Privacy Operations Director, Senior Counsel

As Privacy Operations Director, Senior Counsel at Thomson Reuters, you’ll lead global privacy operations and report directly to the Chief Privacy Officer, serving as their Chief of Staff. You’ll lead a team of privacy specialists and engineers, advise executives and the Board, and translate privacy law into technical controls that protect personal data across our products and operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Set the direction for global privacy operations. Advise the Chief Privacy Officer, lead strategic initiatives, oversee budgets and resource allocation, and brief executives and the Board on program performance and risk.
• Run the global privacy program. Own the operational roadmap, implement privacy policies and procedures, oversee responses to data subject access requests, and use performance metrics to improve how the program operates.
• Strengthen privacy risk management and data visibility. Monitor regulatory changes, lead privacy and data transfer impact assessments, oversee audits and vendor reviews, and improve data inventories, automated data mapping, and records of processing activities.
• Build privacy into products. Partner with Product, Engineering, Information Security, and Legal to translate obligations for sensitive data into privacy-by-design controls. Support privacy training and help business teams meet contractual obligations when working with vendors and subprocessors.
• Coordinate the privacy response to cyber incidents. Work with Information Security, IT, Legal, and business teams to triage and escalate incidents, assess breach notification obligations, coordinate timely notifications when required, and improve response playbooks.
• Lead and develop the privacy operations team. Set clear priorities and performance expectations, coach privacy specialists and engineers, and help teams across the business adopt consistent privacy practices.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in law, information systems, computer science, cybersecurity, or a related legal or technical field, plus a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or a master’s degree in legal studies.
• At least 8 years of combined experience in privacy law, technical privacy operations, and program management, including experience managing privacy operations in a large, complex organization.
• At least 4 years of experience leading technical or legal teams, driving program strategy, and advising executives in a Chief of Staff or comparable capacity.
• A relevant privacy or cybersecurity certification, such as Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM), Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT), or Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
• Strong knowledge of global privacy laws, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
• Hands-on experience conducting technical privacy risk assessments, with expertise in privacy management platforms such as OneTrust, automated data mapping, and privacy-enhancing technologies.
• Experience advising product and technology teams on sensitive data and translating legal obligations into system-level controls for privacy by design, data classification, retention, and data lifecycle management.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, resolve complex privacy problems across teams, and explain legal and technical issues clearly to executives and nontechnical audiences.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Work Model: We’ve adopted a flexible hybrid working environment for our office-based roles while delivering a seamless experience that is digitally and physically connected.
• Flexibility & Work-Life Balance: Flex My Way is a set of supportive workplace policies designed to help manage personal and professional responsibilities, whether caring for family, giving back to the community, or finding time to refresh and reset.
• Career Development and Growth: By fostering a culture of continuous learning and skill development, we prepare our talent to tackle tomorrow’s challenges and deliver real-world solutions.
• Industry Competitive Benefits: We offer comprehensive benefit plans to include flexible vacation, two company-wide Mental Health Days off, access to the Headspace app, retirement savings, tuition reimbursement, employee incentive programs, and resources for mental, physical, and financial wellbeing.