Data Protection Officer

Role: Data Protection Officer

Location: Can be based at any campus

Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £41,086 and £47,971 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays, People’s pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours/Weeks: 37 hours per week – 52 weeks per year

Contract Type: Permanent – Full Time

This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have theRight to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.

About the role:

We are currently seeking a Data Protection Officer to join us at The Bedford College Group.

As a Data Protection Officer, you play an important role in the success of our students through:

• Data Protection Leadership & Governance - Act as the Group’s designated Data Protection Officer, providing expert advice and assurance on UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018, Freedom of Information, privacy, and information governance requirements while promoting a culture of compliance and accountability.
• Compliance, Risk & Regulatory Management - Monitor organisational compliance, maintain the Record of Processing Activities (ROPA), oversee Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), manage data protection risks, and ensure Privacy by Design principles are embedded across projects and systems.
• Data Rights, FOI & Incident Management - Lead the management of Subject Access Requests, Freedom of Information requests, data rights enquiries, and personal data breaches, ensuring statutory deadlines are met and appropriate reporting to regulatory bodies is completed.
• Training, Advice & Stakeholder Support - Develop and deliver data protection and information governance training, provide practical guidance to managers and staff, and advise on data sharing agreements, supplier compliance, and third-party data processing arrangements.
• Leadership & Continuous Improvement - Manage and develop the Data Protection team, allocate resources effectively, monitor performance, drive continuous improvement, and maintain high standards of safeguarding, equality, health & safety, and professional development.

About you:

• Qualifications & Professional Knowledge - HND (or equivalent), GCSE English and Maths (or equivalent), and formal data protection training, with extensive knowledge of GDPR, data protection legislation, compliance frameworks, and information governance best practice.
• Data Protection, Compliance & Risk Management Experience - Proven experience conducting compliance audits, implementing data protection policies and procedures, investigating data breaches, managing regulatory requirements, and ensuring organisational compliance with data protection legislation.
• Training, Communication & Leadership Skills - Strong track record of designing and delivering training programmes, producing high-quality reports and presentations, and demonstrating excellent people management, communication, and influencing skills at all levels.
• Analytical, Organisational & Technical Competence - Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail, project management, analytical, decision-making, and prioritisation skills, supported by advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office and handling sensitive information confidentially.
• Professionalism, Flexibility & Values Alignment - Able to work independently or collaboratively under pressure, build effective professional relationships, uphold safeguarding, equality, diversity, and health & safety standards, while demonstrating flexibility, commitment to continuous professional development, and willingness to travel across all locations.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews to be held: 20 August 2026

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisationalVISION values:

• Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About The Bedford College Group
The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.

Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students
The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.

Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.