Government Information Specialist (Privacy/Freedom of Information Act Officer)

Veterans Health Administration•Washington, DC

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The facility Privacy/FOIA Officer oversees the data governance program and initiatives for a VHA Medical Center or Healthcare System and its supporting catchment area. The role makes facility-level determinations concerning disclosure, denials, redactions, access, use, and dissemination of federal agency records. It develops policy, ensures compliance with federal and state laws, and conducts research into implementing regulations. The position leads facility-level privacy, FOIA, and data governance strategy; develops independent local processes and policies; oversees information throughout its lifecycle; and adjudicates complex privacy and FOIA matters. It conducts legal and regulatory research, assesses privacy risks, investigates non-compliance, and monitors operational compliance. The officer also provides training and education, develops communications for internal and external stakeholders, and ensures responses to information requests are transparent, timely, accurate, and complete. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The position may be authorized for ad-hoc telework but is not virtual. The work is primarily sedentary and performed in an office setting, with travel to clinics, business associate offices, and campuses for training and meetings. Occasional travel may be required. The position is a GS-12 role and requires one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11; there is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship.
Meet the GS-12 time-in-grade requirement, if applicable: 52 weeks at GS-11 in the Federal service.
One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-11, such as independently working as a Privacy/FOIA officer; formulating policy; ensuring compliance with federal and state laws; researching implementing regulations; managing organizational information policies and procedures; providing assistance to the public and staff; and communicating with executive leadership, facility staff, and external stakeholders.
Complete the required application, questionnaire, and online assessment.
Register with Selective Service if applicable to males born after December 31, 1959.
Complete a background/security investigation and online onboarding requirements.
Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel employee.
Serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.
Travel occasionally and perform duties involving walking, standing, bending, and occasional lifting or carrying of boxes and files weighing up to 30 pounds.
No educational substitution is available at this grade level.

Nice To Haves

Experience in data governance program leadership.
Privacy and FOIA subject-matter expertise.
Legal and regulatory research experience.
Policy development and implementation experience.
Compliance monitoring and performance improvement experience.
Training, communication, and change management experience.
Investigations and adjudication experience.
Stakeholder engagement and executive advising experience.
Data lifecycle and risk management experience.
Organization, strategic planning, and workload management experience.

Responsibilities

Implement policies and procedures for managing agency information and providing assistance and services to the public and organizational staff.
Support development of a local data governance strategy, including executive-level leadership and facility-specific processes and policies.
Monitor the collection, use, dissemination, disclosure, and destruction of information.
Develop and integrate policy-based processes, roles, and controls for data creation, collection, use, storage, and destruction.
Independently adjudicate complex privacy and FOIA decisions affecting employees, customers, and commercial businesses.
Conduct in-depth research into federal and state statutes and regulations to provide expertise, solutions, and corrective action.
Safeguard information while supporting accountability and transparency initiatives.
Analyze issues affecting the privacy/FOIA program and plan and conduct activities to monitor facility operational compliance.
Teach and train employees in general data protection procedures and service-specific practices, using technology to provide required training and supplemental education.
Assess privacy risks associated with business activities involving personal and sensitive data.
Investigate privacy-related non-compliance within and outside the organization when information is involved.
Develop a communications strategy to sustain the privacy/FOIA program, foster awareness, improve compliance, provide training, and engage the public and partners.
Ensure data governance correspondence and responses to information requests from the public, Congress, law enforcement, courts, and commercial businesses are transparent, timely, accurate, and complete.
Create flexible, customizable, and interactive communication processes and tools to address compliance, education, and training needs.
Travel to VA outpatient clinics, contracted community-based clinics, business associate offices, and between campuses to provide training and attend or conduct meetings.