diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index a0f5d7872..2fd63c71d 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
     data_accessor: 0,
     data_provider: 1,
     data_coordinator: 2,
-    data_protection_officer: 3,
   }.freeze
 
   enum role: ROLES
@@ -37,4 +36,12 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
   def reset_password_notify_template
     last_sign_in_at ? RESET_PASSWORD_TEMPLATE_ID : SET_PASSWORD_TEMPLATE_ID
   end
+
+  def is_data_protection_officer?
+    is_dpo
+  end
+
+  def is_data_protection_officer!
+    update!(is_dpo: true)
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/services/imports/data_protection_confirmation_import_service.rb b/app/services/imports/data_protection_confirmation_import_service.rb
index 142fe039d..30d28b647 100644
--- a/app/services/imports/data_protection_confirmation_import_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/imports/data_protection_confirmation_import_service.rb
@@ -11,14 +11,14 @@ module Imports
       dp_officer = User.find_by(
         name: record_field_value(xml_document, "dp-user"),
         organisation: org,
-        role: "data_protection_officer",
+        is_dpo: true,
       )
 
       if dp_officer.blank?
         dp_officer = User.new(
           name: record_field_value(xml_document, "dp-user"),
           organisation: org,
-          role: "data_protection_officer",
+          is_dpo: true,
           encrypted_password: SecureRandom.hex(10),
         )
         dp_officer.save!(validate: false)
diff --git a/db/migrate/20220328105332_change_dpo_to_attribute.rb b/db/migrate/20220328105332_change_dpo_to_attribute.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6461fd87c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20220328105332_change_dpo_to_attribute.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+class ChangeDpoToAttribute < ActiveRecord::Migration[7.0]
+  def change
+    change_table :users, bulk: true do |t|
+      t.column :is_dpo, :boolean, default: false
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index 11d585b51..566019efb 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -315,6 +315,7 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema[7.0].define(version: 202202071123100) do
     t.integer "failed_attempts", default: 0
     t.string "unlock_token"
     t.datetime "locked_at", precision: nil
+    t.boolean "is_dpo", default: false
     t.string "phone"
     t.index ["email"], name: "index_users_on_email", unique: true
     t.index ["organisation_id"], name: "index_users_on_organisation_id"
diff --git a/spec/factories/user.rb b/spec/factories/user.rb
index b3dc82583..0de22af97 100644
--- a/spec/factories/user.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/user.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ FactoryBot.define do
       role { "data_coordinator" }
     end
     trait :data_protection_officer do
-      role { "data_protection_officer" }
+      is_dpo { true }
     end
     created_at { Time.zone.now }
     updated_at { Time.zone.now }
diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
index 934ab57a1..a59cd8fdd 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -46,6 +46,15 @@ RSpec.describe User, type: :model do
       expect(user.data_provider?).to be true
       expect(user.data_coordinator?).to be false
     end
+
+    it "is not a data protection officer by default" do
+      expect(user.is_data_protection_officer?).to be false
+    end
+
+    it "can be set to data protection officer" do
+      expect { user.is_data_protection_officer! }
+        .to change { user.reload.is_data_protection_officer? }.from(false).to(true)
+    end
   end
 
   describe "paper trail" do
diff --git a/spec/services/imports/data_protection_confirmation_import_service_spec.rb b/spec/services/imports/data_protection_confirmation_import_service_spec.rb
index fd513138c..eddfca6a2 100644
--- a/spec/services/imports/data_protection_confirmation_import_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/imports/data_protection_confirmation_import_service_spec.rb
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ RSpec.describe Imports::DataProtectionConfirmationImportService do
         it "creates a data protection officer without sign in credentials" do
           expect { import_service.create_data_protection_confirmations("data_protection_directory") }
             .to change(User, :count).by(1)
-          data_protection_officer = User.find_by(organisation:, role: "data_protection_officer")
+          data_protection_officer = User.find_by(organisation:, is_dpo: true)
           expect(data_protection_officer.email).to eq("")
         end