Privacy Officer & Senior Legal Counsel

Position Overview

This position leads FortisBC’s privacy management program, ensuring compliance with privacy legislation and regulatory requirements. The position is part of the FortisBC legal department and will  be responsible for providing legal advice on privacy, AI, cybersecurity, data governance, and providing contract support for the Information Systems business unit. It is accountable for privacy program oversight, risk management, privacy impact assessments, data storage assessments, breach response, and serving as a regulatory liaison with privacy regulators.

In this role, you will:

•    Act as the organization’s designated privacy authority to lead and maintain FortisBC’s privacy program and be the primary liaison with privacy regulators as required under applicable legislation.
•    Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of the organization’s privacy governance framework, policies, and procedures.  Collaborates with business units to embed privacy and related compliance controls into operational processes.
•    Provide strategic oversight to the Privacy Advisor role and exercise final review and approval authority for privacy impact assessments and data storage assessments. Oversee the handling of access requests from employees, customers, and external agencies, ensuring compliance with data storage location requirements as required by BCUC. 
•    Oversee the privacy incident response process, including investigation, documentation, containment, remediation, and reporting. Respond to privacy incidents, breaches and cybersecurity incidents. 
•    Provide legal counsel on privacy, AI, cybersecurity, information systems, and data governance matters, while delivering privacy training and awareness programs. 
•    Draft and negotiate information systems agreements, monitor emerging legal and regulatory developments, and manage external legal counsel as required.

What it takes:

•    A Bachelor of Law or Juris Doctor degree plus a minimum of eight years of post-call experience in a corporate legal department or law firm, and good standing membership with the Law Society of B.C. 
•    Minimum of three (3) years’ experience as a compliance or privacy professional. 
•    Completion of or eligible to complete an Information Access & Protection of Privacy program or certification as a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/C, CIPM) or other Canadian recognized privacy certification. 
•    Experience providing legal and privacy advice within a regulated or public sector environment would be an asset.
•    Understanding of cybersecurity principles, data governance, and records management.