HIPAA/FERPA Compliance Specialist

Position Title HIPAA/FERPA Compliance Specialist About the University

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

About the Department The Student Health Center supports Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity. About the Position Position Summary:

Western Washington University’s Student Health Center (SHC) is seeking a Temporary HIPAA/FERPA Compliance Specialist to support compliance initiatives related to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This position will assist with the assessment and documentation of WWU’s HIPAA hybrid entity designation, support the development of compliance policies, and create tailored training materials for SHC staff.

This temporary role is critical to ensuring that SHC maintains best practices in privacy and confidentiality, particularly as it intersects with the dual regulatory environments of education and healthcare in preparation for expanding our health insurance billing.

This is a temporary position ending no later than October 31, 2025.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in healthcare administration, law, public health, or related field preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of HIPAA and FERPA regulations and their application in a higher education or healthcare setting.
• Experience with hybrid entity structures under HIPAA.
• Strong writing, communication, and policy development skills.
• Ability to work independently, manage timelines, and deliver results within a short-term assignment.

 

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience working in a university health center or student affairs environment.
• Experience developing and delivering compliance training.
• Familiarity with Washington State-specific privacy laws and higher education policy environments.

Conditions of Employment All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60-days of hire. Please reach out to HR@wwu.edu if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations. Salary $54.14/hour Benefits Information

Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position.  This position is not eligible for benefits.

Application Instructions

Application materials should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications.

Closing Date Notes Position open until filled