How to Become a Data Privacy Officer

Recently, we explained what you can do with a Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity, why you should consider getting your degree in this field, and why cybersecurity is so important to modern business operations.

Today, we’ll discuss how to get one of the most interesting jobs in the industry, the role of a data privacy officer.

Data privacy officers play an extremely important role in the era of data protections and data compliance laws, as they’re responsible for ensuring that an organization is in compliance with legal requirements and industry standards used to protect personal information.

In this post, we’ll explain why you should think about becoming a data privacy officer, what you would be responsible for doing in this challenging role, why you should get your degree in the field before starting your job search, and what you can do to significantly increase your chances of success for launching a successful career.

After you’ve learned everything there is to know about becoming a data privacy officer, fill out our information request form to receive additional details about our completely online Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity, which is a perfect program for anyone looking to break into the field.  

If you’re ready to get started, submit your application today.

What Is Cybersecurity and Why Is It Important?

Cybersecurity is a wide-reaching discipline that is focused on protecting servers, mobile devices, applications, software, data, and other digital assets from cyber threats like hackers, data scrapers, and other malicious attacks.

Some specific examples of cybersecurity applications include:

• In communication – Companies rely on communication methods such as phone calls, emails, text messages, and emails to transfer important information. Cybersecurity applications are used to ensure this information cannot be accessed by unauthorized individuals.
• In education – Academic institutions store large amounts of important and confidential data, including names and birthdates, medical information, social security numbers, etc., and they rely on cybersecurity principles to keep this data safe and secure.
• In finance – Every day, financial institutions transfer large sums of money between banks, organizations, and customers’ bank accounts. These companies are prime targets for cyberattacks, which is why they rely on cybersecurity principles to keep their money and data safe.
• In healthcare – Medical facilities utilize complex systems, medical machines, and software to improve patients’ lives, and they rely on cybersecurity best practices to protect these systems from malicious attacks. Healthcare organizations also store incredibly important and sensitive information, including all sorts of personal information about patients that needs to be protected from prying eyes.

As you can imagine, cybersecurity methods and principles are being implemented in many different industries to secure various digital assets, infrastructure, and information, and that’s where the role of a data privacy officer comes in.

Data privacy officers, or DPOs, are the individuals responsible for creating, maintaining, and enhancing cybersecurity policies and procedures to ensure that personal information remains safely stored and secured from cyber-attacks and data breaches.

In fact, many of the computer systems that you interact with on a daily basis are secured with the help of a data privacy officer, who works behind the scenes to ensure that your personal information is protected.

If you’re interested in securing a good job in cybersecurity and you want to help protect personal data, then the role of data privacy officer may be a perfect fit for you!

Is Becoming a Data Privacy Officer a Good Career Option?

Yes, becoming a data privacy officer is a great career option for anyone who is interested in helping organizations secure their systems, meet industry regulations, and protect personal data.

There are three compelling reasons to think about becoming a data privacy officer, including:

1. Data privacy officers get to play a critical role in helping organizations to implement critical cybersecurity measures that protect their systems and data, making this a very important role for modern businesses.
2. This is an excellent career option for anyone looking to earn a great salary, as Ziprecruiter.com reports that the average annual salary of a data privacy officer was $85,958 (as of Feb. 2023).
3. CyberSN reported that the cybersecurity industry currently has an unemployment rate of 0% and that at the end of 2021 there would be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs. This is an indication that cybersecurity professionals are in high demand.

If you’re interested in a career where you would get to help organizations protect digital assets and data, while also ensuring they meet regulatory requirements, then becoming a data privacy officer may be the perfect job for you.

What Do Data Privacy Officers Actually Do?

Becoming a data privacy officer means you will be responsible for helping companies and their employees understand the laws and regulations related to protecting confidential information, and helping them to implement appropriate cybersecurity principles to ensure compliance.

Typical tasks for a data privacy officer include:

• Offering guidance and support on new compliance reporting or data tracking requirements to ensure industry regulations are maintained and data remains secure.
• Informing customers and other external partners how their data is being used and what is being done to ensure their data is safe and secure.
• Researching new compliance laws and regulations to stay up to date with current trends and implementing changes to current systems to maintain compliance.
• Analyzing attempted breaches or cyberattacks to assess the damage and to determine what can be done to improve protection in the future. 
• Designing internal processes and working with management to implement effective and ethical cybersecurity principles across the organization.

The role of a data privacy officer requires you to have in-depth knowledge of all current laws and regulations which can be different for each industry. That means this is not necessarily the type of job that you can get without first training in industry best practices.

If you want to enter the cybersecurity industry, you’ll probably have to dedicate some serious time to learning the important skills and abilities needed to be successful before any employer considers hiring you.

The best way to develop the skills companies are looking for is to earn your degree in cybersecurity.

What Skills & Abilities Are Needed To Become a Successful Data Privacy Officer?

To successfully get a job in this very competitive and challenging industry, there are several critical skills you will need to develop.

Some of the most important skills you should focus on developing to become a successful data privacy officer include:

1. Research Skills – A large part of a data privacy officer’s job is understanding and applying relevant laws and regulations to current systems. In order to stay up to date those in the position will have to perform extensive research to ensure compliance is being met.
2. Technical Coding Skills – Knowing the laws and regulations of cybersecurity is not enough. Data privacy officers must be able to understand the technical aspects and the behind-the-scenes coding functions used to protect customers’ data.
3. Communication Skills – Both internal management and external partners will rely on you to convey complex laws, regulations, and current cybersecurity systems to them in simple and clear terms. Learning how to communicate in a variety of business settings will be extremely important to succeeding in this role.
4. Advanced Analytical Skills – Data privacy officers will have to accurately and efficiently analyze current systems, networks, and applications to determine if they are compliant with laws and regulations. 
5. Leadership Skills – Data privacy officers are looked to as leaders, helping teams and departments improve their cybersecurity systems. Understanding how to motivate, lead, and encourage teams will be an important part of this role.

The best way to develop the foundational knowledge, skills, and abilities you’ll need as a data privacy officer is to earn a degree in the field, like CSU Global’s Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity.

Our 100% online program was built to give you everything you need to have a successful career in this highly competitive industry.

By completing our program you can develop the confidence and ability needed to deliver significant value to any organization as a data privacy officer.

Do I Really Need a Degree in Cybersecurity To Get a Job in the Industry?

Not necessarily, although earning your degree in cybersecurity could significantly increase your chances of landing one of the better jobs in this extremely competitive industry.

Cybersecurityguide.org suggests that anyone looking to break into the industry should consider getting a degree in cybersecurity, or in another related field like information technology, computer science, or information security.

CSU Global offers multiple relevant degree programs, including our Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity, our Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology, and our Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. All of these are excellent options for anyone looking to build the foundational skills needed to succeed in the cybersecurity industry.

Completing any of these programs will substantially improve your resume and effectively prove to potential employers that you possess the skills, abilities, and experience needed to succeed in this challenging role.

How Will CSU Global’s B.S in Cybersecurity Help Prepare Me for a Career as a Data Privacy Officer?

Our online Bachelor’s Program in Cybersecurity will focus on preparing you to handle the most important and essential job responsibilities of a data privacy officer, including tasks like:

• Performing constant threat assessments to determine the effectiveness of current systems and suggest improvements when possible.
• Assisting departments and organizations in navigating the complex framework of cyber laws to ensure systems are compliant with regulations.
• Monitoring performance and providing advice on how to better protect data while staying within laws and regulations.
• Advising and drafting internal data protection documentation ensuring all departments within an organization are following cybersecurity policies.

As a student in our program, you’ll be provided the chance to build the essential skills, abilities, and knowledge needed to launch a successful career as a data privacy officer, as we’ll train you to:

• Learn how common cybersecurity models align with current cyber laws and regulations.
• Analyze current systems and cybersecurity applications to understand how these programs work and where vulnerabilities exist.
• Perform in-depth readiness assessments of various cybersecurity applications to ensure systems are working effectively.
• Communicate with a variety of different stakeholders to explain how improvements can be made to current systems.
• Lead and work with diverse teams to implement new security measures and apply industry laws and regulations.

You’ll graduate from our program equipped with the foundational knowledge and important skills required to succeed in this challenging and competitive industry. 

What Else Can I Do to Increase My Chances of Success?

Completing your degree in cybersecurity is certainly the best way to prepare for a long and successful career, however, it is not the only thing you can do to increase your chances of success.

According to Springboard.com, completing a cybersecurity certification program could help you build the essential skills and gain the relevant experience you need to stand out in a crowded feel of applicants.

Springboard goes on to explain that the important work you’ll do in a certification program will demonstrate to potential employers that you have mastered key cybersecurity principles, helping make your job application more noticeable.

They suggest considering the following cybersecurity certification programs:

• (ISC2)’s Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
• Springboard’s own Cyber Security Career Track Bootcamp.
• Information Systems Audit and Control Association’s (ISACA) Certified Information Systems Auditor Certificate (CISA).
• GIAC’s Security Essentials Certification (GSEC).
• GIAC’s Certified Incident Handler Certification (CIHC).
• Offensive Security’s Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) Designation.
• (ISC2)’s Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Certificate.

While you don’t necessarily need to complete a certification program to get a job as a data privacy officer, the cybersecurity industry is extremely competitive, so you should do everything you can to make your resume stand out from the rest.

Improving your education will help you stand out from other job applicants, while also helping you contribute real value from your first day on the job.

Should I Get My Degree in Cybersecurity Online?

Yes, regardless of which degree or certification program you decide to pursue, we suggest completing your studies online rather than in person.

Why? Because studying in person is a less efficient way of earning your academic qualifications when compared to studying online.

Should you decide to study with us at CSU Global, you’ll get to enjoy several benefits provided by our unique, 100% online programs, including:

• No requirements to show up at set times or in physical locations.
• Monthly class starts.
• Accelerated courses.

These advantages are extremely helpful for anyone who has a busy schedule or who thinks it may be difficult to find the time to attend in-person classes. 

If you’re worried about balancing a busy schedule and finding the time to further your education, then you should definitely consider studying with us at CSU Global.

Why Should I Choose CSU Global’s Cybersecurity Program?

Our fully online Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity was designed with you in mind and built to give you everything you need to launch a successful and happy career as a data privacy officer.

This program is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, which means that your degree will be highly respected by hiring managers looking to hire competent and highly skilled individuals. 

Our program is also widely recognized as one of the best programs in the country, as it currently holds several excellent rankings, including:

• A #3 ranking on Top 10 Onlne Cyber Security Undergraduate Certificate Programs for 2021 from Security Degree Hub.
• A #10 ranking on Best Online Cyber Security Degree Programs of 2022 from Intelligent.

CSU Global itself is also widely recognized as a leader in higher education, and we currently hold several excellent rankings, including:

• A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges & Schools in Colorado from Best Accredited Colleges.
• A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges in Colorado from Best Colleges.
• A #10 ranking for Best Online Colleges for ROI from OnlineU.

Finally, we offer affordable tuition rates, and a Tuition Guarantee that promises your low tuition rate won’t increase as long as you remain enrolled with us as a student.

To get additional details about our fully accredited, 100% online Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity, please give us a call at (800) 462-7845, or fill out our Information Request Form.

Ready to get started today? Apply now!