In an era where data breaches are common, and privacy concerns are at an all-time high, the role of the Privacy Officer has become increasingly significant. Although it is not a legal requirement for organisations operating in Australia to have a Privacy Officer, it is recommended by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
The Privacy Officer is the first point of contact for advice on privacy matters within an organisation and coordinates a range of functions to help an organisation comply with the Privacy Act.
The day-to-day role of a Privacy Officer will differ, depending on the size and sector in which an organisation operates.
However, some key responsibilities of a Privacy Officer may include:
Providing internal guidance on simple privacy-related matters
Undertaking internal privacy risk assessments of the organisation’s personal information storage and handling practices
Implementing internal privacy policies and procedures to improve an organisation’s compliance with the Privacy Act and the 13 Australia Privacy Principles
Updating the public privacy policy and privacy collection notices
Completing privacy related assurance tasks (by using products such as de.iterate’s Privacy Act compliance product)
Undertaking data mapping of personal information and other data that the organisation might hold
Implementing and managing a data retention register and overseeing where data is stored
Providing regular updates to management about privacy risks and incidents and any legislative updates (which many include providing the board with updated quarterly privacy reports)
Tracking the progress of the organisation’s privacy goals
Managing external legal advice on privacy related matters
Delivering privacy awareness training to the employees of an organisation
Reviewing insurance policies and key contracts to sure the organisation is aware of its contractual privacy obligations and/or the organisation has adequate protection for privacy related breaches
Undertaking internal reviews of privacy practices (or managing external audits) and implementing any recommendations to demonstrate the organisation’s commitment to continuous improvement
Responding to privacy related enquiries and complaints
Assembling the data breach response team and managing the investigation and reporting for a eligible data breach under the Privacy Act.
This help article does not purport to be legal advice and it is recommended that organisations seek independent legal advice to better understand their legal obligations under Privacy Act.