Senior Specialist, Data Protection & Data Access

About CMHC

The work you do and the work we do together matters. We come to work every day with a common purpose: to contribute to a well-functioning housing system.

At CMHC, we hold ourselves accountable for our results and support our colleagues in their achievements. We thrive on collaboration, connecting across CMHC and involving the right people to get our work done. Our leadership style is guided by trust, where our leaders favour an adaptive approach based on the needs of their teams.

Join us and be part of a team that's committed to making a real difference and be part of something meaningful.

What’s in it for you

We’ve got the purpose, the people and the perks you need for a fulfilling career. Here’s the comprehensive and generous benefits you get when you’re a permanent employee:

• Annual Paid vacation.
• Annual individual performance incentive.
• Defined benefit pension plan.
• Comprehensive group insurance plan to support your well-being from day one.
• Support towards your personal and professional growth with training, mentorship and more. 
• An inclusive workplace culture and environment.
• While positions at CMHC require some in-office presence, alternative work arrangements may be considered for Indigenous candidates. 

About the role

Join the IT Security Operations Team, in the Senior Specialist, Data Protection & Data Access position. In this role you will be responsible for designing, governing, and continuously improving the enterprise Data Protection and Data Access program.  You will ensure that organizational data is classified, protected, accessed, shared, and retained in accordance with legal, regulatory, privacy, and security requirements. The role provides expert-level advice to senior management and is accountable for the effectiveness and outcomes of data protection and data access controls across the full data lifecycle.

What you’ll do:

• Own and govern the enterprise data protection and data access framework, including policies, standards, and control objectives.
• Define governance for data classification, handling, authorized access, sharing, disclosure, retention, and protection of sensitive and regulated data.
• Ensure alignment with privacy, information protection, and regulatory obligations across the organization.
• Assess and communicate data access and protection risks in business‑relevant terms; advise leaders on risk acceptance and control requirements.
• Provide expert guidance on data protection implications for new systems, analytics initiatives, cloud services, and data integrations.
• Define, monitor, and report on data protection and access KPIs/KRIs; deliver executive‑ and board‑level reporting on data risk and control effectiveness.
• Oversee assessments of data protection controls, data access practices, and third‑party data handling arrangements.
• Provide functional leadership and cross‑functional collaboration; represent the organization in audits, regulatory reviews, and data‑related investigations.

What you should have:

• A bachelor’s degree in information management, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or a related field.  An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be considered.
• An advanced certification is required (e.g., CISSP, CISM, privacy or data governance certification).
• 7 to 10 years of progressive experience in data protection, data governance, privacy, or information security.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior leadership on enterprise-level data risk decisions.
• Experience designing and governing data protection or information management programs.

Posting closing date: Note, the competition will remain active until filled. 

Standby and Call Back duties are a requirement of this position and will be subject to CMHC policies, including the Standby and Call Back Pay Procedure.

Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion 

We’re committed to employment equity and encourage women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, veterans and persons of all races, ethnicities, religions, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities and expressions to apply. We also welcome applications from non-Canadians who are eligible to work in Canada.

CMHC is an inclusive workplace where diversity of thought – and of people – are recognized, valued, and considered essential to achieving our mission.

Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion 

What happens after you apply 

We know that applying for a new job can be both exciting and daunting, and we appreciate your effort. Learn more about our hiring process.  If you are selected for an interview or testing, please advise us if you require an accommodation.

If you applied before and you were not successful don’t worry – we're always posting new positions, so don’t hesitate to give it another shot. We’re excited to see what you bring to the table this time around!