Senior Data Protection Associate

We are looking for a Senior Data Protection Associate — a detail-oriented professional who has extensive experience and is excited about compliance, technology, and. This is a senior role reporting directly to the global Data Protection Officer. You will own Paystack’s global operating model, serving as the custodian of data protection and compliance. The role will help develop and drive processes for our Global Compliance Program, with a particular focus on Europe and Africa. You will be part of the team that works to ensure that Paystack’s products and business operations comply with laws, ethics and best practices in data protection and. You will work with cross-functional stakeholders across Product, Security GRC, Marketing, Risk and Compliance teams, balancing data and AI governance with product innovation, paying exquisite attention to detail, and taking delight in driving compliance strategy across Paystack entities, products and services, specifically as they relate to the African market. What you'll be doing Strategy & Vision Own the program roadmap and strategy for Paystack entities Develop, own, and continually evolve Paystack’s global operating model to assess the program's health and compliance effectiveness with metrics. This includes defining core frameworks, records of processing, and compliance structures that effectively balance rapid AI-driven product development and quick launches with resource constraints Maintain a clear prioritization framework that reconciles compliance and business impact. Execution & Delivery Translate strategy into actionable roadmaps with clear milestones Oversee compliance efforts across various jurisdictions, including coordinating localised audits, adapting the program for region-specific requirements and managing legal/regulatory variations Partner with Engineering, Infrastructure and Data teams to build into systems Drive -by-deitiatives to ensure rapid deployment of new products into global markets Operational Excellence / Automation Define and own key risk indicators for data and AI governance within the business context Enhance sensitive data governance frameworks, including data classification and retention policy enforcement, access controls, and privileged data review cycles Identify and remove data protection compliance bottlenecks across the product development, third party contracting and data lifecycle journeys Lead continuous improvement programs focused on identified risks across various themes (third party risk management, data protection impact assessment, cross border data transfer, data deletion, data subject rights etc.) Collaboration Serve as the counsel voice of the Company translating pain points and complex issues into driving PIV opportunities Build, lead, and mentor the Data Protection Office Strategically manage the Data Subject Rights (DSR) process, working