Director Data Privacy

Company

Alaska Airlines

The Team

Guided by our purpose, core values, and leadership principles, we are creating an airline people love. Our corporate teams set the strategies and operational plans to ensure the success of our company. Whether we use our expertise in accounting, human resources, finance, planning, legal, marketing, or any of our operational divisions, our shared passion for travel and our guests is what motivates us to achieve excellence each day. If you share our passion for creating an airline people love, we want to hear from you. 

Role Summary

The Director of Data Privacy leads the enterprise-wide data privacy program for Alaska Air Group, setting strategy and building capability that enables the responsible, trusted, and innovative use of personal data in support of business, product, and operational objectives. A successful leader in this role positions privacy as a core business capability, embedded early in decision-making, responsive to customer expectations, and aligned to how data is processed across the organization.  As a people leader, the Director establishes clear strategy, operating standards, and culture for the Data Privacy team, partnering closely with leaders across all AAG organizations to ensure privacy considerations are integrated thoughtfully across the data lifecycle. They are comfortable advising business, operation, and IT product teams, engaging legal and regulatory counsel, and drafting Board-ready materials on privacy risk posture, sometimes all in the same week. They understand that a mature privacy program is not built on policies alone; it is built on trust, tooling, and a team that operates with clarity about what it owns. 

Key Duties

• Set and execute the enterprise‑wide data privacy strategy for Alaska Air Group, aligning privacy practices with business priorities, customer expectations, and international expansion. 
• Position privacy as a business‑enabling function, supporting new products, digital experiences, data‑driven decision‑making, and commercial initiatives while managing risk thoughtfully. 
• Partner with leaders across Product, Technology, Commercial, Marketing, HR, and Legal to embed privacy into design, development, and operational processes. 
• Lead enterprise privacy readiness for international and cross‑border operations, including compliance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), UK GDPR, and evolving global privacy regulations. 
• Define and oversee privacy approaches to cross‑border data transfers, working closely with Legal and Security on appropriate transfer mechanisms and safeguards. 
• Provide privacy leadership and input into AI‑enabled and automated decision‑making systems, including guidance on GenAI acceptable use, agentic systems, transparency, fairness, and data subject rights. 
• Oversee and continuously improve the privacy technology stack, including consent management platforms, data subject rights request (DSR) automation, privacy case management, and related tooling to ensure scalable, operational execution. 
• Use customer feedback, preferences, and experience insights to inform data‑use guidelines and influence how personal data is collected, used, and protected across emerging programs. 
• Lead and coordinate responses to privacy incidents and potential data breaches, partnering with Security, Legal, and Communications and representing privacy perspectives at executive levels when required. 
• Prepare executive‑level materials and briefings, including content that supports enterprise leadership and Board‑level discussions through senior leadership. 
• Monitor industry trends, regulatory developments, and competitive practices, translating external change into clear internal guidance and priorities. 

Job-Specific Experience, Education & Skills

Required  

• 8 years of experience in data privacy, privacy program leadership, regulatory compliance, and privacy risk management. 
• 5 years of leadership experience, with at least 2 of those years directly leading people. 
• Demonstrated experience operating in international privacy environments, including GDPR, UK GDPR, and cross‑border data considerations. 
• Hands‑on experience partnering with Technology and Security teams, including privacy‑by‑design, incident response, and integration with security practices. 
• Demonstrated project management experience, with the ability to lead complex, cross‑functional initiatives from concept through execution. 
• Experience selecting, implementing, or operating privacy technology platforms (e.g., consent management, DSR tooling, privacy case management). 
• Strong understanding of privacy considerations related to AI, automated decision‑making, and advanced data analytics. 
• Demonstrated experie