Where Can You Get an Outsourced Data Protection Officer (DPO)?
Updated: Sep 24
The short answer: you can appoint an outsourced Data Protection Officer through a specialist data protection consultancy. An outsourced DPO performs the full statutory DPO role under UK GDPR and EU GDPR on a service contract, so you get senior expertise without recruiting a full-time post. At Iniver, that means a named, experienced DPO for a fixed monthly fee, with no hour banks or consultancy credits.
"Where can we get an outsourced DPO?" is one of the most common questions when it comes to data protection compliance. Whether an internationally established entity, a scale-up, research organisation, charity, or growing business handling significant amounts of personal data, appointing an outsourced DPO can provide specialist expertise without the cost and commitment of a full-time hire.
The good news is that outsourcing the role is well established. The harder part is that outsourced DPO services vary a lot, and the differences only become obvious once you need help. This guide covers what an outsourced DPO does, who needs one, and the questions worth asking before you appoint.
What is an outsourced DPO?
An outsourced Data Protection Officer is an external specialist who carries out the statutory DPO role on your behalf. Article 37(6) of UK GDPR and EU GDPR expressly allows a DPO to be either a staff member or someone fulfilling the tasks under a service contract.
Whether internal or external, the DPO's core tasks are the same:
advising your organisation and staff on their data protection obligations
monitoring compliance, including policies, training and audits
advising on Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs)
acting as the contact point for the ICO and other supervisory authorities
Who needs an outsourced DPO?
You're legally required to appoint a DPO if any of these apply:
you're a public authority or body
your core activities involve regular and systematic monitoring of people on a large scale
your core activities involve large-scale processing of special category data, such as health data, or criminal offence data
In practice, organisations also appoint one voluntarily when they need independent advice not available in house, when customers or investors ask who their DPO is, or when enterprise procurement asks detailed data protection questions during due diligence of start and scale-ups.
How to choose an outsourced DPO provider
These are the questions you should ask when appointing a DPO.
Question to ask | Why it matters | What good looks like |
Is there a named DPO? | Rotating consultants means re-explaining your organisation every time | One named, senior DPO who knows your processing and risks |
What's included in the fee? | Hour banks and credits can run out exactly when an incident happens | All statutory DPO tasks in a fixed fee, with no pre-allocated days |
How experienced is the DPO? | Your DPO advises the board and deals with the regulator | Many years of hands-on practice, not just a qualification |
Who actually does the work? | Some providers subcontract delivery | Work carried out by the provider's own team |
How will you see progress? | Boards need evidence, not reassurance | Regular reporting and visibility of your compliance status |
These are the core concepts that Iniver's DPO service is built around.
Outsourced DPO vs internal DPO
Hiring a full-time DPO makes sense for some large organisations. For most small and mid-sized organisations, outsourcing offers:
Lower cost than a senior salary, on-costs and recruitment
Independence, because an external DPO avoids the conflicts that arise when the role is combined with IT, legal or operations
Breadth, as the DPO brings experience from many organisations
Speed, since you can appoint in weeks rather than recruiting over months
What does an outsourced DPO cost?
Most outsourced DPO services are priced as a monthly fee based on your size, the complexity of your processing and your risk profile. Be wary of low headline prices that rely on a small bank of hours, as out-of-scope work and incidents are often charged on top.
Iniver's outsourced DPO packages start from £900 per month, covering every statutory task with unlimited access to your DPO.
"Joe is highly responsive, dealing with queries promptly and clearly, and he has a real talent for translating complex information governance requirements into practical, plain-English advice that staff can act on with confidence."
Common questions about outsourced DPO services
Can an external company act as our Data Protection Officer?
Yes. Article 37(6) of UK GDPR allows the DPO role to be fulfilled under a service contract, and the same rules and protections apply as for an internal DPO.
Is an outsourced DPO independent?
Yes, and often more so than an internal appointment. The DPO must not receive instructions on how to carry out their tasks, must report to your highest level of management, and must not be penalised for performing the role.
How quickly can an outsourced DPO start?
Typically within 1 week of agreeing scope, including publishing and notifying the DPO's contact details.
Can a healthtech company appoint an outsourced DPO?
Yes. It's common among healthtech and digital health companies, particularly where they process health data at scale or need to meet NHS requirements such as DTAC and the DSPT.
Can an international organisation appoint a DPO?
Yes. Iniver works with organisations from outside the UK supporting them with UK and EU data protection law compliance
Looking for an outsourced DPO?
The best outsourced DPO relationships are built on trust and accessibility, not timesheets. You should be able to pick up the phone when something goes wrong, and speak to someone who already knows your organisation.
Iniver provides senior-led outsourced DPO services across healthcare, technology, research and professional services. Every client gets:
a named, experienced DPO
every statutory task included in a fixed fee
access whenever you need it, with no hours or credits
our Driver compliance dashboard and free All-Staff training
About the author
Joe Stock LLM, Managing Director, Iniver. Joe has over 14 years' experience in data protection across in-house and consultancy roles. Before founding Iniver he was Director of Data Protection at a consultancy firm. He holds a Master's in Information Rights Law and Practice.