Roles and responsibilities with respect to data at the public service commission

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Chief Data Officer (CDO) Profile
• Chief Information Officer (CIO) & Information Management Senior Officer (IMSO) Profile
• Data Stewards Profile
• Data User’s Profile
• Communications and Parliamentary Affairs Directorate (COMMS) Profile
• Open Government Secretariat (OGS) Profile
• Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Office Profile
• Legal Services Officials Profile
• Annex A: Acronyms

Introduction

In the fall of 2018, the Government of Canada (GC) published A Data Strategy Roadmap for the Federal Public Service. This Roadmap provides 21 recommendations that are structured around four themes: Governance; People and Culture; Environment and Digital Infrastructure; and Data as an Asset.

The Roadmap also specifies two departmental requirements by September 2019:

• Develop data strategies that are relevant, scaled and customized to the individual needs of the organization and aligned with the Data Strategy Roadmap;
• Ensure proper accountabilities, roles and responsibilities with respect to data.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has taken the lead in adhering to the recommendations of the GC Data Strategy Roadmap. On April 1st, 2018, it created the Chief Data Officer (CDO) function and in June 2018, the Executive Management Committee (EMC) approved the PSC Data Management Strategy, including a data governance that brings both the operational and technical perspectives together. The core components of the Data Management Strategy - Data Management, Data Infrastructure and Data Users – have been established to support the achievement of the PSC data vision of having “the right data, the right way, in the right hands at the right time”.

This document aims to provide greater clarity on the roles and responsibilities of various data actors at the PSC and how they contribute to supporting the PSC’s core functions:

• Report to Parliament on the performance of the staffing system and non-partisanship in the Public Service.
• Support evidence-based adjustments to policies.
• Facilitate improvements in program delivery.
• Strengthen the oversight function’s ability to identify risks early to initiate timely intervention.

Data actors work together to support the President who, as the PSC’s Data Leader, is responsible for: driving the data agenda toward data optimization; enabling the organization with accurate and reliable data in an ethical manner that respects privacy, confidentiality and security; driving the cultural shift to embrace and leverage data; improving management and use of data through governance, technology and the implementation of best practices.

At the PSC, data actors include the CDO, the Chief Information Officer/Information Management Senior Officer (CIO/IMSO), data stewards, data users, the Communications and Parliamentary Affairs Directorate (COMMS), the Open Government Secretariat (OGS), the Access to Information and Privacy Office (ATIP), and Legal Services.

Chief Data Officer (CDO) Profile

The CDO is responsible for the PSC Data Management Strategy and for driving the cultural change needed to manage data as a corporate asset.

The CDO’s main goal is to ensure consistency in data quality, methodology and interpretation with respect to the integrity of the overall public service staffing system. The CDO is accountable to the President and works closely with Data Stewards, the CIO/IMSO, ATIP Office, Legal Services and subject matter experts (SMEs). The CDO function is at the enterprise level and is located outside of the Information Technology Services Directorate (ITSD).

The responsibilities of the CDO include:

Guidance

• Provide corporate guidance, quality assurance, data-related best practices, governance and reporting standardization.
• Align the PSC’s departmental interests with the government-wide Data Strategy Roadmap.
• Develop, execute and report on the implementation of the PSC Data Management Strategy.
• Leverage the data governance to address data-related risks and opportunities.

Collaboration and Change Management

• Create synergy across functional areas to advance the PSC Data Management Strategy and enhance data literacy across the organization or “break silos”.
• Lead in the areas of data awareness, learning, and change management with respect to data.

Enabling the PSC to Speak with One Voice

• Work with data stewards to ensure sufficient consistency in data quality to allow for the correct usage, interpretation and messaging on topics related to the overall public service staffing system, policy direction, or program development.
• Provide quality assurance on products related to the overall public service staffing system on highly visible or impactful products such as those that are intended for the President, the EMC, the Meetings of the Commission, Central Agencies or the public (e.g., Annual Report, Media requests, Parliamentary requests, public reports and engagements).This responsibility includes ensuring:
• consistency with previous messaging and approved methodologies;
• fitness of use; and
• recommendations and contextual/cautionary notes are provided.
• Oversee the development and implementation of a data approval and dissemination protocol in collaboration with sectors.

Chief Information Officer (CIO) & Information Management Senior Officer (IMSO) Profile

The CIO/IMSO is responsible for the development and maintenance of the PSC’s technical infrastructure that supports the different business lines, ensures that data and information assets are created, stored, retained and disposed of in accordance with established IM guidelines and policies set by Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS).

The CIO/IMSO is accountable to the Vice-President of the Corporate Affairs sector and works closely with data stewards and the CDO. The CIO function is at the enterprise-level and located within the Information Technology Services Directorate (ITSD).

The responsibilities of the CIO and IMSO include:

Guidance

• CIO:
• Develop departmental governance structures to support effective IT decision making.
• Balance individual departmental interests with government-wide interests and align IT to government-wide directions and strategies.

Planning

• CIO:
• Approve the IT and information or data component of all departmental strategies, plans, initiatives, projects, procurements and spending authority requests.

Policy/Directive Compliance

• CIO
• Establish information and data architectures in-line with prescribed enterprise-wide standards.
• Ensure data is kept confidential, scalable and accessible to the right people.
• Ensure open and strategic management of information and data.
• Ensure information and data are managed to enable data interoperability, reuse and sharing to the greatest extent possible within and with other departments across the government to avoid duplication and maximize utility, while respecting security and privacy requirements.
• Ensure departmental information is created in an accessible format, where appropriate, in accordance with TBS guidance.
• Establish and maintain taxonomies or classification structures to manage, store, search, and retrieve information and data in all formats according to prescribed enterprise-wide standards.
• Document life cycle management practices within the department that align with the nature or purpose of the information or data, and that address accountability, stewardship, performance measurement, reporting, and legal requirements.
• Establish, implement and maintain retention periods for all information and data, as appropriate, according to format.
• Develop a documented disposition process and performing regular disposition activities for all information and data, as required.
• Protect information and data by documenting and mitigating risks, and by taking into consideration the business value of the information, legal and regulatory risks, access to information, security of information, and the protection of personal information.
• IMSO
• Report any performance or compliance issues to the relevant stakeholders.

Secure PSC IM Standards:

• IMSO:
• Define guidelines and policies to manage, access, store and archive information assets and ensure they are compliant with TBS Information Management (IM) practices.
• Establish and maintain comprehensive inventories of data and information resources of business value held by the department.

Support the Implementation of the Open Government at the PSC:

• IMSO:
• Oversee and monitor the implementation of the Directive on Open Government.
• Work with key stakeholders, including COMMS, CDO, departmental security officers, data stewards, SMEs, and ATIP coordinators to ensure the implementation of the Directive on Open Government.
• Bring to the President’s attention any significant difficulties, gaps in performance or compliance issues, and develop proposals to address them.
• Ensure that corrective actions are taken to address instances of non-compliance.
• Report any performance or compliance issues to the Chief Information Officer Branch of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

Data Stewards Profile

Data stewards (i.e., business owners) are identified as the VPs of each sector. They are responsible, from a business perspective, for the data requirements and specifications, and quality that will support their business.

Data stewards provide direction to their teams with respect to data and embrace the role as a change agent in building a data culture and supporting the direction of the PSC Data Management Strategy. Data stewards ensure the accountability of data being produced at the PSC by assessing the quality, privacy, security and effective use of data.

The responsibilities of data stewards include:

Data Quality Management

• Manage, control and monitor data quality throughout the data life cycle by ensuring that data is fit for its intended use and easy to access.

Policy Compliance

• Ensure that data is managed and protected in accordance with GC and PSC policies, principles and standards.
• Adhere to the PSC Data Approval and Dissemination Protocol (i.e. CDO approval) and governance (where appropriate) before data is released.

Process

• Define the business requirements and validation rules for their sector’s data allowing data users to effectively manage and implement data quality measures that support reporting.
• Support the establishment of data definitions and business rules.

Consultation and Collaboration

• Consult on issues and opportunities related to data with other stakeholders such as the CDO, CIO/IMSO, ATIP and/or Legal Services.

Guidance

• Encourage discussion and debate on data.

Openness and Transparency

• Collaborate actively with the OGS for the publication of program specific open datasets in collaboration with the IM office and ATIP.

Data User’s Profile

Data users are anyone in the PSC who makes use of data. Each have a direct responsibility for ensuring proper data input and usage as part of their daily activities. When appropriate, they are also responsible to follow the Data Dissemination and Approval Protocol.

Data users have a business level responsibility for the maintenance, security and confidentiality of their sector’s data assets and to manage data variables to answer inquiries made by stakeholders or clients. They understand the data collection methodology, data analysis, reporting methods and standards, as well as retention and disposition periods and related processes.

The responsibilities of data users include:

Privacy, Security, Confidentiality and Management of Datasets

• Ensure the ethical use of data by protecting personal information and preserving confidentiality throughout the data lifecycle.
• Be respectful of consent of individuals, the PSC mandate and the intended use of data.
• Maintain an objective and unbiased use of data to support evidence-based adjustments to PSC policies, program improvement or oversight activities.
• Help identify and correct any input/output errors in data.
• Confirm that data/information products are aligned with previously released PSC products and messages.

Accountability to Stakeholders

• Liaise with SME to ensure that proper methodology is applied and confidentiality is preserved.
• Leverage data to answer business questions or resolve business issues.
• Use data to tell stories to stakeholders or clients based on analysis.

Personal Development:

• Continue to maintain and further develop their data skills/competencies.
• Raise questions and foster constructive and effective discussions on data.

Communications and Parliamentary Affairs Directorate (COMMS) Profile

The COMMS is responsible for facilitating the dissemination of data/information and for delivering related communications/media relations advice and services.

The responsibilities of the COMMS include:

Compliance:

• Ensure data/information products are compliant with the Directive on the Management of Communications, the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity, the Official Languages Act, and other requirements.
• Confirm that data/information products meets the requirements of the Standard on Web Accessibility and provide published information on request that is substantially equal for people with disabilities.

Data/Information Dissemination:

• Work in collaboration with data stewards and data users to tailor data/information messages to specific audiences.
• Review data/information products to ensure communications are timely, objective, factual, clear, non-partisan, and written in plain language.
• Use a variety of media and platforms to maximize reach, including seeking innovative ways to use technology.
• Confirm that data/information products are aligned with previously released PSC messages and update the President’s binder on key messages.

Open Government

• Publish the different datasets directly to the TBS Open Government Portal.
• Review and publish communications products related to new or updated open datasets or open information products.

Open Government Secretariat (OGS) Profile

The OGS is responsible for creating, consulting, and seeking approval for the publication of the Open Government Implementation Plan (OGIP) and supporting the IMSO and the Open Government Champion. In addition to publishing the OGIP, the OGS consults with business areas to coordinate the work involved in completing the Open Government activities related to open data, open information and engagement.

With respect to data, the OGS’ responsibilities include:

• Update and maintain the PSC’s Data Inventory;
• Work with business owners to assess data holdings for eligibility and to create open datasets;
• Maintain and facilitate the process for publishing PSC datasets to the Open Government Portal, including verification and quality assurance of the dataset to be published;
• Identify areas throughout the PSC that could benefit from advice and/or guidance to develop and publish open datasets.

Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Office Profile

The ATIP Office is responsible for administering the requirements of the Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act on behalf of the PSC and for the implementation of the PSC's Privacy Management Framework.

The responsibilities of the ATIP Office with respect to data also include:

• Provide advice and guidance to program areas on assessing and mitigating privacy risks when collecting personal information.
• Provide guidance to program areas on developing and maintaining privacy notice statements in conformity with the TBS Directive on Privacy Practices.
• Provide recommendations, on the declassification and disclosure of data/information, including a supporting rationale for any recommendations to withhold data/information.
• Provide guidance on how personal data/information is handled throughout its life cycle including the sharing of personal data/information.
• Lead the development and maintenance of Personal Information Banks which describes how personal data/information is collected, used, disclosed, retained and disposed of in the administration of PSC programs and activities.
• Monitor proactive disclosures made pursuant to Part II of the Access to Information Act, at the PSC.

The ATIP Office also plays a critical role in Open Data:

• Review lists of variables suggested by the business owner for a potential dataset to be released as an open dataset.
• Review the draft open dataset once the business owner has created it, prior to publication.
• The ATIP Manager sits on the Open Data Working Group and the ATIP Coordinator sits on the Data and Open Government Advisory Board to provide advice and guidance on potential privacy concerns related to open datasets.

Legal Services Officials Profile

The PSC’s Legal Services Unit is responsible for the provision of legal advice to all sectors concerning legal matters referred to it.

With respect to data, PSC’s Legal Services Unit’s responsibilities include:

• Provision of legal advice respecting the collection, use, disclosure and management of personal information pursuant to the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act.
• Provision of recommendations respecting the development of guidelines and best practices relating to the ethical use of data at the PSC.
• Provision of strategic advice in the development of internal policy and procedure relating to data in the aim of ensuring compliance with legal requirements.

Annex A: Acronyms

Acronym	Definition
ATIP	Access to Information and Privacy
CDO	Chief Data Officer
CIO	Chief Information Officer
COMMS	Communications
CSV	Comma Separated Value
EMC	Executive Management Committee
GC	Government of Canada
IM	Information Management
IMSO	Information Management Senior Official
IT	Information Technology
ITSD	Information Technology Services Directorate
OGIP	Open Government Implementation Pan
OGS	Open Government Secretariat
PSC	Public Service Commission
SMEs	Subject Matter Experts
TBS	Treasury Board Secretariat