Head of Data Protection

Role type: Permanent

Location: London, hybrid, 2 days per week

Reporting to: Director of Legal & Compliance

About Hometree

Join Hometree at the most exciting moment in our story. Founded in 2015, we've become one of the fastest-growing challengers in the UK home services market, spanning home cover that protects the essential systems in the home, renewable installations like solar, batteries and heat pumps, and the financing that makes them affordable. Together, we help homeowners look after their homes and move to greener, lower-carbon living.

We're now going through the biggest step change in our history. By acquiring OVO Energy's Home Services division, including the trusted CORGI HomePlan and HomeHeat brands, we're becoming one of the UK's leading home services groups, with fresh investment to fuel our next phase of growth. It's a genuine inflection point, and we're looking for people who want to help us build what comes next.

Key Achievements

UK's third-largest home cover provider: our latest acquisition makes us the third-largest provider of home cover in the UK.

7 Acquisitions - We've expanded our operations by acquiring 6 key companies across financing (Hometree Finance - formerly Bewarm), Home Cover (Your Repair) and energy services (Geowarmth, The Little Green Energy Company, IMS and GreenGen). And we have most recently announced the acquisition of OVO Home Services and CORGI Homeplan (subject to FCA approval).

500k Homes Covered - We cover over 500 hundred thousand homes across the UK

550+ Employees - We have over 550 passionate employees transforming the industry across the Group, one home at a time

The Role

This is the first dedicated Head of Data Protection role at Hometree, and a chance to shape the next phase of how a P.E.-backed, scaling, FCA-regulated group continues to place personal data protection at the heart of everything we do. We have solid foundations to build on; you’ll own data protection day to day across the Group and take our programme, systems and processes to the next level as we integrate our biggest acquisition so far.

Reporting directly to the General Counsel & Director of Compliance and working with a high degree of autonomy, you’ll be the person the business turns to on data protection - across multiple brands, business models and legal entities - installations, financing and home cover. A particular focus will be partnering our Commercial teams to grow Hometree’s cross-selling ambitions in a safe and sustainable way: helping us use customer data responsibly and well, being an enabler, not a blocker.

We’re after a high-agency operator who has genuinely been central to a data protection programme and knows how to mature systems and processes as a business scales. You may be someone ready for the next step up in seniority or perhaps be looking for a level of agency that you may not have in your current role. You’ll be pragmatic, commercially-minded and confident holding your own with senior stakeholders, turning good data protection into a competitive advantage rather than a gate. You’ll be a trusted, senior member of the Legal & Compliance team and the clear owner of data protection for the enlarged Group.

Responsibilities:

• Own data protection day to day: be the Group’s go-to owner for data protection across every brand and entity, giving the business clear, practical answers while keeping us safe and compliant.

• Run and mature the programme: take our data protection programme end to end - policies, records of processing (Article 30), DPIAs, data subject rights, retention, processor management and breach response and mature it as we scale.

• Enable the cross-sell, safely: help us create value for customers and Hometree by partnering our Commercial teams to grow Hometree’s cross-selling proposition in a safe and sustainable way, advising on lawful basis, transparency, consent and responsible data sharing across the Group.

• Integrate OVO Home Services: lead the data protection side of integration - data migration, records, processor arrangements and privacy-by-design across combined propositions.

• Build the systems and processes: bring rigour to how data protection runs day to day, maturing tooling, workflows and self-service so the business can move quickly without cutting corners.

• Work with the regulator and the hard cases: own the relationship with the ICO, lead on breaches and complex data subject requests, and bring calm judgement when it matters.

• Partner across a diverse Group: work with a wide variety of stakeholders across different business models and legal entities - from Commercial and Operations to Technology, Finance and the wider Legal & Compliance team.

• Make it stick: deliver training, awareness and clear MI to governance forums so data protection is understood and owned across the business, not just in Legal.

• Bring a privacy lens to conduct: support Consumer Duty, marketing and customer-facing initiatives alongside the Compliance team.

What we’re looking for:

• You’ve been central to a data protection programme: demonstrable experience being involved in a data protection programme end to end, including its day-to-day operation, in a complex or scaling organisation.

• A builder who matures systems and processes: a track record of maturing data protection systems, processes and tooling, bringing order and rigour, not just inheriting and sustaining someone else’s work.

• Deep UK data protection expertise: strong, practical command of UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and PECR, applied confidently to real commercial situations.

• High agency and autonomy: you take ownership, set the agenda and create momentum without close direction, comfortable being the most senior data protection voice in the room.

• Commercially minded, not a gatekeeper: you enable responsible growth, including data sharing and cross-sell and make data protection clear and usable rather than a blocker.

• A trusted adviser across a diverse group: you build credibility with a wide variety of stakeholders across different business models and entities, and communicate clearly with non-specialists.

Extra Credit:

• Certification: a relevant qualification such as CIPP/E or CIPM.

• Regulated or relevant sector insight: experience in financial services, insurance, renewables, energy or home services.

• M&A and integration: experience of data protection through acquisitions, carve-outs or integration.

• Tooling: experience with privacy platforms such as OneTrust.

Our Recruitment Process:

Please amend the below to the interview process you have for this role.

• Initial Call: Start with an introductory call with our Junior Talent Acquisition Specialist to discuss the role and your potential fit. (30 mins)

• Hiring Manager Interview: a conversation with the Hiring Manager, our General Counsel & Director of Compliance, to learn more about the role and explore your potential fit. (60 mins)

• Culture & Values Interview: a values-based conversation with our Chief People Offier and a stakeholder that you would work closely with, exploring how you align with our values and ways of working. (60 mins)

• Senior Stakeholder Interview: a final conversation with a member of our Senior Leadership Team. (30 mins)

Perks of the job

We have an ever expanding list of benefits that currently includes:

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays and your birthday

• Hybrid working - Spend 2 days per week with your team in our collaborative London office (it’s dog friendly too!)

• Free boiler & home emergency cover with Hometree plus 40% discount for friends & family

• Discounted gym membership across over 100 UK gyms (independent and chains) and free fitness, wellness and nutrition apps.

• £300 Home office allowance

• Support for your mental health and wellbeing via Oliva

• Menopause support from Stella, including friends & family access

• Cycle to work scheme

• Regular team socials including Summer and Winter parties.

FCA Code of Conduct

At Hometree, we prioritise ethical conduct and regulatory compliance. As a regulated financial services organisation, we operate under the strict guidelines and regulations set forth by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in all aspects of our business.

As a prospective member of our team, you will be expected to fully embrace and adhere to the FCA Code of Conduct obligations. These obligations are designed to ensure the fair treatment of customers, the preservation of market integrity, and the promotion of healthy competition within the financial services industry.

Equal Opportunity Employer

At Hometree, we are committed to creating an inclusive and representative environment. We know that different experiences, perspectives and backgrounds make for a better workplace and a better planet. Together, we celebrate differences and promote a culture where you can bring your full self to work.

We promise to give you the same opportunities as everyone else and we won't discriminate against you at any point in the hiring process or the working day. This includes how we source talent, our interview process, our conditions of employment, feedback and everything in between