Privacy and Compliance Officer

Counties; California; On-site; USD 133,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The County of Santa Barbara seeks a dynamic Privacy and Compliance Officer to lead countywide regulatory programs, including HIPAA Privacy and ADA compliance. This at-will, unclassified role guides policies, conducts risk assessments, and directs investigations to safeguard information and ensure accessible public services.

The ideal candidate has HIPAA/ADA expertise, strong leadership, and the ability to translate complex regulations into actionable programs across departments, promoting equity

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university.
• Four years of progressively responsible regulatory compliance experience, with two years handling HIPAA-protected health information.

Responsibilities

• Lead countywide Information Privacy Program implementing HIPAA and ADA compliance.
• Develop policies, procedures and standards for regulatory areas.
• Supervise program goals, initiatives and responsibilities.
• Investigate and respond to complaints and coordinate investigations.
• Foster collaboration and build relationships across departments.

Skills

HIPAA

ADA

Strategic thinking

Analytical skills

Policy interpretation

Audits and investigations

Risk assessment

Communication

Equity and accessibility

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Privacy and Compliance Officer

Salary: $133,456 – $170,324 Annually

Benefits: Explore the Benefits Summary

The County of Santa Barbara is seeking a dynamic and highly skilled Privacy and Compliance Officer to guide and elevate our countywide regulatory compliance programs. This managerial-level role serves as the County’s HIPAA Privacy Officer and ADA Coordinator, ensuring consistent, legally compliant, and equitable practices across all departments.

This leadership position plays a critical role in safeguarding sensitive information, ensuring accessible public services, and advancing a culture of organizational responsibility and awareness. If you are a compliance professional who thrives in environments that require strategic thinking, collaboration, and independent judgment, we invite you to join our team.

The Privacy and Compliance Officer is an at-will, unclassified position not covered under the Civil Service provisions.

The Privacy and Compliance Officer provides effective county-wide leadership in the implementation and management of the countywide Information Privacy Program (including compliance with the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as defined in 45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §164.530(a)(1)), the countywide Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance program as defined under 28 C.F.R. § 35.107(a), and other assigned enterprise-wide regulatory compliance programs.

The role is responsible for developing policies, procedures, and standards related to its area of responsibility.

Additionally, the Privacy and Compliance Officer will supervise the implementation of program goals, initiatives and responsibilities.

This position will investigate and respond to, or coordinate investigations and respond to complaints within its area of responsibility.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:

The most competitive candidates will demonstrate:

• Expertise in HIPAA, ADA, and related federal/state privacy laws
• Strong strategic and analytical skills
• Ability to interpret, communicate, and operationalize complex policies
• Experience conducting audits, investigations, and risk assessments
• Exceptional communication and presentation abilities
• Commitment to equity, accessibility, and organizational integrity
• Ability to foster consensus, lead multidisciplinary teams, and build collaborative relationships at all organizational levels
• Possession of one or more of the following certifications:
  • Healthcare Compliance Certificate
  • ADA Coordinator Certification
  • Healthcare Privacy Compliance (HCCA)
  • Healthcare Privacy & Security (AHIMA)
  • HIPAA Compliance Officer, Certified (AIHC)
  • Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional (SCCE)
  • Certification in American Sign Language

Qualifications

Equivalent of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in public health, social work, statistics, economics, business/public administration, legal studies, or a related field; and

• Four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in a complex regulatory compliance setting, including at least two years of professional/analytical experience directly related to the safeguarding, maintenance and processing of private and confidential health information protected by HIPAA. Experience in local government (especially in behavioral health, public health, and social services data environments) is highly desirable.