About the jobWho We AreWe help to create icons. We help to build marvels. Our products feature in some of the most iconic buildings in the world. RAK Ceramics is one of the largest ceramics brands globally, specializing in ceramic and gres porcelain wall and floor tiles, sanitaryware, faucets, and tableware. Headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, we serve clients in over 150 countries through operational hubs in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Asia, North & South America, and Australia. With over 12,000 employees from 40+ nationalities, we are a truly global and diverse organization. RAK Ceramics is publicly listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and the Dhaka Stock Exchange.The RoleThe Data Protection Officer (DPO) ensures RAK Ceramic’s compliance with global data privacy regulations, across various countries, e.g., European GDPR, UAE Data Protection Law, USA data protection rules, Saudi Arabia’s PDPL, India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, Bangladesh data protection rules etc. This role is a central management role for addressing data protection risks and building trust with regional stakeholders. Reporting to the Head of Information security, the DPO will advise teams, oversee global data privacy programs, handle regulatory communication, and lead compliance audits and staff training. With at least 5 years of experience in this field, the ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of international data laws and the ability to drive a culture of privacy across the organization.What You Will Be DoingAct as the organization’s subject matter expert on data protection and privacy laws across relevant jurisdictions.Prepare, draft and implement data processing agreements, policies and frameworksEnsure full compliance with international and local data protection regulations.Design and implement data protection policies, frameworks, and controls.Serve as a liaison with supervisory authorities and stakeholders.Advocate a company-wide culture of data privacy and accountabilityDevelop, review, and update the organization’s data protection policies and practices in line with evolving laws.Monitor and assess compliance with data protection legislation in each country where RAK Ceramics operates, e.c., the EU (GDPR), USA, UAE, KSA, Bangladesh, India etc.Conduct regular internal audits and data protection impact assessments (DPIAs).Collaborate with IT, Legal, HR, and other business units to embed privacy by design into processes and systems.Respond to and manage data subject access requests (DSARs), breaches, and complaints in coordination with legal and technical teams.Develop and lead training sessions on data protection awareness for staff across regions.Maintain and update Records Of data Processing Activities (ROPA) as required by applicable laws.Act as the primary contact point for data protection authorities and external stakeholders.What We Are Looking ForSome of the key competencies required for the role include:FunctionalData and Risk ManagementExperience of having dealt with regulatory authorities on “data privacy matters”Data classification and handling proceduresData retention and disposal schedulesPersonal data inventory and data flow mappingData Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs)Third-party/vendor data processing and contract compliancePreparation of Organizational Policies and PracticesData Governance and Risk ManagementData classification and handling proceduresData retention and disposal schedulesPersonal data inventory and data flow mappingData Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs)Third-party/vendor data processing and contract complianceOrganizational Policies and PracticesInformation Security & Privacy PolicyAcceptable Use and Access Control GuidelinesData Breach Response Plan and Notification ProtocolIncident Handling and Reporting ProceduresRecord of Processing Activities (ROPA) documentationEmployee Awareness and Operational ConductEmployee data handling and confidentiality guidelinesConsent collection and processing protocolsBring Your Own Device (BYOD) and remote work data usageGuidelines for customer service and marketing departments on lawful data usePrivacy by Design and Default principles integrationMonitoring, Audit, and ReportingInternal audit checklists for data protection complianceMetrics and KPIs for privacy program effectivenessReporting templates for regulatory authoritiesGuidelines for responding to Data Subject Access Requests (DSARs)BehaviouralStakeholder management and Leadership InfluenceProblem-Solving & Critical ThinkingProactive & Strategic Thinking Communication & CollaborationAttention to DetailDecision-Making Under PressureAdaptability & Continuous LearningEthical ResponsibilityOur Ideal MatchA Bachelor’s degree in related field and Master’s Degree is Ideal. 10 to 14 years of experience including minimum 5 to 8 years in Data Protection role.Data Protection Laws of various countries like UAE, KSA, EU (GDPR), USA, IN (DPDP) etc.ISMS (ISO 27001/NIST)RAK Ceramics is an Equal Opportunity Employer.We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, gender, nationality, disability, age, or marital status.
Job Title
Data Protection Officer