across 3 organisations, may be for you.
Responsibilities
As a Data Protection Support Officer you will be required to work on a range of tasks on a daily basis, including but not limited to:
- Supporting Information Governance (IG) projects
- Managing IG incidents and undertaking casework investigation
- Monitoring and reporting on compliance
- Overseeing the delivery of IG training and creating content
- Co-ordinating meetings and workshops
- Providing support to senior staff across 3 local authorities ensuring confidentiality and effectively organising activity to support the delivery of efficient services.
- Supporting the development of good data protection practices with privacy by design at the forefront of your knowledge.
- You will be able to communicate clearly and concisely and manage busy workloads, often with conflicting priorities. You will remain professional under periods of pressure all whilst delivering quality work, often on tight timescales. A full list of the candidate criteria is available in the full job description.
Requirements
We are looking for candidates who:
- Are naturally curious.
- Are self-motivated.
- Enjoy problem solving.
- Good at communicating with others.
- Have a thirst for personal development.
- Like to keep up to date on latest developments in the world of Information Governance and Data Protection.
You will be well supported when it comes to training and development by a friendly and positive team who pride themselves on delivering a great service to the council.
Candidates will be required to attend occasional onsite meetings and must be able to travel independently around Surrey and Sussex.
We are offering hybrid working arrangements, primarily working from home but with the requirement to work with the team in our Lewes office at least once per month.
To apply for this role please follow the ‘Apply Now’ button above. When completing your application be sure to address how you meet all the criteria in the person specification drawing on any relevant work/life experience, education, or personal interests. Please note; CV and cover letters will not be accepted for this role.
Interviews will take place via Microsoft Teams on 13 and 14 May 2025.
Information governance and data protection are exciting fields to work in. If you want to develop in this field this role will give you exposure to a wide range of stakeholders and scenarios. In this role you will be playing a vital role in safeguarding people, data and systems.
We offer a diverse range of benefits to help and support you during your employment. More information can be found on our benefits page.
For an informal discussion about this opportunity contact Sarah Turner, Data Protection Officer at sarah.turner@eastsussex.gov.uk to request an MS teams call or phone call.
For work that makes a difference
Additional Information
This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced check for Regulated Activity with the Disclosure & Barring Services (previously the Criminal Records Bureau). For further information about what is required in this process please go to http://www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check…. Please note that we require evidence of an overseas police check if you have lived or worked abroad.
Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is part-time or term-time only.
Work Permits: we may be able to obtain a Work Permit for this post but this is subject to meeting the requirements of the UK Border Agency’s Points-based Immigration System.
Due to the restrictions we cannot guarantee that individuals that meet the requirements of the Points-based Immigration System will be issued with clearance to obtain work permits.
If you require sponsorship to work in the UK please let the hiring manager know this in your application so we can check eligibility for sponsorship for the role.
If you require any reasonable adjustments, due to disability, to enable you to participate fully in the process please contact the hiring manager on the contact details above.
Reasonable adjustments include things like an offline application form. If you would like to discuss your requirements further, please get in touch.
Required Documents
- CV/Resume
- Cover Letter
Application Process
Join a forward-thinking council that values innovation, development, and collaboration—APPLY NOW to build your career in data protection with East Sussex County Council.
Application Deadline
May 4, 2025