Program Specialist

Veterans Health Administration•Biloxi, MS

16d

About The Position

The Program Specialist provides administrative staff support for Privacy and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) program operations at the Gulf Coast Veterans Healthcare System. The position is aligned under the Associate Medical Center Director and supports the facility’s Privacy/FOIA Officer (Government Information Specialist). The role establishes and implements processes to account for disclosures of privacy-protected information, and develops reports for comprehensive tracking and trending of Privacy activities. It also supports privacy training, tracking of privacy violations in the Privacy and Security Event Tracking System, and FOIA and Release of Information (ROI) correspondence. The specialist identifies compliance problems, recommends improvements, collects and summarizes data, and presents improvement opportunities and findings to appropriate committees monthly. The position has a Monday–Friday schedule, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., subject to change based on facility needs. Telework may be authorized, with eligibility discussed during the interview; the position is not virtual. Relocation and recruitment incentives, critical skills incentives, and permanent change of station are not authorized. The position may offer promotion to the full-performance level without further competition when regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met; selection at a lower grade does not guarantee promotion. Applicants must meet the qualifications for either GS-9 or GS-11 by the announcement closing date. Qualification may be based on specialized experience, qualifying graduate education, or a combination of education and experience. A one-year probationary or trial period applies. The work is primarily sedentary, with walking and occasional bending, standing, and carrying light items; no special physical qualifications are required.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship is required.
Complete the application, questionnaire, and required online assessment.
Meet the applicable time-in-grade requirement if a current or former Federal employee subject to it: 52 weeks at GS-7 for GS-9 consideration or 52 weeks at GS-9 for GS-11 consideration.
For GS-9, have one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-7, qualifying graduate education (a master's or equivalent, two years of progressively higher graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B./J.D.), or an eligible combination of education and experience.
For GS-11, have one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-9, qualifying graduate education (a Ph.D. or equivalent, three years of progressively higher graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M.), or an eligible combination of education and experience.
Submit transcripts if using education to qualify; foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with the transcript.
Complete a background/security investigation and the online onboarding process.
Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as required for VA Health Care Personnel.
Serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.
Demonstrate competencies in Compliance, Information Assurance, Interpersonal Skills, Technical Competence, and Writing.

Responsibilities

Establish and implement reporting processes to account for facility disclosures of privacy-protected information.
Create reports that support comprehensive, delineated, and consolidated tracking and trending of Privacy activities.
Assist the facility Privacy/FOIA Officer with assessing, developing, implementing, coordinating, and evaluating privacy training presentations and tracking.
Track privacy violations in the Privacy and Security Event Tracking System.
Assist with FOIA and Release of Information correspondence.
Identify problems that do not comply with standards and recommend alternatives for improvement.
Collect and summarize data, identify improvement opportunities, and present findings monthly to appropriate committees.