Coordinator/Analyst, Legal, Privacy & Risk

Job Summary:

In accordance with the Mission, Vision and Values, and strategic directions of Provincial Health Services Authority patient and employee safety is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA, and as such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.
The Coordinator/Analyst, Legal, Privacy & Risk reports to the Vice President (VP), Legal, Privacy & Risk (a member of PHSA’s Senior Executive Team) and is responsible to coordinate all legal contracts negotiated or drafted by Legal Services and to contribute to the delivery of legal services for all PHSA agencies, services and divisions including BCEHS. Develops and maintains a contract database for PHSA, provides reports on contract status, and ensures new contracts are properly executed and incorporated into the contract database. The Coordinator/Analyst, with minimal oversight by legal counsel, drafts short standard agreements such as confidentiality agreements, releases and simple funding letters, and assists legal counsel in the development of standard agreement templates. The Coordinator/Analyst drafts meeting agendas, briefs Chief Legal Counsel and Legal Counsel on the legal issues involved, carries out preliminary research and provides preliminary analysis and insights; triages team workload, works independently to assess the needs and priority for legal services balancing the workflow and demands of the team, tracks legal matters and requests, and engages with all PHSA legal counsel to ensure timely progress of all requests for assistance from members of the Legal Services team, particularly when urgent matters arise. In addition, receives writs and other legal notices, supports budget development and monitors/approves expenditures, and provides administrative/secretarial support to the Legal, Privacy & Risk teams. Provides supervision leadership and guidance to assigned staff including law co-op students to support the achievement of required outcomes.

Duties/Accountabilities:

• Coordinates the workflow and requests of Legal Services, Privacy & Risk and operates as the central point of contact, assesses appropriateness and urgency of requests, reviews and analyses information provided and pursues additional or clarifying information as needed.
• With minimal oversight, drafts agreements and legal documents such as confidentiality agreements, releases, consents, corporate resolutions, memoranda of understanding, affidavits, statutory declarations, funding letters and letters of intent. Assists Legal Counsel in developing standard agreement templates for use across PHSA.
• Coordinates and administers a contracts database for across PHSA. Monitors contract expiry and initiates renewal where appropriate, liaises with PHSA legal counsel and contract signatories on upcoming contract expiry and renewals, drafts contracts for approval by PHSA Legal Counsel, and arranges sign-off and approval by operational leadership.
• Provides a paralegal assessment of legal issues raised for Legal Counsel’s consideration. Conducts preliminary legal research including sourcing current copies of legislation, case law or tribunal rulings/judgments.
• Works with the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) Care Coordination Office by coordinating and facilitating with the Risk Management Director a response to MAiD requests and follow-up for patients and/or health care providers.
• Assists with the Legal Services, Privacy & Risk budget preparation and analysis, and monitors the legal expenditures on an organization-wide basis. Authorizes expense reimbursements and invoices up to a pre-determined limit.
• Provides leadership and guidance to assigned staff using effective management techniques (e.g., coaching, mentoring, skill and leadership development, performance management) to support the achievement of required outcomes.
• Supervises law co-op students; responsible for hiring and on-boarding processes, provides orientation, establishes clear parameters of responsibilities and assists the students in setting priorities. Reviews workloads and complexity and provides feedback to Legal Counsel.
• Maintains corporate record books, ensures accuracy and completeness, and traces key filing dates. Receives writs and other notices of legal or administrative proceedings, to which PHSA or BCEHS is a party, including those before the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and ensures appropriate and timely follow-up and diarization of key dates.
• Performs word processing of complex legal agreements and other documents for the Legal Services group, including presentations, correspondence, memos, reports, tables, and charts.
• Provides secretarial/administrative support to the Legal, Privacy & Risk teams including maintaining the calendar for the Chief Legal Counsel including making initial contact with individuals or agencies seeking legal services and taking simple initial instructions.

Qualifications:

A level of education, training and experience equivalent to graduation from a 2-year Paralegal Certificate Program or Legal Secretarial diploma, plus seven (7) years’ of experience working in a legal office environment.
Broad knowledge of contracts and other legal documentation. Demonstrated ability to identify legal issues, research case law, and an ability to coordinate legal workflow for a senior leader and team in a dynamic environment. Strong oral and written communication skills with the ability to communicate concisely and effectively with individuals at all levels both internally and external to PHSA and BCEHS. Demonstrated understanding and ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion with legal matters. Proven ability to build and maintain good working relationships with maturity. Ability to work independently and a member of a team in a complex, face paced environment with minimal supervision. Well-developed listening and recording skills combined with an ability to take instructions. Capable of decision making/problem solving within predetermined guidelines and balances the need for judgment and initiative to resolve problems/issues and to defuse conflict situations. Demonstrated ability to prioritize workload, assess organizational priority, work under pressure and meet deadlines with short turnaround times, and demonstrates flexibility to adapt to changing organizational priorities. Demonstrated superior organizational and time management skills. Ability to use related equipment including a high degree of proficiency with standard office computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, presentation and database software packages.