Data Protection Officer

Organisation: parkrun Global Limited
Salary: £55,000 to £75,000 (Full time and part time hours considered)
Location: London or Leeds based
Contract type: Permanent (Full time)
Closing date: 5 May 2026
Job Description: About parkrun:

parkrun is a health and wellbeing charity and our vision is to create a healthier and happier planet.

Since our conception in 2004, parkrun has evolved into a global social movement with a vibrant and inclusive community at its core. As of 2025, we have recorded over 120-million instances of walking, jogging, running, and volunteering.

Our mission is to transform lives by empowering people to be active, together, outdoors in their local community; and to protect parkrun for the generations to come. Each and every weekend, we deliver free, weekly timed events that people of all ages and backgrounds can join in. By tackling barriers to participation, we encourage communities to come together and embrace regular physical activity.

Now in its 21st year, parkrun spans over 2,600 locations in 21 countries with more than 10 million people registered, and counting.

And we have really only just begun.

Role description:

parkrun is looking for a Data Protection Officer to ensure that parkrun processes personal data in a lawful, transparent and secure manner and maintains compliance with applicable data protection laws across the global parkrun movement.

Reporting to the Global Head of Legal and Governance, this role will be responsible for establishing, monitoring and maintaining effective and compliant data protection processes and promoting good practices across the parkrun global movement. The role will sit within a small Legal and Governance team and provide day-to-day assistance and practical, solution-focused advice across the organisation.

The Data Protection Officer will act independently in carrying out their statutory responsibilities under applicable data protection laws, including the UK GDPR, and will play a key role in embedding a strong culture of data protection and responsible data use across parkrun’s global operations.

A key focus of the role will be working collaboratively with teams across the organisation to build understanding of data protection requirements, deliver effective training and guidance, and support colleagues to take a practical and pragmatic approach to managing data protection risks in their work.

This is an exciting role that would suit an experienced data protection professional with excellent communication skills who enjoys a varied portfolio of work and is passionate about working for a health and wellbeing charity that is making a meaningful impact in communities across the globe.

Main responsibilities:

The Data Protection Officer will support data protection and privacy compliance across the parkrun global movement, including responsibility for the following:
Acting as parkrun’s Data Protection Officer under applicable data protection legislation, advising the organisation on its legal obligations and monitoring compliance with relevant data protection laws and principles
Developing, reviewing and maintaining data protection policies, procedures and guidelines for the parkrun global movement
Monitoring the organisation’s compliance with data protection laws, including the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, and providing quarterly reports to the Board Governance and Risk Sub-Committee
Supporting teams in carrying out Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) and embedding privacy into projects, partnerships and new initiatives
Developing and maintaining key compliance documentation including a Record of Processing Activities (ROPA)
Leading the Data Governance Group and developing/progressing the organisation’s Data Protection Action Plan
Advising on international data transfers and cross-border data protection considerations across the parkrun global movement
Supporting the organisation’s data incident and personal data breach response processes, including assessing notification requirements where relevant
Acting as a key contact point for supervisory authorities, including the UK Information Commissioner’s Officer (ICO), and supporting responses to regulatory enquiries where required
Developing and delivering data protection training and guidance to teams across the global organisation
Supporting the Global Head of Legal and Governance in driving the development and continuous improvement of the Legal and Governance function at parkrun

Essential experience requirements:

Significant professional experience in data protection, privacy compliance or information governance roles (typically at least 5 years’ experience)
Strong working knowledge of UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and core data protection principles
Experience developing, implementing and maintaining practical data protection policies, procedures and governance frameworks
Experience working collaboratively with teams across an organisation to embed good data protection practices and support compliant decision-making
Demonstrated ability to communicate complex data protection principles clearly and effectively to a wide range of audiences, including senior stakeholders and non-specialists
Experience designing and delivering data protection training and guidance, and supporting teams to understand and apply data protection requirements in their day-to-day work
Experience advising on Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), data incidents and privacy risk management
Experience maintaining key compliance documentation such as Records of Processing Activities (ROPA) and supporting organisational data protection compliance
Ability to work independently, manage completing priorities and provide pragmatic, solution-focused advice in a dynamic organisation
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships and confidence with colleagues and senior stakeholders

Desirable experience requirements:

Experience working in the charity, not-for-profit or sport sectors
Experience working in a global organisation or advising on cross-border data protection matters, including international data transfers
Experience developing training and guidance to embed good data protection practices across an organisation
Experience working with regulators, supervisory authorities or external advisors on data protection matters
Experience developing practical tools, templates and guidance to help teams apply data protection requirements in their work

Professional certification requirements:

A recognised legal and/or data protection qualification, such as CIPP/E, CIPM or equivalent, is desirable but not essential

Our values:

Family
We act with humility and always put the family first.
We’re humble. We know a lot but not everything. We take responsibility, acknowledge personal errors, and are open to learning, developing and improving. There’s no room for ego and no one is bigger than the family. We lead by example, and we share in our successes.

Bravery
We are brave, bold, and creative.
We’re ambitious and dynamic. We dream big, make bold decisions, challenge the status quo and get things done. We’re not afraid to question, innovate and be different.

Fairness
We act with kindness, compassion, and fairness.
We’re kind, caring, compassionate and empathetic. We assume others mean well. We’re aware of our actions and how what we do impacts others. We apply our founding principles of equality and inclusivity to every situation and opportunity.

Authenticity
We are honest, authentic, and accountable.
Trustworthiness, honesty and integrity are foundational to our family. We’re honest about what we know and what we don’t know. We hold each other to account. We communicate with transparency and empathy, acknowledging that communication influences behaviours, emotions and feelings, and underpins effective collaboration.

Recognition
We recognise and respect each other.
We see and hear each other. We respect ourselves and others, support and help one another, listen attentively, and celebrate the uniqueness, strengths and diversity of our family

General information:

The post holder will be required to comply with all policies and procedures issued by parkrun Ltd.

This job description is not exhaustive and serves only to highlight the main requirements of the post holder. The organisation may stipulate other reasonable requirements. The job description will be reviewed and may be subject to change.

parkrun is an inclusive employer and we are committed to diversifying our staff and therefore we welcome applications from all backgrounds.

At parkrun, we strive to make every voice heard and valued, and we are dedicated to breaking down barriers to inclusion in all aspects of our workplace. For more on our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, please see our Global DEI Statement.
How to apply: To apply for this role please visit: https://forms.gle/sJaGXBww2pznkuCA7