Data protection officer
Also called DPO, GDPR expert, privacy officer
Data protection officers ensure that the processing of personal data in an organisation is compliant with data protection standards and with the obligations set out in the applicable legislation such as GDPR. They elaborate and implement the organisation policy related to data protection, are responsible for data protection impact assessments and handle complaints and requests from third parties and regulatory agencies. Data protection officers lead investigations into potential data breaches, conduct internal audits and act as point of contact within the organisation on any matters related to the processing of personal data. Data protection officers may develop training programmes and provide training to other employees on data protection procedures.
What you'd do
Legal professionals not elsewhere classified · ILO- Giving advice on legal aspects of various personal, business and administrative problems
- Drawing up legal documents and contracts
- Arranging property transfers
- Determining, by inquest, the causes of any death not obviously due to natural causes
- Indoors
- A mix of sitting and standing
- Constant contact with people, including the public
- Good freedom to decide
- Often more than 40 hours a week
- Deadlines most weeks
- Some repetitive tasks
Will there be jobs?
Average prospectsA typical number of jobs will need filling by 2035.
Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.
What does it pay?
Above averagePay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,800 a month (Bulgaria) to €8,800 (Luxembourg), before tax.
Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.
Among professionals in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Professionals · Eurostat
What do I need to study?
Usually a degreeA degree in law is the usual route.
1,314 institutions in the EU offer business and law bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.
Will AI change it?
LittleAI could help with only small parts of the tasks.
Average task score 0.37 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).
See the score for each of the 4 tasks
Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for legal professionals not elsewhere classified. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).