Privacy Officer, Legal Services

Company : IWK Health

Req ID: 218134 
Department/Program: Risk Management & Legal Services, Legal Services 
Location: Halifax  
Type of Employment: Permanent Hourly FT (100% FTE)  x 1 position(s)
 Start Date: ASAP
Union Status: Non-union, Management/Non Union Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $39.2931 - $49.1163 /hour
Closing Date: April 13, 2026 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia. People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other’s talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values, and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.

Promoting an anti-racist environment, and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Working in Mi’kma’ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Associate General Legal Counsel, an IWK Privacy Officer is responsible for developing, implementing and leading the IWK’s privacy program alongside the other Privacy Office team members, ensuring compliance with privacy legislation, policies, and best practices. 

This Privacy Officer position is responsible leading IWK Privacy's work in developing an overarching privacy risk strategy and framework.  This includes identifying new and changing privacy legislation and its implications at IWK Health, leading privacy best practice research, developing privacy policies and leading the development and delivery of privacy education for IWK team members.  The Privacy Officer also works collaboratively with other Privacy Office team members to support and undertake general Privacy Office work, including privacy audit functions, privacy breach investigation/follow-up, advising on Privacy Impact Assessments, developing and presenting reports to management on IWK's privacy compliance and performance, reporting and communicating with regulators.  The IWK Privacy Office is also responsible for managing processes under the Personal Health Information Act (PHIA), and access to information requests under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPOP) Act.

Key to an IWK Privacy Officer's role is providing consultation, advice, and education to IWK management, and being the IWK privacy representative on provincial committees/initiatives involving privacy work. The IWK Privacy Office is also IWK’s primary liaison with the Nova Scotia Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.

Hours of Work

Monday - Friday; 0800-1600; 75 hours biweekly

Hybrid position

Your Qualifications

• University graduate in a related field (e.g. Law, Business Administration, Health Information Management, Information Technology, Healthcare Profession) or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience may be considered
• Privacy, information systems audit, or security designation is an asset (e.g. IAPP, CISA, CISSP, MCSA)
• Project Management Certification is an asset
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience working in a privacy professional role, or minimum 3 years’ demonstrated relevant and transferable professional experience.  
• Experience in project management/implementation an asset
• Experience in policy development/analysis/implementation an asset
• Experience in adult education an asset
• Experience in following up on privacy matters or applying privacy protocols or policies, information systems audit
• Good understanding of privacy legislation, principles and best practices
• Experience in a health care setting an asset
• Working knowledge of MS Office Suite and spreadsheet and database applications
• Working knowledge of patient information systems used at the IWK (e.g. Meditech) an asset
• Demonstrates understanding of and ability to protect privacy and confidentiality
• Familiar with the requirements of the Personal Health Information Act and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPOP) Act
• Ability to self-organize and prioritize work
• Excellent written and oral communication and interpersonal skills
• Self-motivated and self-aware; demonstrated ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders
• High degree of tact, diplomacy, integrity and impartiality required
• Superior judgment and discretion in dealing with sensitive and confidential information
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, including the ability to prioritize work effectively
• Understanding and commitment to the principles of patient and family centred care
• Strong analytical and logical problem-solving ability while maintaining an attention to detail
• Skilled at conducting presentations and training
• Respects the dignity, values, privacy, and beliefs of the individual and keeps confidentiality of patient information paramount at all times
• Understands how ethical issues in the health care environment affect work practices
• Strong customer service skills, including the ability to identify customer needs and make every effort to meet customer expectations in a friendly, helpful and effective manner
• Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills and conflict resolution strategies
• Competencies in other languages an asset

Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.

Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.

This is a Management/Non Union  bargaining  unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position.

An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.

If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.