Specialist, Privacy

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Position Purpose:

The Specialist, Privacy contributes to the delivery and ongoing operation of the University’s privacy management program by providing applied privacy analysis, advice, and coordination across a range of initiatives and activities. The position plays a substantive role in identifying, assessing, and documenting privacy considerations related to the collection, use, disclosure, retention, and protection of personal information.

The role independently manages assigned privacy files, including Privacy Impact Assessments and privacy breach and complaint processes, and works directly with academic and administrative units to support compliance with applicable privacy legislation, institutional policies, and established practices.

In this role, your responsibilities will include:

• Provides applied privacy advice to University’s faculties and administrative units on the interpretation and application of privacy legislation, institutional policies, and established best practices under the direction of the Chief Privacy Officer and Legal Counsel in order to support informed, legally sound decision-making across the institution and reduce the risk of non-compliance.

• Conducts and coordinates Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) for new or significantly modified initiatives, systems, services, or data‑sharing arrangements within established frameworks; documents privacy risks, tracks mitigation measures, and prepares recommendations for review so that privacy risks are identified and addressed proactively before initiatives are implemented, minimizing exposure to breaches and regulatory non-compliance.

• Contributes to the development, review, and maintenance of University’s privacy policies, standards, procedures, and guidance materials to ensure that the privacy framework remains current, consistent, and aligned with legislative requirements and evolving best practices.

• Works collaboratively with IT, procurement, legal, members of the research community, and administrative stakeholders to ensure privacy requirements and considerations are addressed and are embedded consistently across university systems, contracts, and projects from the outset rather than addressed retroactively.

• Coordinates and supports the management of privacy incidents, complaints, and internal investigations, including intake, assessment, documentation, mitigation activities, and follow‑up, escalating complex or high‑risk matters as required to ensure privacy incidents are resolved effectively and consistently, limiting harm to affected individuals and the University's liability.

• Prepares draft correspondence and reports related to privacy matters to support timely, accurate, and consistent communication on privacy issues with internal and external stakeholders.

• Prepare the annual statistical report for privacy breaches to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario required under FIPPA and PHIPA, and other reports as directed by the Chief Privacy Officer to fulfill the University's statutory reporting obligations and maintain transparency and accountability with the regulator.

• Assist with the development and delivery of training programs, materials, and presentations for university employees to build employee awareness of applicable privacy legislation and institutional policies and support consistent compliance across the University.

• Assist with special projects, including participation on special committees and support the response to access to information requests, as directed by the Chief Privacy Officer and Legal Counsel, to contribute privacy expertise to institutional initiatives and ensure the University meets its access-to-information obligations.

What you will bring:

• University degree in law, public administration, information management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Minimum 3+ years of privacy, information security, and/or risk management experience.

• Bilingualism – French and English (spoken and written).

• Privacy‑related certification is preferred, including Certified Information Privacy Professional/Canada (CIPP/C), Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM), or other similar credentials.

• In-depth knowledge of FIPPA and privacy and access to information legislation related access to information and privacy regulation and procedures.

• In-depth knowledge of the University’s policies and procedures related to access to information and protection of privacy.

• Strong organizational, planning and time management skills with ability to anticipate office needs.

• Proven organizational skills and ability to prioritize time-sensitive tasks.

• Ability to work under pressure while ensuring quality control.

• Professionalism, judgment, sensorial sensitivity, tact and discretion needed to ensure that the Access to Information and Privacy Office operates efficiently.

• Experience in dealing with the public.

• Experience in dealing with senior management.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Adobe Acrobat, with the ability to effectively use case management software and quickly learn new software applications.

• Ability to work under pressure and meet firm deadlines.

Key Competencies at uOttawa:
Here are the required competencies for all or our employees at uOttawa: 
Planning: Organize in time a series of actions or events in order to realize an objective or a project. Plan and organize own work and priorities in regular daily activities.
Initiative: Demonstrate creativity and initiative to suggest improvements and encourage positive results. Is proactive and self-starting. Show availability and willingness to go above and beyond whenever it is possible.
Client Service Orientation: Help or serve others to meet their needs. This implies anticipating and identifying the needs of internal and external clients and finding solutions on how to meet them.
Teamwork and Cooperation: Cooperate and work well with other members of the team to reach common goal(s). Accept and give constructive feedback. Able to adjust own behaviour to reach the goals of the team.
The University of Ottawa embraces diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We are passionate about our people and committed to employment equity. We foster a culture of respect, teamwork and inclusion, where collaboration, innovation, and creativity fuel our quest for research and teaching excellence. While all qualified persons are invited to apply, we welcome applications from qualified Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women and LGBTQIA2S+ persons. The University is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible, barrier-free work environment. The University is also committed to working with applicants with disabilities requesting accommodation during the recruitment, assessment and selection processes. Applicants with disabilities may contact [email protected] to communicate the accommodation need. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
Note: if this is a union position: The hiring process will be governed by the current collective agreement related to the union affiliation noted above; you can click here to find out more.
If this is a front-line position with responsibilities to interact with students, selected candidates must be rated at the Low Advanced proficiency level or higher for both oral comprehension and reading comprehension in their second official language. The rating is determined by a proficiency test designed by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid-19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.