Government Information Specialist

US Department of Veterans Affairs - Los Angeles, CA
$84,785 - $110,224 a year
    Duties Summary

    This Government Information Specialist position serves as a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Officer and is located in the Office of the Director at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.


    Responsibilities

    Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

    • Supports developing a local level strategy for data governance, which includes leading from the executive office and creating a unique program that includes diverse processes and specific policies which are independent of other facilities.
    • Develops the local privacy strategy that integrates the medical center and healthcare system.
    • Leverages key functions of the authority delegated from the facility Director to make final decisions of data disclosure, initiate independent investigations, conduct compliance activities and implement physical, technical, and administrative safeguards across the facility.
    • Interacts with high ranking external stakeholders to include Veteran Service Organizations (VSO's), Congressional representatives, internal and external partners, community leaders, attorneys, news media, affiliate universities, commercial entities and the local public with regards to the protection, release and transparency of information within the facility.
    • Develops and executes strategic management initiatives that establishes areas of control of information within the facility and interfaces with all business operations across service lines/departments.
    • Creates unique written policies that define the enterprise privacy principles, guidance, and practices that influence the data governance model for the organization.
    • Strengthen and sustains the operational life cycle of the privacy/FOIA program by developing a communication strategy that fosters awareness for both internal and external partners to improve compliance, provide training and engage the public.
    • Provides subject matter expertise directly and independently with senior leadership, local and facility Law Enforcement, Office of Chief Counsel in the District, Central Office and other leadership regarding data governance.
    • Performs complex analysis of key policy inquiries that can encompass any and all information collected, used or disclosed in the facility.
    • Serves as senior team leader and independently plans, coordinates and administers major, high-priority privacy investigative cases which are integral to agency data governance objectives.
    • Plans and conducts monitoring activities which measure the overall level of operational compliance by the facility.
    • Assess gaps in policy, measures the knowledge of individual staff and facilitates improvements against the ever changing policies, regulations and statutes that impact the privacy and FOIA programs.
    • Makes changes to facility policies and procedures after gaps in compliance are identified.
    • Teaches and trains employees on general data protection procedures and detailed service specific practices for daily operations.
    • Develops and integrates policy based processes, roles and controls that influences how date is created, collected, used, stored and destroyed throughout the organization.
    • Performs assessment of privacy-related risks associated with business activities that involve processing of personal and sensitive data.
    • Participates in the planning, development and evaluation of procurement and acquisitions for goods and services for the entire organization.
    • Investigates non-compliance of privacy related issues at all levels of the organization and outside of the organization.
    • Conducts detailed investigatory interviews with staff, patients, and vendors to collect facts in response to privacy complaints.
    • Other related duties as assigned.

    Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm.
    Compressed/Flexible: Not available
    Telework: May be available per agency guidelines
    Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
    Position Description/PD#: Government Information Specialist/PD12106-O
    Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized.
    Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Travel Required

    Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

    Supervisory status

    No

    Promotion Potential

    None

  • Job family (Series)

    0306 Government Information Specialist

  • Requirements

    Requirements Conditions of Employment
    • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
    • Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
    • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
    • You may be required to serve a probationary period
    • Subject to background/security investigation
    • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
    Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/24/2019.

    Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

    Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.


    You may qualify based on your experience as described below:
    • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-11) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: Serves as a technical advisor on matters involving requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act (PA); reviews and clears information received for release to the public either directly or through the official disclosure channels; oversees FOIA program policies including, but not limited to conformance with the FOIA, Privacy Act, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), Electronic Government Act, court decisions, and other mandates and Presidential directives affecting FOIA and privacy; analyzes requests for information as the primary point of contact in resolving technical questions and relating to requests; coordinates responses with subject matter experts to ensure complete responses are provided; coordinates statistical data for consolidated reports for regular and recurring FOIA and PA reports. (Please describe your qualifying specialized experience in your Resume to meet the Specialized Experience listed above).



    You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
    • Knowledge and understanding of all data governance related federal legislation and regulations related to information disclosure, security, privacy and protection;
    • Skill in organizational, forecasting, and strategic planning as well as the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously with limited to no oversight;
    • Effective oral and written communication and presentation skills in order to respond to requests, explain data governance requirements and procedures;
    • Knowledge and understanding of the Privacy Act (PA), Freedom of Information Act (FOIA}, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), legislation and implementing regulations;
    • Ability to apply a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods for the assessment and improvement of data governance program effectiveness;
    • Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with people charged with Privacy/FOIA and records management related responsibilities to provide assistance and oversight.



    Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

    Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

    Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. There will be episodes of moderate lifting or prolonged periods of standing and bending in searching various files. There is lifting and carrying of such items as record boxes and bulky files. The work involves considerable walking, standing and bending conducting rounds, auditing and providing training to both on-site and off-site personnel. There is also occasional lifting and carrying of such items as boxes and files, weighing up to 30 lbs.

    For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education
    Additional information

    Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

    Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

    The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

    Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

    It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

    This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

    Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

    For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

    If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.


    How You Will Be Evaluated

    You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

    IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

    Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

    Background checks and security clearance Security clearance

    Other

    Drug test required

    No

  • Required Documents

    Required Documents

    To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

    • Resume


    The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.
    • Cover Letter
    • DD-214/ Statement of Service
    • Disability Letter (Schedule A)
    • Disability Letter (VA)
    • OF-306
    • Resume
    • Separation Notice (RIF)
    • SF-15
    • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action


    SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):
    • Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
    • An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
    • Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
    • Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
      • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
      • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
      • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
    Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx. If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

    Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

  • Benefits

    Benefits

    A career with the U.S. Government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits.

    Review our benefits

    Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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