Head of Data Protection Operations

Who are we?
Everything we do starts with people. Our purpose is to provide freedom to move, in a personal, sustainable and safe way. We are committed to simplifying our customers’ lives by offering better technology solutions that improve their impact on the world and bringing the most advanced mobility innovations to protect them, their loved ones and the people around them.

We are redefining the customer experience in automotive through digital technology and by rapidly taking steps towards full electrification, autonomous drive and shared mobility capabilities. Our high ambitions increasingly require processing of data and thus require solid and proactive data protection guidance. As a human-centric company truly committed to the legal and ethical handling of personal data, we are now looking for three highly motivated leaders within this area to our headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Your key responsibilities will include:

Leading a team of legal counsels and data protection specialists in their tasks to provide advice and direction to relevant parts of Volvo Cars organisation.
Fostering strong business partner relationships with key stakeholders throughout the global organisation to ensure ongoing commitment and adherence to data protection obligations.
Driving the structure and plan for managing key strategic, operational and functional priorities and resolving identified data protection risks.
Acting as subject matter expert for data protection matters, providing pragmatic implementation guidance to the business and conducting privacy impact/risk assessments on key strategic and/or operational business initiatives.
Managing data processing agreements, intragroup agreements and strategic business partnerships.
Supporting with reports to internal stakeholders, e.g. to the Board of Directors, the Executive Management Team, applicable internal committees and the Chief Compliance & Ethics Officer.
Supporting the overarching strategy and management of Volvo Cars Data Protection Program as well as the enhancement of its Data Protection Centre of Excellence.


The Head of Data Protection Operations for R&D will primarily support Volvo Cars research and development teams in their strategic and operational data protection compliance activities while the Head of Data Protection Operations for Commercial will correspondingly support Volvo Cars sales and marketing teams. The Head of Operations for the Data Protection Office will lead a more internal-focused team responsible for central strategies, policies, risk management, trainings etc.

All three positions will report to our Global Head of Data Protection and may from time to time also be called upon to handle data protection matters outside of their respective primary area of responsibility.


The Right Stuff
The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic, analytical and collaborative, with high integrity and a pragmatic approach.

We also believe that you have:

Several years’ experience leading and operationalizing global data protection compliance in a multinational environment, including ability to develop and implement pragmatic data protection programs and strategies.
A university degree in business, law or technology and will ideally hold a professional qualification such as CIPP or ECPC-B DPO. Hands-on experience working within a commercial, digital or research and development environment is preferred, but not necessary.
Leadership experience and a genuine interest in leading and developing a team.

Worked extensively with the General Data Protection Regulation, are able to provide high-quality advice in the field and could translate data protection policies into actions that deliver business value and drive change.
Strong communication skills and being able to explain complex data protection issues in a simple way to business partners and other stakeholders.



How To Learn More And Apply
Warm welcome with your application by submitting your resume and cover letter via the link below no later than February 12th. Please note that we will not take applications via email.

If you have any questions regarding the position you are welcome to contact hiring manager Rickard Colliander at rickard.colliander@volvocars.com. And regarding the recruitment process, please contact Malin Westman at malin.westman@volvocars.com.