Description
The Access and Privacy Office under the Office of General Counsel, and People and Culture is currently seeking a Full-time Regular Senior Specialist, Privacy.
Reporting to the Manager, Access and Privacy, the Senior Specialist, Privacy is a member of the University of Calgary's Access and Privacy Office which plays a key role in supporting the University's compliance with the Alberta Access to Information Act (ATIA) and Protection of Privacy Act (POPA). The position is responsible for advising University faculties, departments and business units on all manner of privacy issues, conducting and managing privacy impact assessments (PIAs), assisting with responding to privacy incidents or breaches, including conducting risk assessments, investigations, and incident response activities, and for providing guidance and training to ensure the appropriate handling and protection of personal information across the institution.
The Senior Specialist, Privacy works closely with other members of the University Legal Services team to support and provide advice for both institutional and research-related projects, and contribute to the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of privacy compliance measures across the institution. The role ensures that privacy considerations are embedded in university operations and that risks to personal information are identified, mitigated, and managed in alignment with legal, ethical, and operational standards.
Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):
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Assist in the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the University's privacy management program, including implementing University guidance materials, procedures, operating standards, resources, and other tools to support compliance with privacy legislation and University policies.
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Conduct Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) for new and existing programs, projects, systems, technologies, and initiatives to determine whether a PIA is required to be submitted to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC), identify risks and potential mitigations, and ensure compliance with applicable privacy and data protection legislation. Take primary responsibility for the completion, tracking and retention of PIAs and a University privacy risk register to support the monitoring, reporting, and management of privacy risks across the University.
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Support the University Data Protection Officer on GDPR-related matters and assist researchers and business units with Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) and other privacy reviews, as required, including providing support to other members of the Legal Services team in completing privacy reviews.
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Act as University Legal Services primary contact for software acquisitions and renewals, working with IT Security, Supply Chain Management, vendors, and project teams to confirm data classification, assess privacy requirements, and complete privacy reviews and PIAs where required.
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Conduct first-level reviews and investigations of privacy incidents and breaches, including intake, documentation, risk assessment, preparing recommendations and follow-up activities.
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Identify and escalate potential Real Risk of Significant Harm (RROSH) incidents to the Manager, Access and Privacy and provide support on reporting and notification activities to regulatory bodies as required.
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Review and respond to privacy-related inquiries from faculty, staff or researchers and provide advice on privacy compliance including data classification, privacy-by-design principles, collection notice requirements, and information handling best practices.
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Support the Access and Privacy Office in managing the process for internal and external requests for access to personal information held in the custody and control of the University to ensure compliance with POPA, including initiatives involving data matching or the use or disclosure of de-identified personal information.
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Support the Access and Privacy Office in designing, coordinating, and delivering annual privacy awareness training and awareness activities for faculty, staff, researchers, and business units, including ad-hoc training and presentations as needed
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Research and monitor privacy legislation, case law, regulatory guidance, emerging issues, and best practices, and provides recommendations to the Manager, Access and Privacy to support continuous improvement of the University's privacy management program
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Support the development, review, and maintenance of privacy-related policies, procedures, standards, communications, and guidance materials to ensure compliance with legislative requirements and University objectives.
Qualifications / Requirements:
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University degree required; education, training and/or significant experience in federal and provincial access and privacy legislation is an asset.
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Designation in access to information and/or privacy such as IAPP, CIAPP, or CIPP/C certification are considered an asset.
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Familiarity with public sector governance structures and/or understanding of the post-secondary educational institution culture and organizational structure.
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Solid understanding of emerging privacy risks and challenges related to the proliferation of artificial intelligence and information and data governance best practices.
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Highly developed conceptual and analytical abilities, and high level of interpersonal, communication, negotiation, and mediation skills.
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Experience solving complex problems, coordinating with multiple internal and external stakeholders and dealing with sensitive or confidential information.
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Strong communication skills with a demonstrated ability to understand complex problems and work closely with various leaders to ensure an efficient and effective solution.
Application Deadline: September 3, 2026
We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.
This position is classified in the Professional Career Band, Level 4 of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework.
For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.
About the University of Calgary
UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.
The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy ii' taa'poh'to'p committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.
The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit-based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous-based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.
As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People & Culture ([email protected]).
Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.
We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.
