Data Governance & Compliance Manager
Talkdesk is seeking a Data Governance & Compliance Manager to lead its Information Security team in Porto. This role involves developing and executing Talkdesk's data governance program, encompassing data lifecycle management, retention, privacy rights management, data classification, and data protection controls. The position requires close collaboration with Legal & Privacy, Product, Engineering, Security, and business stakeholders to translate regulatory and contractual requirements into practical, scalable controls, processes, and tooling. This cross-functional role demands strong data governance and privacy expertise, project leadership, technical understanding, and the ability to influence stakeholders across the organization.
Key responsibilities include building and owning the roadmap for Talkdesk's data governance program, defining and maintaining data governance policies, procedures, standards, and controls, and embedding governance requirements into engineering and data processes. The role also involves monitoring regulatory developments, assessing projects and initiatives for compliance, and identifying opportunities where strong data governance can create business value and improve customer trust. Additionally, the manager will partner closely with Legal & Privacy to translate regulatory and contractual requirements into practical governance controls, collaborate with Product and Engineering to embed data governance and privacy-by-design principles, and drive complex, multi-team initiatives across various functions. Defining project scope, objectives, deliverables, timelines, and success criteria with senior stakeholders, managing dependencies, risks, and milestones, building business cases for governance initiatives, and preparing governance and compliance reports are also key aspects of the role.
Candidates should have over five years of experience in data governance, privacy, compliance, GRC, or a related field, with proven experience building, implementing, or scaling data governance programs. A strong understanding of global privacy regulations, particularly GDPR and similar frameworks, is essential. The ability to translate regulatory and privacy requirements into practical policies, processes, controls, and technical requirements is crucial. Experience with Data Lifecycle Management, Data Classification, Consent Management, Privacy Rights Management, and Data Protection is required. The role also demands experience driving highly technical, multi-team initiatives across Engineering and other business functions, a strong understanding of security and compliance frameworks such as NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and SOC 2, and familiarity with tools such as Google Workspace, Confluence, and Jira. Experience with GRC/data governance platforms like OneTrust or Vanta is a plus. A bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience is preferred.
While specific compensation details are not provided, Talkdesk offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement benefits, and paid time off. The company fosters an inclusive culture where diverse perspectives drive success, and every voice belongs. Talkdesk has been recognized as a Leader in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) and in the G2 Overall Grid® Reports for AI Agents and Contact Center. With seven consecutive years on the Forbes Cloud 100 and multiple AI Breakthrough awards, Talkdesk offers an exciting opportunity to shape the future of customer experience automation.
Success in this role means Talkdesk has a clear, scalable, and measurable data governance strategy. Engineering and Product teams can incorporate governance and privacy requirements into their workflows without unnecessary friction. Data is appropriately classified, retained, protected, and managed throughout its lifecycle. Privacy and regulatory requirements are translated into clear and actionable technical controls. Governance investments demonstrate measurable improvements in risk reduction, data trust, compliance maturity, and business value. Talkdesk continues to strengthen a culture of responsible data use and privacy-by-design across the organization.