Dir, Priv & Data Protection Officer NAM

Job Overview 

This role serves as the senior privacy leader for DePuy Synthes in the region, with accountability for privacy governance and formal Data Protection Officer (DPO) duties. The Director, Privacy Officer & DPO provides strategic leadership to ensure compliance with global and local data protection laws while enabling responsible innovation across a complex medical technology organization. This role has significant enterprise impact, partnering closely with Legal, IT, Security, Health Care Compliance, HR, Commercial, Clinical, Medical Safety and HEMA, and R&D teams to embed privacy‑by‑design across business operations and digital products. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead the implementation and ongoing oversight of the DePuy Synthes privacy program in the region, ensuring alignment with applicable local and regional data protection laws and regulations. 

• Advise business partners on privacy and data protection requirements in all stages of R&D, product development, commercialization, clinical trials, HEMA activities and lifecycle management.  

• Serve as the designated Data Protection Officer (DPO), acting as an independent advisor on data protection obligations and risk management. 

• Lead efforts to embed privacy capabilities in named privacy stewards from relevant functions, including handling escalations, driving consistency and delivering ongoing training and education to the stewards. 

• Identify any required regional-specific variants from global privacy policies, standards, and procedures to support compliant collection, use, transfer, and retention of personal data in the region. 

• Provide strategic guidance to business leaders on privacy risks associated with new products, digital health solutions, clinical activities, and commercial initiatives. 

• Oversee regional privacy impact assessments, data transfer assessments, and mitigation plans for high-risk processing activities. 

• Partner with Information Security and Legal teams to support incident response, breach management, and regulatory communications in the region when required. 

• Lead privacy training and awareness programs to strengthen a culture of data protection and accountability across the organization. 

• Monitor regional regulatory developments and emerging privacy risks, translating requirements into practical business guidance. 

• Maintain external relationships with regional regulators and internal stakeholders to support audits, inquiries, inspections and data incident responses in conjunction with cross-functional partners. 

• Provide support for data contracting processes, including for escalations.   

Qualifications 

Education 

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Law, Information Systems, Business, or a related field. 

• Advanced degree (JD, LLM, MBA, or equivalent) preferred. 

Experience and Skills 

Required: 

• Minimum 10–12 years of progressive experience in privacy, data protection, cybersecurity or related legal roles, including leadership responsibility, including in a complex global corporation or private practice. 

• Demonstrated experience serving as, or supporting, a Data Protection Officer function within a regulated environment. 

• Experience in privacy data regulations in the healthcare industry. 

• Strong working knowledge of global privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, APAC privacy frameworks) and their business application. 

• Proven ability to influence senior leaders and operate effectively in a complex, global organization. 

• Experience partnering with technology, security, and digital teams on privacy‑by‑design initiatives. 

Preferred: 

• Specific data protection or privacy experience within medical devices, medtech, life sciences pharmaceutical industries or healthcare insurers or systems. 

• Experience supporting global or regional privacy programs across multiple jurisdictions. 

• Strong judgment, independence, and ability to manage sensitive matters with discretion and integrity. 

• Prior engagement with regulators and supervisory authorities. 

• Demonstrated people leadership or program leadership experience. 

Other: 

• Language: English (additional languages a plus). 

• Travel: Up to ~20%, domestic and occasional international. 

• Certifications (Preferred): CIPP/E, CIPP/US, CIPM, or equivalent privacy certifications. 

For more information on how we support the whole health of our employees throughout their wellness, career and life journey, please visit www.careers.jnj.com.