Information Governance Senior Specialist
EirGrid Group is at the heart of the electricity system on the island of Ireland. We operate and develop the transmission grid, the wholesale electricity market and interconnectors linking the island’s transmission system to those in other countries. EirGrid Group is owned by the Irish State and our business activities are, where applicable, regulated by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities in Ireland, and the Utility Regulator for Northern Ireland.
EirGrid Group has a unique role to play in leading the radical transformation that is required of the electricity sector on the island to low-carbon, renewable energy in response to the urgent imperative of Climate Change Action.
This is reflected in our Purpose “Transform the Power System for Future Generation” and in the primary goal of our recently launched 2020-2025 strategy “Lead the Island’s Electricity Sector on Sustainability and Decarbonisation”.
The Chief Governance Office is a directorate within the Group with a mission of ensuring that the highest standards of excellence are maintained in the delivery of risk management, governance, legal, compliance and company secretarial activities and initiatives.
The Opportunity
The role holder will take the lead in shaping and advancing EirGrid’s enterprise-wide information governance strategy, ensuring robust overarching compliance with Data Protection legislation (GDPR) and statutory obligations under Freedom of Information (FOI) and Access to Information on the Environment (AIE). Acting as EirGrid’s principal authority and a trusted advisor, this role will influence policy development, provide authoritative guidance on complex compliance issues, and oversee the management of potentially high-profile statutory requests. The successful candidate will drive continuous improvement initiatives, champion best practices, and play a pivotal role in embedding governance excellence across the EirGrid Group.
Key Responsibilities
Data Protection Leadership
23rd January 2026
We're dedicated to diversity and inclusion at Eirgrid. We recognise the strength that comes from having a diverse workforce and the importance of a supportive culture for all our people to achieve their potential. Our diversity and inclusion networks have been designed to create an inclusive culture that enables our people to feel a sense of belonging at work.
As an equal opportunities’ employer, we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. Reasonable accommodations are offered at every stage of our recruitment process
EirGrid Group has a unique role to play in leading the radical transformation that is required of the electricity sector on the island to low-carbon, renewable energy in response to the urgent imperative of Climate Change Action.
This is reflected in our Purpose “Transform the Power System for Future Generation” and in the primary goal of our recently launched 2020-2025 strategy “Lead the Island’s Electricity Sector on Sustainability and Decarbonisation”.
The Chief Governance Office is a directorate within the Group with a mission of ensuring that the highest standards of excellence are maintained in the delivery of risk management, governance, legal, compliance and company secretarial activities and initiatives.
The Opportunity
The role holder will take the lead in shaping and advancing EirGrid’s enterprise-wide information governance strategy, ensuring robust overarching compliance with Data Protection legislation (GDPR) and statutory obligations under Freedom of Information (FOI) and Access to Information on the Environment (AIE). Acting as EirGrid’s principal authority and a trusted advisor, this role will influence policy development, provide authoritative guidance on complex compliance issues, and oversee the management of potentially high-profile statutory requests. The successful candidate will drive continuous improvement initiatives, champion best practices, and play a pivotal role in embedding governance excellence across the EirGrid Group.
Key Responsibilities
Data Protection Leadership
- Act as the designated lead or liaison for data protection matters, advising the Board and senior leadership on GDPR and multinational privacy strategy, this may include fulfilling the responsibilities of the Data Protection Officer (DPO)
- Lead our enterprise-wide data protection framework, policies, and cultural change programmes.
- Oversee high-impact compliance activities, including RoPAs, DPIAs, and strategic risk reviews for critical initiatives.
- Direct regulatory engagement and breach response governance, serving as the senior liaison with authorities and external stakeholders.
- Drive accountability through executive reporting, compliance dashboards, and influencing decision-making at the highest level.
- Champion privacy-by-design and ethical data practices for emerging technologies and potential cross-border data transfers.
- Provide oversight of FOI and AIE compliance, ensuring adherence to statutory timelines and legislative requirements.
- Set enterprise standards for applying exemptions, balancing transparency with confidentiality and commercial sensitivity.
- Oversee the drafting of high-quality decisions and manage complex appeals and reviews at senior level, where necessary.
- Drive continuous improvement of the FOI Publication Scheme and proactive disclosure processes.
- Lead organisational capability building through training, guidance, and governance for FOI/AIE obligations.
- Drive the enhancement of the enterprise-wide information governance framework, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives and regulatory requirements.
- Advise senior stakeholders on legislative developments and emerging best practices in data protection and statutory information access.
- Oversee audits, compliance reviews, and readiness for regulatory inspections at a strategic or tactical level.
- Partner with IT and security leadership to integrate governance with data security, resilience, and innovation initiatives.
- Act as the lead and trusted advisor to senior management on information governance risks, compliance obligations and emerging regulatory trends.
- Build strong relationships across directorates to embed governance principles into core business processes and decision-making.
- Represent EirGrid in external forums and liaise with regulators on data protection and FOI/AIE matters.
- Drive enterprise initiatives to automate and optimise statutory request handling and compliance reporting.
- Monitor regulatory and industry trends, championing innovative solutions to strengthen governance, transparency, and operational resilience.
- Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in data protection, FOI/AIE, or information governance roles, with at least 2 years in a senior management or leadership capacity.
- Qualified to degree level or professional qualification in a relevant discipline.
- Expert knowledge of GDPR, FOI Act 2014, and AIE Regulations.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to interpret complex legislation.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including experience influencing senior leaders.
- Experience in policy development, compliance assurance, and regulatory engagement.
- Professional certification in Data Protection (e.g., CIPP/E, PDP) or Information Governance more broadly is desirable.
- Ability to multi-task and prioritise under pressure of deadlines, whilst working independently.
- Prior experience working in the energy industry and/or a regulated environment is helpful, but not essential.
23rd January 2026
We're dedicated to diversity and inclusion at Eirgrid. We recognise the strength that comes from having a diverse workforce and the importance of a supportive culture for all our people to achieve their potential. Our diversity and inclusion networks have been designed to create an inclusive culture that enables our people to feel a sense of belonging at work.
As an equal opportunities’ employer, we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. Reasonable accommodations are offered at every stage of our recruitment process