Global Head of Privacy & AI Governance

Keywords Studios now has an exciting opportunity for an experienced and motivated professional to act as the Global Head of Privacy & AI Governance for the organisation. As the Global Head of Privacy & AI Governance, you will be responsible for overseeing and managing all aspects of privacy compliance and data protection within Keywords Studios, and for working with the business to continue building its responsible AI framework and strategy. You will provide strategic guidance and ensure adherence to global privacy and AI regulations, working closely with cross-functional teams to establish and maintain robust privacy and AI programmes in a global setting. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of data privacy and AI laws and regulations, strong leadership skills, and experience working in a large multinational. Joining our team as the Global Head of Privacy & AI Governance offers an exciting opportunity to be part of a globally recognised video games company at the forefront of innovation. If you have a passion for privacy, data protection, AI, and the gaming or technology industries, and you thrive in a dynamic and creative environment, we would love to hear from you. This role can be based out of any of these locations: Ireland / UK / EU Keywords Studios is privately owned by an investor group led by EQT, together with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Temasek. See www.keywordsstudios.com for further information. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACTIVITIES · Further develop and maintain a strategic privacy programme, aligning it with business objectives while minimising risk and ensuring the protection of client and employee information across all media types. · Design an agile AI governance framework that facilitates rapid, safe adoption of Generative AI and ML tools, ensuring engineering teams have clear 'guardrails' to innovate without roadblocking development. · Design and implement a scalable 'core-flex' operating model, optimising cost-efficiency by leveraging offshore/nearshore capabilities for routine high-volume tasks (e.g., initial DSAR triage, vendor assessments) while maintaining strategic third-party partnerships to provide on-demand surge capacity for incident response and peak business activity. · Drive and lead internal awareness and training programs specifically on responsible AI and ethical data practices related to machine learning models. · Collaborate with the organisation’s senior management and various departments, including the production, information security, legal and HR teams to develop, implement and maintain the governance structure for its privacy programme and to embed responsible AI principles (including fairness, transparency, accountability, and security). · Collaborate with information security to align policies, practices, investigations with the information security framework. · Serve as the organisation’s leader for privacy compliance and the subject matter expert on privacy matters, collaborating with internal stakeholders at all levels to provide guidance and support. · Drive the selection, implementation, and management of Privacy and AI Governance tooling (e.g., consent management platforms, data discovery tools, ML Ops governance plugins) to automate compliance and reduce manual overhead. Partner with Data Engineering to integrate privacy controls directly into the data lake and pipeline architecture. · Establish and maintain privacy policies, standards, and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable data protection laws, including GDPR. Monitor emerging global privacy and AI laws (e.g. EU AI Act) and proactively adjust internal frameworks to maintain compliance. · Work closely with the legal team to ensure that privacy practices align with legal requirements, and mitigate potential legal risks, including establish a 'sandbox' environment and vetting process for testing new AI tools, allowing the business to experiment with emerging technologies while containing data leakage risks and then creating streamlined approval pathways for new tools and LLMs. · Translate legal requirements into technical specifications and engineering standards (Privacy by Design), ensuring privacy controls are embedded into the CI/CD pipeline and product architecture from the outset. · Conduct privacy impact assessments (PIAs), data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) and AI impact assessments (AIIAs) for new AI initiatives to identify risks and recommend appropriate risk mitigation strategies. · Lead in developing training materials and providing training to employees on privacy and AI related obligations, to further develop the organisation’s privacy and data protection practices globally. · Work with production to manage access to proprietary and personal information. · Manage breach determination and notification processes in compliance with applicable privacy rules. · Oversee the management of data subject requests and privacy complaints, ensuring timely and appropriate responses. · Cooperate with international regulatory authorities in compliance reviews or investigations. · Act as an privacy resource for the organisation regarding the release of information and all privacy-related issues. · Ensure consistent sanctions for privacy violations in collaboration with HR. · Represent the organisation's privacy and AI interests with external parties, including clients. · Support the Privacy Counsel and the wider legal team in their day-to-day duties. · Collaborate with external counsel and consultants as needed to address complex issues. · Manage and mentor a team of privacy professionals, fostering a collaborative and high-performing culture. QUALIFICATIONS AND CORE COMPETENCIES Required · 10+ years of experience in privacy management in a multinational organisation. · Good understanding of legal implications of privacy and AI practices. · Strong understanding of PIAs, DPIAs, AIIAs, and other privacy-related risk assessment methodologies. · Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing governance frameworks for emerging technologies, particularly AI / ML. · Strong understanding of the ethical and regulatory landscape concerning AI, including automated decision making, bias mitigation, explainability, and algorithmic transparency. · Deep understanding of international privacy management. · Experience dealing with sensitive information and interacting at a senior executive level. · Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. · Proven client management skills. · Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. · Strong work ethic, a self-starter, and accountable. · Uncompromising professionalism and ethics. · Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to build and manage a team effectively. · Fluent in written and spoken English (additional languages are an advantage but not required). Desired · Experience in an industry such as gaming, media, entertainment or technology. · Experience in a technical services or software development environment. · Possession of a major privacy certification such as CIPP/CIPM. · Possession of relevant certifications in AI ethics, risk management, or governance. · Technical familiarity with AI/ML systems and data science practices to effectively govern their use. · Holiday - 25 days per annum + UK Bank Holidays · BUPA Medical and Dental coverage · Group Income Protection · Group Life Assurance · Employee Assistance Program (EAP) · Enhanced Employer Pension Contributions · Cycle Scheme · Tech Scheme · Electric Car Scheme