Data Protection Officer

Are you an experienced Data Protection professional? Do you want to use your expertise to make a positive, meaningful difference?

St Margaret's Hospice Care has a fantastic opportunity for a Data Protection Officer to join our Governance team.

Salary:£22,500 to £24,909 per annum (equivalent to a full time salary of £37,000 - £40,963)
Location:Taunton
Contract: Permanent, Part time
Working pattern: 22.5 hours a week, Monday and Tuesday, with a choice of Wednesday to Friday
Hybrid working: Option to work from home 1 day a week.

This role has become available due to upcoming retirement in March, allowing for a transition period when you first join.

Why Join St Margaret's Hospice?

• We take great pride in our strong culture of data protection compliance, which is deeply ingrained in everything we do at the Hospice.
• Have a meaningful impact by influencing and shaping the services we offer.
• Make a difference by joining a respected local charity with an outstanding reputation.

What can you expect to be doing?

By building relationships and tailoring your approach, you will empower teams to integrate data protection into their everyday practices.

As our statutory Data Protection Officer, you will be the subject matter expert on all things relating to personal data and information governance.

As such, you will work with a wide range of diverse teams - from retail to fundraising to Clinical - each with their own unique needs.

Role-modelling best practice, you will engage proactively with colleagues to promote a culture of accountability, transparency and compliance with data protection regulation.

Your day-to-day work will include:

• Leading and co-ordinating compliance with GDPR and Data Protection legislation;
• Processing subject requests and requests under the Access to Health Records Act;
• Designing and implementing effective control and assurance systems to ensure compliance with legislation;
• Working with the audit officer to undertake compliance audits, assessing risks and assigning responsibilities to address areas of non or partial compliance
• Investigating data breaches and near-misses, reporting findings to the ICO and implementing necessary actions and improvements;
• Developing and reviewing data protection policies, procedures, protocols and guidance;
• Conducting and evaluating Data Protection Impact Assessments, providing expert insights and guidance on high-risk processing;
• Chairing the Data Protection Group and providing briefings to the Executive Team and Board;
• Developing and delivering engaging training sessions to employees at all levels, fostering a culture of security awareness and data privacy;
• Horizon-scan for emerging risks, regulatory changes and new technologies that might impact data protection.

What will you be good at?

• Minimum of three years' experience working in data protection compliance or a related field
• Expert knowledge of data protection and relevant legislation
• Ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly and persuasively
• Able to influence and negotiate effectively with tact and sensitivity.
• Able to balance legal duties with organisational needs in a practical and proportionate approach
• Handles confidential information with discretion and sound ethical judgement

What can we offer you? Holiday entitlement

• 33 days holiday including bank holidays rising to 35 days after 1 year, and increasing with length of service (pro-rata if part-time)
• Recognise continuous service for clinical staff paid at band 5+ who join directly from the NHS or another hospice
• Ability to buy and sell annual leave

Pension scheme

• NHS employees eligible to continue with their NHS pension scheme
• Non-NHS employees will receive 5.5% employer and 5% employee contribution.

Award-winning Employee Assistance Programme for you and your family offering:

• Vitality & wellbeing health portal for non-emergency care
• Unlimited access to 24/7 online GP Consultations for employees, their partners, and dependent children as well as Expert Case Management
• Confidential and free 24-hour Employee Assistance
• Counselling and support
• Legal, financial, and medical information and advice

And more

• Life assurance cover - 2x salary
• Health Cash Plans - help with covering the cost of healthcare needs by providing cashback on a range of health benefits
• Blue Light Discount Card
• Enhanced maternityleave
• Excellent learning and development opportunities
• Free on-site parking in Yeovil and Taunton
• Volunteering and fundraising opportunities

Eligibility criteria applies

If you want to get to know our team or have a chat before applying, we'd love to hear from you. Just reach out to Karen Johnson, Head of Governance, at

We are currently managing the recruitment process in-house and kindly ask that recruitment agencies refrain from contacting us with candidates for this role.

For any questions about our recruitment process, please contact .

We welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to enrich our team. You can always contact us for a chat if there's anything you want to talk about before you apply.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship at this time.

If you have all the information you need, just click apply. We can't wait to hear from you!

Closing date: Tuesday 25th November 2025

Interview date: Wednesday 3rd December December