1

Data Protection Officer Jobs in Silver Spring, MD

next page

Showing results 1-20

Data Protection Officer information

See Silver Spring, MD salary details

$12

$19

$27

How much do data protection officer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 6, 2026, the average hourly pay for data protection officer in Silver Spring, MD is $19.98, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.88 and $21.88 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the role of a data protection officer?

A Data Protection Officer (DPO) is responsible for ensuring an organization complies with data protection laws and regulations, such as GDPR. They monitor data handling practices, advise on privacy risks, and serve as a point of contact with regulatory authorities, often requiring knowledge of data security and privacy management tools.

What are some common challenges faced by Data Protection Officers in their day-to-day work?

Data Protection Officers often encounter challenges such as keeping up with evolving regulations, balancing organizational data needs with privacy requirements, and responding to data breaches or audits under tight timelines. They work closely with IT, legal, and business teams to design compliant workflows and educate employees on data protection best practices. As the volume and complexity of data increase, DPOs must be proactive in identifying potential risks and implementing effective mitigation strategies. These challenges make the role dynamic and require a continuous commitment to professional development and stakeholder engagement.

Is DPO a stressful job?

The Data Protection Officer (DPO) role can be stressful due to the responsibility of ensuring compliance with data privacy laws and managing sensitive information. The job often involves handling complex regulations, conducting audits, and addressing data breaches, which can contribute to work pressure. However, stress levels vary depending on the organization, workload, and experience of the individual.

Are data protection officers in demand?

Data Protection Officers are in high demand due to increasing data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA. Organizations across various industries seek qualified professionals with knowledge of data security, compliance, and privacy laws, leading to strong job growth in this field.

What is a Data Protection Officer job?

A Data Protection Officer (DPO) is responsible for overseeing an organization's data protection strategy and ensuring compliance with relevant data privacy laws, such as the GDPR. They act as an independent advisor, monitoring data processing activities, conducting training, and liaising with regulatory authorities. The DPO helps mitigate data risks, responds to data protection inquiries, and ensures that personal data is handled securely. Their role is essential for safeguarding sensitive information and maintaining public trust.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Data Protection Officer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Data Protection Officer, you need deep knowledge of data protection laws (such as GDPR), risk assessment, and compliance management, typically supported by a degree in law, IT, or a related field. Familiarity with data governance software, regulatory compliance tools, and certifications like CIPP/E or CIPM are highly valued. Strong communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills help you effectively advise teams and handle sensitive information. These competencies are vital to ensuring an organization meets legal obligations and maintains trust in its data handling practices.

What qualifications do you need to be a data protection officer?

A Data Protection Officer typically needs a strong understanding of data privacy laws such as GDPR, relevant professional certifications like CIPP or CIPM, and experience in data management, compliance, or cybersecurity. Good communication skills and the ability to conduct audits and risk assessments are also important.
What job categories do people searching Data Protection Officer jobs in Silver Spring, MD look for? The top searched job categories for Data Protection Officer jobs in Silver Spring, MD are:
Infographic showing various Data Protection Officer job openings in Silver Spring, MD as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 42% Full Time, and 58% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $41,552 per year, or $20 per hour.

Associate General Counsel - Government Contracts & Data Protection Officer (Fairfax)

Serco

Washington, DC • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

This job post has expired today. Applications are no longer accepted.


Job description

Position Description & Qualifications

The Associate General Counsel – Government Contracts & Data Protection Officer (DPO) serves as a senior legal advisor responsible for providing strategic legal counsel across U.S., Canadian, and international government contracts, privacy, cybersecurity, and information governance.

This role leads the organization’s legal, regulatory, and operational data protection strategy within a highly regulated government contracting environment, while also advising on the full lifecycle of government contracts. The position functions as the primary subject matter expert on the lawful collection, use, sharing, retention, transfer, and protection of personal data, controlled unclassified information (CUI), export‑controlled data, and other sensitive government or customer information.

The role partners closely with executive leadership, contracts, compliance, IT, cybersecurity, HR, procurement, and program teams to ensure compliance with applicable legal, regulatory, and contractual requirements. This individual may also serve as the formally designated Data Protection Officer and must operate with appropriate independence in monitoring compliance, assessing risk, and elevating concerns to leadership.

In this role, you will: Government Contracts Legal Advisory
  • Provide legal counsel across the full government contracting lifecycle, including capture, proposal, award, performance, and closeout.
  • Interpret and apply FAR, DFARS, and Canadian public procurement frameworks (including federal and provincial rules, Crown procurement policies, and agency‑specific requirements), agency supplements, and procurement regulations.
  • Advise on contract structure, risk allocation, pricing considerations, and compliance obligations across U.S., Canadian, and international procurements.
  • Counsel on prime/subcontractor relationships, teaming agreements, joint ventures, and regulatory compliance requirements.
  • Support proposal development through RFP review, risk analysis, and compliance strategy.
Contract Drafting & Negotiation
  • Lead drafting, review, and negotiation of government contracts, subcontracts, NDAs, and related agreements.
  • Negotiate and advise on key provisions including limitation of liability, indemnification, IP/data rights, termination, and disputes.
  • Support negotiation of contract modifications, claims, and equitable adjustments.
  • Ensure appropriate flow‑down of regulatory, cybersecurity, and data protection requirements.
Privacy, Data Protection & Legal Advisory
  • Provide strategic legal advice on privacy, data protection, cybersecurity, and information governance across operations.
  • Interpret and apply global privacy laws (GDPR, UK GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, PIPEDA and Canadian provincial privacy laws, and others).
  • Advise on data handling implications of federal contracting requirements (DFARS, CMMC, NIST, Privacy Act).
  • Counsel stakeholders on handling PII, PHI, CUI, export‑controlled data, and sensitive government information.
  • Advise on cross‑border data transfers, localization, vendor arrangements, and cloud/data hosting models.
  • Support negotiation of DPAs, security provisions, breach notification clauses, and subcontractor data requirements.
  • Evaluate privacy and data risks in emerging technologies, including AI‑enabled tools, analytics, and digital platforms.
Data Protection Officer & Compliance Oversight
  • Lead enterprise privacy and data protection program and governance framework.
  • Ensure alignment of policies, controls, and procedures with legal and contractual obligations.
  • Maintain data governance structures for classification, access, retention, deletion, and lifecycle management.
  • Oversee data inventories, records of processing, and enterprise data mapping.
  • Conduct privacy risk assessments, DPIAs, transfer impact assessments, and compliance reviews.
  • Serve as an independent escalation point for data protection risks and compliance concerns.
  • Embed privacy‑by‑design principles into systems, processes, and business operations.
Government Contracting Compliance (Cyber & Data)
  • Advise on compliance with requirements for CUI, FCI, PII, export‑controlled data, and secure system environments.
  • Support compliance with DFARS, CMMC, NIST, FedRAMP, Canadian data protection, information handling, and government security requirements, ITAR, and EAR obligations.
  • Partner with contracts and procurement teams to integrate cybersecurity and privacy requirements into agreements.
  • Advise on program operations involving government‑furnished information, workforce data, and citizen/customer data.
  • Support audits, agency requests, and reviews involving privacy, cybersecurity, and data handling.
Claims, Disputes & Regulatory Matters
  • Advise on contract disputes, REAs, and claims under the Contract Disputes Act.
  • Support bid protests and litigation strategy (e.g., GAO, COFC) and Canadian procurement challenge processes.
  • Coordinate with outside counsel on litigation, investigations, and regulatory inquiries.
Incident Response & Investigations
  • Provide legal oversight for data incidents, cybersecurity events, and unauthorized disclosures.
  • Advise on investigative steps, remediation, preservation, and reporting obligations.
  • Determine breach notification and disclosure requirements under law and contract.
  • Coordinate with regulators, contracting officers, and internal stakeholders.
  • Track incidents, root causes, and corrective actions to strengthen controls.
Regulatory & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Serve as primary contact for regulators, supervisory authorities, and agency privacy offices.
  • Oversee responses to data subject rights requests, complaints, and inquiries.
  • Prepare executive‑level communications, board updates, and risk summaries.
  • Advise leadership on risk‑based decisions and compliance remediation strategies.
  • Collaborate with compliance, audit, cybersecurity, and enterprise risk teams.
Training & Program Enablement
  • Design and deliver privacy and compliance training tailored to government contracting environments.
  • Translate legal requirements into operational guidance, SOPs, FAQs, and playbooks.
  • Coach business leaders on compliance obligations and risk mitigation.
  • Promote a culture of responsible data handling and proactive risk management.
To be successful in this role, you will have:
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret security clearance.
  • U.S. citizenship required.
  • Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing.
  • Minimum 8 years of experience advising U.S. and Canadian government contractors on applicable procurement law (e.g., FAR, DFARS), privacy law, and cybersecurity law.
  • Deep knowledge of cybersecurity and privacy laws (e.g., CMMC, FedRAMP, NIST 800‑171/53, GDPR, PIPEDA, CPRA, Privacy Act) and Artificial Intelligence regulatory/legal frameworks.
  • Strong working knowledge of trade compliance laws (e.g., Canadian Controlled Goods, ITAR, and EAR).
  • Experience negotiating complex contracts, subcontracts, data protection agreements, and security/privacy provisions.
  • Proven experience leading privacy programs, risk assessments, audits, and incident response efforts.
  • Strong executive communication skills with the ability to deliver clear, business‑oriented advice.
  • Ability to operate independently and influence cross‑functional stakeholders.
  • Ability to travel up to 10%.
Additional desired experience and skills:
  • Privacy certifications (e.g., CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPP/C).
  • Experience serving as a Data Protection Officer or privacy program leader of a multinational corporation or organization.
  • Experience counseling clients through data breach incident response and notification requirements to individuals and regulators.
  • Familiarity with HR systems, cloud environments, AI technologies, and vendor risk management.
  • Prior in‑house company legal experience.
  • Active or prior security clearance (or eligibility).
Core Competencies
  • Government contracts law and compliance.
  • Privacy and data protection law.
  • Cybersecurity legal risk management.
  • Contract drafting and negotiation.
  • Data governance and lifecycle management.
  • Incident response and breach management.
  • Regulatory interpretation and enforcement trends.
  • Executive advisory and stakeholder influence.
  • Policy development and operationalization.
  • Audit support and risk remediation.
  • Training and organizational enablement.
Pay Transparency

Our Total Rewards package includes competitive pay, performance‑based incentives, and benefits that promote well‑being and work‑life balance—so you can thrive both professionally and personally. Eligible employees also gain access to a wide range of benefits from comprehensive health coverage and health savings accounts to retirement plans, life and disability insurance, and time‑off programs that support work‑life balance. Program availability may vary based on factors such as contract type, location, hire date, and applicable collective bargaining agreements.

Benefits
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
  • Robust vacation and sick leave benefits, and flexibl