Privacy Specialist

Job Title

Privacy Specialist

Agency

Texas A&M University

Department

University Risk And Compliance

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Our Commitment

Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment for all visitors, students, faculty, and staff by promoting a culture that embraces inclusion, diversity, equity, and accountability.  Diverse perspectives, talents, and identities are vital to accomplishing our mission and living our core values .

Who we are

Texas A&M University relies on all faculty, staff, and students to be knowledgeable of compliance obligations and the ethical behavior associated with their respective roles. The Office of Risk, Ethics, and Compliance (OREC) provides leadership and university-wide services that strengthen accountability, mitigate significant risks, and reduce the consequences of non-compliance with federal and state laws. To learn more, please visit our website at: https://orec.tamu.edu/ .

What we want

The Privacy Specialist, under general supervision, plays a critical role in creating a culture of privacy that is central to the day-to-day function of the University. Helps foster this culture of privacy to help ensure the privacy and safety of students, faculty, staff, patients, and all those whose lives are touched by Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES ) and AgriLife. This role you will be responsible for supporting and implementing all aspects of the global data protection compliance strategy and advising on privacy matters surrounding data protection. The selected candidate will subscribe to and support our commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability as stated above. If the description sounds interesting to you, we invite you to apply to be considered for this opportunity.

What you need to know

Salary: Compensation will be commensurate to selected hire’s experience.

Special Note: A cover letter and resume are strongly recommended. You may upload them on the application under the CV/Resume section.

COVID-19 information:  Texas A&M University monitors local, state and federally mandated health guidelines to keep students, employees, prospective employees, and visitors as safe as possible. For the latest information regarding Texas A&M’s COVID-19 response, please visit the University’s COVID-19 website . For COVID-19 employment-related information, please visit the Division of Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness’ COVID-19 website .

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelors degree or any equivalent combination of training and experience.

• Five years in information security, privacy, compliance, risk management role or role with comparable experience, as well as experience communicating with a wide range of internal stakeholders and experience assessing risk and compliance against internal policies and procedures.

Required Licenses and Certifications:

• Candidate will be expected to either have one of the following certifications, or obtain one within an 18 month period:  relevant privacy or security certifications (CIPP-US, CIPP-EU, CRISC, CISSP, CISM).

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Ability to establish rapport and communicate with students, faculty, and staff from various cultural, social, educational and economic backgrounds.

• Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively and interact effectively with a diverse array of faculty, staff, students, community members, and other third parties.

• Skilled in communicating with tact, diplomacy, discretion, and professionalism.

• Skilled is organizing, prioritizing, and managing multiple tasks and records in a high volume, fast-paced environment with attention to detail, flexibility and appropriate discretion.

• Ability to objectively gather and record relevant information into a well-organized file.

• Knowledge of relevant state and federal civil rights laws.

• Ability to adapt to constantly changing legal landscape.

• Ability to work as part of a team.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality with private or sensitive information.

• Proficiency in Microsoft applications with an emphasis on Word, excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

• Ability to organize, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks and data in a high volume, fast-paced environment with accuracy, attention to detail, flexibility, confidentiality, empathy, positivity, and compassion.

• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and experience working effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, in support of an inclusive and welcoming environment.

• Knowledge of best practices in higher education compliance with respect to effectively addressing discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

• Ability to act independently, take initiative, and exercise sound judgment.

• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.

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Responsibilities:

• Program Knowledge - Monitor known and emerging risks, measure internal control effectiveness, and develop and own action items to remediate identified risk issues. Inventory risk and compliance obligations in a governance, risk, and compliance system framework. Develop deep knowledge of privacy obligations and data privacy policies and solutions utilized by Texas A&M University. Consult on the development of Texas A&M University requirements for new system implementations and enhancements. Monitor Privacy compliance with federal, state, international, and TAMUS regulatory standards, including, but not limited to, laws, statutes, codes, policies, procedures, rules, and directives, as well as compliance with internal and external policies and procedures. Identify potential areas of compliance vulnerability and develop a plan of action to bring any non-compliant areas into compliance. Interpret departmental privacy policies, rules, and regulations and ensure they are followed. Respond to questions and troubleshoot issues. Oversee monitoring of policies, procedures, and rules in relation to Privacy developments. Serve as a resource for the university community to ensure research meets the highest standards of respect and confidentiality. Ensure the proper use and disclosure of such information in accordance with federal, state, and international laws as well as TAMU System policies.

• Program Implementation - Monitors, develops, executes, and facilitates compliance program with federal, state, international, and Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) regulatory and governing standards, including but not limited to laws, regulations, statutes, codes, policies, procedures, rules, and directives, as well as compliance with internal and external policies and procedures. Protect the privacy of students, patients, and employees by ensuring the safeguarding of confidential information. Consult and collaborates with legal, research, benefits, IT, information security, and HR policy, vendor, and application owners to ensure that sound protocols are in place to mitigate privacy risks in reviewing contracts and or research applications. Make known and secure commitment for remediation and risk management strategies. Create and execute project plans to achieve the defined deliverables. Prepare supporting documentation such as student, faculty and staff communications, FAQs, and standard operating policies. Draft written narratives to communicate obligations, risk analyses, and recommendations. Ensures timely and accurate documentation of all reports and University responses. Promotes an environment that fosters inclusive relationships and creates unbiased opportunities for contributions through ideas, words, and actions that uphold our values. Promote a culture of privacy on campus and in all TAMU-affiliated facilities. Manage other risk and compliance related projects as needs arise. Develop, establish, and maintain an effective and broad-based privacy compliance program based upon ethical conduct and a commitment to compliance with all applicable laws, policies, rules, and procedures. Coordinate internal and/or external audits, including providing information requested, coordinating responses, planning and coordinating pre-audits and follow-up audits. Formulate, maintain, and monitor a database of all rules and procedures required by the TAMUS and any additional rules and procedures needed for operations as determined by administration. Develop and assess programs.

• Investigations - Respond to apparent violations of policies, procedures, or other regulatory standards by recommending and participating in investigative procedures. Conduct investigations of potential violations of relevant privacy laws and University Rules Provide status updates to the parties throughout the selected complaint resolution process (formal or informal).  Maintains confidentiality to the extent allowed by federal regulations, state laws and university policies.

• Program Training - Delivers training and education programs for the university community. Represents the department at special events, community functions, and University trainings. Offer Guidance to the University community to help ensure the privacy of those under our care. Performs other duties as assigned.

 

Instructions to Applicants: Applications received by Texas A&M University must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to pre-populate the online application.

In accordance with the federal contractor vaccination mandate , specific facilities at The Texas A&M System may be considered a covered contractor workplace with covered contractor employees. Therefore, successful applicants for this position may be subject to the federal mandate to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment unless an approved medical or religious accommodation is in place.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.