Oxfam Australia creates CDO role after data breach

Oxfam Australia is recruiting its first-ever chief data officer after contact information belonging to donors was unlawfully accessed in a cyber attack earlier this year.

The charity went looking for the CDO - who will also have responsibility whole-of-organisation cyber security and data protection - this month.

A spokesperson told iTnews the part-time executive position had been created following a recent review of its executive management structure.

“We identified a need for a senior strategic role to strengthen our organisation’s approach to our data strategy and management,” the spokesperson said.

“This role will require strategic operational and project management experience, and familiarity with data science.

“Given data analytics infrastructure and capabilities generally cover the accessibility, integrity and protection of data, this role also includes a cyber security component.”

According to the job ad, the Melbourne-based CDO will be tasked with “supporting, coordinating and building a cross-organisational centre of experience in data analytics”.

Oxfam Australia’s analytics capability is current spread across a number of teams in offices across the country.

In addition to building capability in analytics, the CDO will ensure “best practice cyber security protections”.

The successful applicant will be expected to have extensive experience in developing, delivering and supporting data infrastructure assets and platforms, as well as leadership.

In January, Oxfam Australia suffered a data breach that allegedly impacted the data of 1.7 million supporters.

The charity later confirmed that supporter information had been unlawfully accessed by an external party, including names, addresses, dates of birth, email addresses, phone numbers and gender.

Following the completion of the forensic investigation in March, the charity reported the matter to the Australian Federal Police.

Oxfam Australia is offering the successful CDO a two-year contract with an annual salary of up to $160,000 plus superannuation.