The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Senior Privacy Counsel / Advisor
3-5 years in a Senior roleSkills to master
- Leading complex DPIAs, providing direct counsel to business units, drafting privacy policies, and managing significant privacy projects end-to-end.
You're ready to move on when
- You've successfully led several high-impact privacy projects with minimal supervision.
- You're regularly sought out by business units for your privacy advice.
- You've demonstrated the ability to influence stakeholders without direct authority.
- You've informally mentored junior team members and enjoy helping them grow.
- 2
Information Security / GRC Lead with Privacy Focus
4-6 years in a Lead Security/GRC roleSkills to master
- Deep understanding of security controls, risk management frameworks, and how they apply to data protection. Experience with GRC platforms and incident response.
You're ready to move on when
- You've been responsible for privacy-related security controls and risk assessments.
- You have a strong grasp of data classification and handling policies.
- You're comfortable translating security requirements into privacy implications.
- You've managed security incidents that had privacy components.
- 3
Data Governance Lead
3-5 years in a Data Governance roleSkills to master
- Expertise in data classification, data lineage, data quality, and metadata management. Experience with data discovery tools and establishing data policies.
You're ready to move on when
- You've successfully implemented data governance frameworks across an organisation.
- You understand the lifecycle of data and how it impacts privacy.
- You're skilled at working with business and technical teams on data-related initiatives.
- You've used tools like BigID or Collibra extensively.