Government Information Specialist-Privacy/FOIA Officer

Veterans Health Administration • Battle Creek, MI

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Privacy/FOIA Officer oversees data governance programs and initiatives at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center and its supporting catchment area. The role makes facility-level determinations concerning disclosure, denials, redactions, access, use, and dissemination of federal agency records; formulates policy; ensures compliance with federal and state laws; and researches federal implementing regulations.

The officer develops local privacy strategy aligned with facility and national data governance priorities, performs complex policy analysis, and advises agency decision-makers and executive leadership. The position leads investigations and compliance monitoring, evaluates privacy risks, recommends corrective actions, and updates facility policies and procedures. It also adjudicates complex privacy and FOIA matters, determines authority to disclose facility information, and manages communications regarding timely release and amendment of records. The role serves Veterans, patients, employees, and other stakeholders by ensuring that agency responses to information requests are transparent, timely, accurate, and complete.

The position is based at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center. Work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Ad-hoc telework may be authorized; this is not a virtual position.

Requirements

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level, including experience controlling information creation, use, disclosure, or destruction.
• Knowledge of data governance-related federal legislation, implementing regulations, executive orders, agency policies and procedures, case law, and precedent decisions concerning information disclosure, security, privacy, and protection.
• Experience with data quality improvement practices and developing internal monitoring to identify organizational risks, trends, and severity.
• Experience developing recommendations for significant policy or practice changes, evaluating policies, and guiding agency decisions.
• Current federal employees and certain former federal employees applying for a GS-12 position must meet the 52-week GS-11 time-in-grade requirement.
• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Must complete the application, questionnaire, and required online assessment.
• Must meet applicable Selective Service registration requirements for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Must be able to complete a background/security investigation and online onboarding requirements.
• Must participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program as a condition of employment.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• No education substitution is available at this grade level.

Responsibilities

• Develop a local privacy strategy that integrates facility data governance goals, national strategic priorities, and VA core values.
• Analyze complex policy inquiries involving information collected, used, or disclosed by the facility.
• Contribute to agency decisions, policy recommendations, and executive leadership consultations using knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, case law, and oversight findings.
• Coordinate and delegate complex investigations in collaboration with the Office of Chief Counsel, human resources, executive leadership, and labor partners.
• Lead a team that analyzes complex data, conducts meetings and briefings, and recommends potential administrative action in response to privacy violations.
• Independently analyze issues affecting the privacy and FOIA program using applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines.
• Plan and conduct monitoring activities to measure facility operational compliance.
• Submit reports with findings and recommendations to senior leadership and national program offices.
• Revise facility policies and procedures when compliance gaps are identified.
• Develop and integrate policy-based processes, roles, and controls governing how data is created, collected, used, stored, and destroyed.
• Independently investigate privacy-related noncompliance within and outside the organization when VHA information is involved.
• Advocate for Veterans, patients, and employees who are victims of privacy violations.
• Conduct investigatory interviews with staff, patients, and vendors to gather facts concerning privacy complaints.
• Identify organizational privacy risks and ensure corrective action is taken to protect patient privacy.
• Conduct legal research on federal and state statutes and review federal court determinations and case law to provide guidance and facilitate corrective action.
• Coordinate with the District Office of Chief Counsel to protect government interests in privacy and FOIA matters with legal ramifications.
• Adjudicate complex privacy and FOIA decisions affecting employees, Veterans, patients, and commercial businesses in the absence of supervision.
• Determine the authority to disclose information from the Battle Creek VA Medical Center.
• Manage system-wide communications concerning timely release and amendment of facility records.
• Ensure data governance correspondence responding to requests from the public, Congress, law enforcement, courts, and commercial businesses is transparent, timely, accurate, and complete.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits are described as a comprehensive package available to employees and their families; specific benefits depend on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed