Is there a template to appoint the deputy information officer?

Yes, there are a few templates you can use to appoint an information officer. Some are publicly available and others you can get from us.

There are two simple templates in the guidance note on information officers and deputy information officers. One is called the “Designation and Delegation of Authority to the Deputy Information Officer” and the other is called “Authorisation of Information Officer”. the guidance note does not explain how they differ. You can use these templates to appoint your information officer but, in our view, you need to have a much more comprehensive letter of appointment.

An information officer must be appointed in writing

Information officer letter of appointment template

We have drafted an information officer letter of appointment template. You can access this template by joining the Michalsons data protection programme or you can ask Michalsons to draft a letter of appointment for you using the Michalsons template.

In terms of the process, in our experience, the CEO of an organisation would delegate the responsibilities of the information officer to a person in the organisation.

A board resolution

The board then confirms the appointment by way of a resolution. The advantage of this, is that the board is aware of the information officer’s role, and they can question the appointment if they believe it is necessary.