• Job Description

  Req#: R-825

  BC Assessment is currently looking for a Corporate Legal Counsel and Privacy Officer to join our talented team of leaders for a permanent opportunity.

  
  Organization Overview

  BC Assessment is a Provincial Crown Corporation that develops and maintains real property assessments throughout British Columbia in addition to providing real property information. BC Assessment serves the citizens of British Columbia and has 13 offices throughout the province.

  At BC Assessment, our people and culture are important to us. We work together to create a culture that appreciates differences in all forms. We trust and respect each other, and are invited to bring our whole selves to work. We are committed to making BC Assessment the best possible place to work, and through our efforts ultimately contribute to a better British Columbia. Our digitally agile, service-centric employees are productive, engaged, and work collaboratively in a modern flexible workplace. Our employees are at the heart of our organization and we are proud to be recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers for the eleventh year!

  At BC Assessment, we offer competitive benefits for our employees:

  • Work-life balance – 35-hour work weeks, and flexible work schedules.

  • Public Service Pension Plan – one of the best in Canada, allowing you to plan for your future.

  • Health and Wellness - generous extended health and dental benefits through Pacific Blue Cross and an Employee Assistance Program to help support our employees overall well-being.

  • We offer a reduced-cost bus pass through the BC Transit ProPASS program and our Uptown office has a secure bike storage and secure change rooms with lockers.

  • Career development – we want you to grow and learn with us! We provide ongoing learning, leadership development and career development scholarship program.

  One of BC Assessment's core values is that we are here for each other. We build relationships based on genuine support and care. We respect each other as individuals with different identities, experiences and views. We are committed to recruiting, developing, and supporting the success of a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applications from anyone, including Indigenous Peoples, Black People, Members of Racialized Groups/Visible Minorities, Persons with Disabilities and People with Diverse Sexual Orientations and Gender Identities or Expressions.

  We are committed to ensuring that reasonable accommodations are made available to persons with disabilities during the recruitment, assessment and selection processes and will provide reasonable accommodations upon request. If you require assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us.
  

  Job Overview

  The Corporate Legal Counsel and Privacy Officer (Legal Counsel) provides a range of legal services and advice to staff throughout BC Assessment (BCA). Key responsibilities include legal, privacy and policy work relating to corporate, commercial, regulatory and governance matters.

  Reporting to the BCA General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Legal Counsel researches, analyzes and provides legal advice, opinions, briefing materials and drafting in relation to contracts, privacy matters, regulatory compliance, procurement, leasing, intellectual property, licensing, data and technology matters. Legal Counsel will lead matters involving the Office of the Information & Privacy Commissioner (OIPC), Office of the Ombudsperson and Office of the Auditor General (OAG) and leads BCA’s Privacy Management and Accountability Program.

  Legal Counsel will manage BCA specific policies and procedures in compliance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), the Assessment Act and the Assessment Authority Act and associated regulations and develop and promote current and proposed BCA programs and services to achieve compliance with the legislation and oversee the review of and providing direction on complex, sensitive access and privacy cases.

  Legal Counsel is a pivotal senior leadership role in BC Assessment. This role requires a leader who can deliver outstanding results, champion change and influence behaviour. The ideal candidate is a competent coach and mentor for their staff and they inspire and foster a culture of collaboration and creativity. You are an exceptional communicator with strong organization and planning skills. You have in-depth knowledge of legislation, case law, policies, regulations and best practices governing Public Bodies and Crown Corporations in order to act as a corporate resource on legal issues. You are an expert in legislation and legislative procedures and interpretation and application of statutes. You have the ability to foster positive working relationships with individuals and groups and participate on diverse work teams.
  

  Key Accountabilities

  • Provides legal interpretation of statutes and regulations to BCA General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Executive Committee, Managers and Staff in a variety of forms (e.g. verbal or written advice, formal opinions, briefing notes, etc.)

  • Prepares sensitive or confidential briefing notes, opinions, letters, reports and analysis for BCA’s General Counsel & Corporate Secretary and Executive Committee.

  • Oversees and maintains BCA’s contract and policy registers and ledgers.

  • Providing day-to-day privacy compliance advice.

  • Recommends, develops and revises BCA policies to ensure compliance with the law and regulatory and governance best practices.

  • Supports compliance with BCA’s legal and regulatory requirements as a Public Body and Crown Corporation, including compliance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and Core Policy and Procedure.

  • Reviews and drafts contracts, licenses, leases and procurement documentation relating to a wide range of business and corporate arrangements.

  • Anticipates legal issues and risks to BCA, and develops practical solutions and communicates those solutions as a trusted advisor and business partner to applicable staff.

  • Leads the Privacy Management and Accountability Program (PMAP) as well as the FIPPA request and response program that ensures compliance with BCA’s FIPPA statutory obligations.

  • Liaises, negotiates and mediates issues with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC), external legal counsel, and external professionals. Represents BCA as the subject matter expert during reviews, mediations and inquiries.

  • Identifies, develops, coordinates, ensures program initiatives comply and implements policies, guidelines and procedures to manage and support BCA compliance with FIPPA, other acts (including the Assessment Act, Assessment Authority Act) and associated regulations and resulting policies and protocols.

  • Develops policies and procedures to improve/refine the Privacy Impact Assessment processes throughout BCA. Identifies risks and develops and recommends responsive mitigation strategies while ensuring adherence to legislative requirements. Conducts investigations and leads BCA's privacy information incident response process.

  • Designs, develops and delivers training and direction to the Board, Executive, senior managers and employees on information access and privacy.

  • Provides expert knowledge and advice on:

    • Privacy impacts and the disclosure of confidential and sensitive information to all business areas of BCA; and

    • Usage, requirements and proposed revisions to the Authorization to Receive Confidential Property Information regulated form, as the owner of the process.
      

  This position is an excluded from the bargaining unit.
  

  Location: Vancouver, BC

  Compensation: $141,475 - $172,850

  (T he starting salary is determined based on the successful candidate’s knowledge, experience and internal equity)

  Competition Close Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 11:59 PM (PDT)

  
  Qualifications

  Education

  • Law degree.

  • Eligible to practice law in BC.

  • Chartered Access and Privacy Professional (CAPP) designation is an asset.

  Experience

  • Three years of experience practicing law, including privacy law.

  • Experience in corporate/commercial law and experience working for a Public Body or Crown Corporation would be an asset.

  Note: An equ i valent combination of educat ion and exper i ence m ay be c ons i der ed.

  Application Instructions:

  This is an exclusive search by Smith Legal Search. Please visit the postings on their site to apply directly:

  Legal Counsel and Privacy Officer

  Applications received via BC Assessment's site will not be accepted or reviewed.

  Offers of employment are conditional upon a satisfactory Criminal Record Check. All information provided in your application may be subject to verification. Successful applicants will be required to provide proof of qualifications and/or supporting documentation (e.g. copies of certificates, diplomas, degrees, driver’s license) as a condition of employment.

• About the company

  BC Assessment provides current actual value assessments for tax purposes on all properties in British Columbia and provides expertise in real estate data, mass appraisal systems and management.

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