[Hiring] Operational Compliance Specialist @HighlightTA

Role Description

The Operational Compliance Specialist brings execution capacity to the company's privacy and EMEA compliance programs. This role translates legal and regulatory requirements set by the Senior Counsel, Privacy and Senior Compliance Officer into reliable, repeatable operational processes.

• Handling subprocessor management, data retention, client privacy communications, EMEA reporting obligations, and technical access compliance.
• Serves as a practical resource for privacy-adjacent process work across the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Privacy Compliance
  • Maintain the subprocessor register; manage the end-to-end process for reviewing, onboarding, and notifying clients of subprocessor changes in line with contractual and regulatory obligations.
  • Administer data retention schedules - tracking retention periods by data category and jurisdiction, coordinating deletion and archiving activities, and maintaining supporting documentation.
  • Support access control compliance, including maintaining records of data access permissions and assisting with periodic access reviews.
  • Manage the data subject rights (DSAR) intake process: log requests, coordinate fulfilment across internal teams, and ensure regulatory response deadlines are met.
  • Support the privacy office in monitoring and testing activities and audits, ensuring proper documentation and tracking of the controls and related findings.
  • Ensure that compliance documentation remains up-to-date and support the management and handling of any relevant registries of processing activities and risks assessments.
• Client Privacy Communications
  • Act as a first point of contact for client compliance queries relating to privacy and EMEA regulatory matters, escalating to Kenny or Tom Brady as appropriate.
  • Prepare and issue subprocessor update notices and other privacy-related client communications.
  • Maintain client-specific compliance records relating to data processing agreements and privacy obligations.
• EMEA Regulatory Operations
  • Track EMEA jurisdiction-specific reporting requirements and filing deadlines; coordinate preparation in support of the Senior Counsel, Privacy and Senior Compliance Officer.
  • Maintain the EMEA compliance calendar and assist with regulatory correspondence.
  • Support credentialing and onboarding/offboarding compliance processes for EMEA clients and vendors.
  • Apply a working knowledge of regulated criminal-record screening across the UK disclosure regimes (DBS, Disclosure Scotland, and AccessNI).
  • Understand Certn's obligations when acting as, or supporting clients who rely on, a registered body, umbrella body, or responsible organisation.
  • Audit screening files for eligibility accuracy and procedural compliance, and prepare first-line responses to client and regulator inquiries.
  • Apply the data-protection rules that sit alongside the disclosure regimes, including the handling, retention, and secure destruction of criminal-record data.
• Operational Collaboration
  • Maintain process documentation for privacy and EMEA compliance workflows.
  • Act as a liaison to Operations for privacy-adjacent process design and workflow improvements.
  • Triage and manage Jira tickets relating to privacy and EMEA compliance matters.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in a related field or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Practical working knowledge of GDPR and data subject rights processes.
• Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and regulatory requirements across different jurisdictions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain discretion and confidentiality at all times.
• Comfortable working across compliance, operations, and client-facing functions.
• Professional privacy certification through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) is considered a strong asset.
• Comfortable using AI tools (e.g., Claude) to support day-to-day tasks.

Benefits

• 20 days of annual leave to start, plus up to 3 additional Performance Days.
• Company-paid benefits.
• Remote-friendly and supportive flexible remote arrangements.
• Work-from-home allowance.
• Professional development budget.
• And a few more goodies!

Company Description

Certn is a remote-first company with a high-performance edge. We value hustle, hunger, and helping each other win - but we also have a strict no-jerk policy. Ambition here is about lifting people up, not stepping on toes.

• We think like owners and execute with urgency.
• We’re customer-obsessed and always learning.
• We give real feedback and hold each other to high standards.