<section> <div> <p>We are looking for a <strong>Data Governance & Compliance Manager</strong> to join our <strong>Information Security</strong> team. In this role, you will own the strategy and execution of Talkdesk's <strong>data governance program</strong>, covering data lifecycle management, retention, privacy rights management, data classification, and data protection controls. You will work closely with <strong>Legal & Privacy, Product, Engineering, Security, and business stakeholders</strong> to translate regulatory and contractual requirements into practical, scalable controls, processes, and tooling.</p> <p>This is a highly cross-functional role that requires a combination of strong data governance and privacy expertise, project leadership, technical understanding, and the ability to influence stakeholders across the organization.</p> <h2>What You'll Own</h2> <h3>Data Governance & Compliance Strategy</h3> <ul> <li>Build and own the roadmap for Talkdesk's data governance program, from requirements and design through implementation, measurement, and continuous improvement.</li> <li>Define and maintain data governance policies, procedures, standards, and controls covering data classification, retention, privacy rights management, and data protection.</li> <li>Embed governance requirements into engineering and data processes, enabling teams to follow secure and compliant practices by default.</li> <li>Monitor regulatory developments, including GDPR, CCPA, and other global privacy regulations, and translate them into actionable governance requirements.</li> <li>Assess projects and initiatives to ensure compliance with applicable data governance, privacy, and regulatory requirements.</li> <li>Identify opportunities where strong data governance can create business value, improve customer trust, and enable responsible data use.</li> </ul> <h3>Cross-Functional Partnership & Execution</h3> <ul> <li>Partner closely with <strong>Legal & Privacy</strong> to translate regulatory and contractual requirements into practical governance controls.</li> <li>Collaborate with <strong>Product and Engineering</strong> to embed data governance and privacy-by-design principles into products, systems, and technical architecture.</li> <li>Drive complex, multi-team initiatives across Engineering, Security, Product, Legal, and business functions.</li> <li>Define project scope, objectives, deliverables, timelines, and success criteria with senior stakeholders.</li> <li>Identify and manage dependencies, risks, critical paths, and milestones through to completion.</li> <li>Build business cases for governance initiatives and communicate their impact to senior leadership.</li> <li>Define KPIs and reporting mechanisms that demonstrate both risk reduction and business value.</li> <li>Prepare governance and compliance reports for management, auditors, and other relevant stakeholders.</li> <li>Promote a culture of responsible data use and privacy-by-design across the organization.</li> </ul> <h2>What We're Looking For</h2> <ul> <li><strong>5+ years of experience</strong> in data governance, privacy, compliance, GRC, or a related field.</li> <li>Proven experience building, implementing, or scaling data governance programs.</li> <li>Strong understanding of <strong>global privacy regulations</strong>, particularly GDPR and similar frameworks.</li> <li>Ability to translate regulatory and privacy requirements into practical policies, processes, controls, and technical requirements.</li> <li>Experience working with <strong>Data Lifecycle Management, Data Classification, Consent Management, Privacy Rights Management, and Data Protection</strong>.</li> <li>Experience driving highly technical, multi-team initiatives across Engineering and other business functions.</li> <li>Strong understanding of security and compliance frameworks such as <strong>NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and SOC 2</strong> is a plus.</li> <li>Experience working with tools such as <strong>Google Workspace, Confluence, and Jira</strong>.</li> <li>Experience with <strong>OneTrust, Vanta, or other GRC/data governance platforms</strong> is a plus.</li> <li>Strong track record of improving data trust, privacy posture, compliance maturity, or customer experience.</li> <li>Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience preferred.</li> </ul> <h2>Who You Are</h2> <ul> <li>A <strong>critical thinker</strong> who can navigate complex and ambiguous problems.</li> <li>Highly organized, with strong planning and project management skills.</li> <li>A confident decision-maker who can balance risk, compliance, and business priorities.</li> <li>An excellent communicator who can adapt messaging to technical, legal, business, and executive audiences.</li> <li>A strong influencer who can drive alignment without relying solely on formal authority.</li> <li>Collaborative and comfortable working across multiple teams and regions.</li> <li>Skilled at negotiation and conflict management.</li> <li>Adaptable, resilient, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, global environment.</li> <li>A self-starter who is willing to dive into complex or unfamiliar problems and drive them through to resolution.</li> </ul> <h2>What Success Looks Like</