Principal Counsel - Federal Privacy (REMOTE)

Maximus is seeking a Principal Counsel, Federal Privacy to provide strategic legal guidance on complex privacy and data protection matters supporting federal programs. This role will lead privacy incident and breach response, advise on federal privacy requirements, oversee privacy assessments and security documentation, and support contracts, proposals, and data-sharing agreements. The Principal Counsel will partner with senior leaders and cross-functional teams to identify privacy risks, implement practical safeguards, strengthen privacy governance, and ensure privacy considerations are integrated throughout program and system lifecycles.

Candidates must hold a JD, be admitted to at least one State Bar, and have 5+ years of relevant professional experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

- Privacy Incident Response and Breach Management: Lead the legal analysis and investigation of privacy and data protection incidents affecting federal programs; determine whether contractual, regulatory, agency, or individual notification obligations apply; prepare legal analyses, investigation summaries, and notification deliverables; and advise stakeholders regarding containment, remediation, corrective actions, and lessons learned.

- Privacy Assessments, System Reviews, and Federal Security Documentation: Lead or review PIAs, PTAs, privacy control responses, implementation narratives, SSP materials, ATO documentation, security assessments, and related federal privacy and security artifacts; identify privacy risks; recommend appropriate safeguards; track remediation; and provide privacy-by-design guidance for system development, modernization, procurement, and implementation.

- Federal Privacy Legal Advice and Program Support: Serve as a subject matter expert on federal privacy and data protection matters; advise senior management, federal program teams, and operational stakeholders; interpret and operationalize federal statutes, regulations, agency guidance, contractual requirements, and applicable privacy and security frameworks; and develop guidance, templates, procedures, privacy notices, and other public-facing disclosures.

- Proposal, Solicitation, and Contract Support: Review RFPs, SOWs, PWSs, contracts, modifications, data use agreements, data-sharing agreements, and related documents to identify and address privacy and data protection requirements; support capture, proposal, and business development teams; and advise on breach notification, data ownership, data handling, audit, and other contractual privacy provisions.

- Governance, Training, Monitoring, and Leadership: Monitor developments in federal privacy law and agency guidance; deliver privacy training and awareness activities; participate in audits, assessments, investigations, and client reviews; mentor junior Privacy D-PO attorneys and privacy professionals; and contribute to the development and continuous improvement of privacy policies, standards, procedures, and operational capabilities.

- Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and admission to one or more State Bars is required.

- 5+ years of relevant professional experience required.

Maximus is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics.

Maximus compensation is based on various factors including but not limited to job location, a candidate's education, training, experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value analysis including seniority and merit systems, as well as internal pay alignment. Annual salary is just one component of Maximus's total compensation package. Other rewards may include short- and long-term incentives as well as program-specific awards. Additionally, Maximus provides a variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, a retirement savings plan, paid holidays and paid time off. Compensation ranges may differ based on contract value but will be commensurate with job duties and relevant work experience. An applicant's salary history will not be used in determining compensation. Maximus will comply with regulatory minimum wage rates and exempt salary thresholds in all instances.