Interim Head of Privacy Europe (Fully Remote)
A leading international life sciences organisation is seeking an experienced Interim Head of Privacy to lead its European privacy programme during a period of continued growth and transformation.
This is a high-impact leadership role sitting at the intersection of legal, compliance, clinical operations, technology and commercial functions. The successful candidate will take ownership of privacy strategy, governance and compliance across multiple jurisdictions, acting as a trusted adviser to senior stakeholders whilst driving a privacy-by-design culture throughout the business.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and enhance the organisation's global privacy framework and governance programme
- Advise senior legal, compliance and business stakeholders on privacy and data protection matters
- Ensure compliance with GDPR, UK GDPR and broader international privacy regulations
- Oversee DPIAs, cross-border data transfers, incident response and regulatory engagement
- Partner with clinical, research and commercial teams on the compliant use of sensitive health and patient data
- Manage third-party privacy risk, contractual privacy provisions and data protection agreements
- Drive privacy training, awareness and regulatory readiness initiatives across Europe
Ideal Background
- 12+ years' experience in privacy, data protection, compliance or legal roles
- Deep knowledge of GDPR, UK GDPR and international privacy frameworks
- Experience leading privacy programmes within highly regulated sectors such as life sciences, biotechnology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals or technology
- Strong understanding of clinical trial data, health data and cross-border data transfer requirements
- Privacy certifications such as CIPP/E, CIPM or equivalent highly desirable
- Able to operate at executive level and influence stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions
Please contact: gbalasubrama@mlaglobal.com for further details.