Privacy specialist

Putting people first, every day BDO is a firm built on a foundation of positive relationships with our people and our clients. Each day, our professionals provide exceptional service, helping clients with advice and insight they can trust. In turn, we offer an award-winning environment that fosters a people-first culture with a high priority on your personal and professional growth. Your Opportunity We are seeking a Privacy Specialist to join BDO Canada’s Legal Department. This replacement role will support the firm’s Privacy Office, report to Senior Counsel, Privacy, and work with Information Security, Data Governance, Risk, Human Resources, and other internal stakeholders. The successful candidate will help support the day-to-day operation and continued maturity of BDO’s privacy program, including privacy impact assessments, data mapping, privacy incident response, vendor and technology reviews, privacy inquiries, training and awareness, and privacy program documentation. This role will also support BDO’s work on digital tools, AI, data analytics, and privacy-by-design by helping internal teams understand privacy risks and identify practical steps to address them. Key Responsibilities - Support the operation of BDO’s privacy program by coordinating intake, follow-up, documentation and metrics, and helping develop and update policies, procedures, templates, training and awareness materials. - Identify and document personal information flows across systems, processes, service lines, and vendors to support privacy impact assessments, incident response, retention, cross-border transfer assessments, and program governance. - Conduct and support Privacy Impact Assessments, DPIAs where applicable, and reviews for digital tools, analytics initiatives, service line projects, internal processes, and new uses of personal information. - Help teams apply privacy-by-design and reduce risk through data minimization, access controls, retention, transparency, consent, de-identification, vendor controls, and appropriate use limitations. - Assist with privacy incident response, including information gathering, documentation, containment and remediation, breach assessment, and stakeholder follow-up. - Support vendor, technology, and cross-border privacy reviews by assessing data flows, vendor practices, security and privacy documentation, data processing arrangements, transfer risks, and transfer impact assessments in collaboration with legal counsel and internal stakeholders. - Monitor Canadian and global developments in privacy, data protection, AI, and related regulation, including PIPEDA, provincial privacy laws, Quebec Law 25, GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, regulator guidance, enforcement trends, and industry practices; translate developments into practical updates to BDO's program. - Respond to internal privacy inquiries with practical guidance aligned with BDO policies and applicable requirements. How do we define success for your role? - You demonstrate BDO's core values through all aspects of your work: Integrity, Respect, and Collaboration - You understand your clients' industry, challenges, and opportunities; clients describe you as positive, professional, collaborative, and someone who delivers high-quality work - You identify, recommend, and are focused on effective service delivery to your clients - You share in an inclusive and engaging work environment that develops, retains, and attracts talent - You actively participate in the adoption of digital tools and strategies to drive an innovative workplace - You grow your expertise through learning and professional development Your Experience and Education - Four to six years of relevant experience in privacy, data protection, compliance, technology governance, or a related field; candidates with at least three years of direct privacy experience may also be considered. - Experience developing, operating, or improving a privacy program in a complex organization. - Strong working knowledge of Canadian privacy laws, including PIPEDA and provincial legislation such as Quebec's Law 25, with strong research skills to monitor developments in Canada and other relevant jurisdictions. - Experience conducting or supporting Privacy Impact Assessments, privacy reviews, data mapping, or similar risk assessments; DPIA experience is an asset. - Experience documenting personal information flows, including collection, use, disclosure, storage, retention, access, vendor involvement, and cross-border processing. - Experience supporting privacy incident response, breach documentation, privacy inquiries, or access and deletion requests. - Ability to translate privacy requirements into practical, business-facing guidance and clear next steps, supported by strong communication, sound judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to manage competing priorities. - Understanding of privacy-by-design principles, including data minimization, transparency, consent, retention, access controls, and appropriate use limitations. - Familiarity with GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, cross-border data transfers, data processing agreements, transfer impact assessments, AI-enabled solutions, data analytics, cloud tools, information security concepts, and privacy terms in vendor, technology, or commercial agreements is an asset; an IAPP certification such as CIPP/C, CIPM, or CIPT is also an asset. The expected base salary range for this role is $90,000-$110,000 annually, based on skills, experience, location, and qualifications. Why BDO? Our people-first approach to talent has earned us a spot among Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2026. This recognition is a milestone we’re thrilled to add to our collection of awards for both experienced and student talent experiences. At BDO, our people experience is guided by three core pillars-Do work with genuine care, Do what matters with purpose, and Do what’s next - shaping how we support our people, serve our clients, and grow together. Our firm is committed to providing an environment where you can be successful in the following ways: - We enable you to engage with how we change and evolve, being a key contributor to the success and growth of BDO in Canada. - We help you become a better professional within our services, industries, and markets with extensive opportunities for learning and development. - We support your achievement of personal goals outside of the office and making an impact on your community. - We foster a collaborative, inclusive environment where your ideas are valued, and you can do your best work with genuine care and purpose - We encourage innovation and forward thinking, empowering you to embrace what’s next and help shape the future of our firm Giving back adds up: Where company meets community. BDO is actively involved in our communities by supporting local charity initiatives. We support staff with local and national events where you will be given the opportunity to contribute to your community. Total rewards that matter: We pay for performance with competitive total cash compensation that recognizes and rewards your contribution. We provide comprehensive benefits from day one, and a flexible personal time off policy. We’re committed to supporting your overall wellbeing and provide reimbursement for wellness initiatives that fit your lifestyle. Everyone counts: We are committed to creating a workplace where employees can participate fully, contribute meaningfully and succeed without barriers. We are dedicated to fostering a workplace defined by respect, fairness, and a true sense of belonging for everyone. We recognize and celebrate the unique experiences, identities, and perspectives that each of us bring - and that these experiences strengthen how we work together. Our commitment extends to ensuring that our application process is both inclusive and accessible. If you require accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us. Flexibility: All BDO personnel are expected to spend some of their time working in the office, at the client site, and virtually unless accommodations or alternative work arrangements are in place. Our model is a blended approach designed to support the flexible needs of our people, the firm and our clients. It’s about creating work experiences that meet everyone’s needs and providing flexibility to adjust when, where and how we work to meet the expectations of our role. Code of Conduct: Our Code of Conduct sets clear standards for how we conduct business. It reflects our shared values and commitments and includes guiding principles to help us make ethical decisions and maintain trust with each other, our clients, and the public. BDO may use artificial intelligence enabled tools to support certain aspects of the recruitment process. While these tools assist our teams, our use of AI does not replace human decision making, and all employment-related outcomes are made by BDO personnel. More information on BDO Canada’s Privacy Policy can be found here: Privacy Policy | BDO Canada Ready to make your mark at BDO? Click “Apply now” to send your up-to-date resume to one of our Talent Acquisition Specialists. To explore other opportunities at BDO, check out our careers page. #LI-ES1