This position is located in the Office of the Director service at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center and assists the Privacy/FOIA Officer with implementing nd maintaining policies and procedures in the execution of an effective Privacy and FOIA program. ** Relocation/Recruitment Incentive maybe authorized to a highly qualified candidate**

Duties

The Government Information Specialist (Privacy/FOIA) Officer serves in a developmental capacity at the GS-11 grade level. Key functions will be similar to those described at the full performance level of the target position description, PD 99843-S, Government Information Specialist, GS-0306-12. However, during the developmental assignment, full performance range and level of selected functions will not be completely delegated to the employee until proper orientation and training have been completed and the incumbent has demonstrated the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to accomplish the work at the full performance level. This is a developmental position which composes a career ladder structure to the target level of a Government Information Specialist at the GS-12. Advancement to the target level will be recommended only after it has been determined that the incumbent meets all regulatory and statutory requirements, is satisfactorily progressing in the training, is successfully performing the currently assigned range of duties as outlined in the target position and is capable of taking on expanded duties and responsibilities with greater independence. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. The facility Privacy/FOIA Officer has oversight for the data governance program and initiatives in the VHA Medical Center or Healthcare System and its supporting catchment area. The position makes unique facility-level determinations about disclosures, issuance of denials, redactions, access, use and dissemination of federal agency records. The position formulates policy, ensures compliance with federal and state laws and conducts thorough research of federal implementing regulations. Major duties at the full performance level of the GS-12: Implements unique policies and procedures to manage agency information, providing assistance and services to the general public and an organization, agency or facility staff members. 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. Monitors and covers all aspects of the collection, use, dissemination, disclosure and destruction of information within an organization, agency or facility. Develops and integrates policy-based processes, roles and controls that influences how data is created, collected, used, stored and destroyed throughout the organization. Adjudicates complex privacy and FOIA decisions that affect employees, customers and commercial businesses in the absence of supervision. Performs in-depth legal research that pertains to both federal and state statutes to render expertise, provide solutions and facilitate corrective action. Safeguards information while supporting accountability and transparency initiatives. Analyzes all of the interrelated issues that affect the privacy/FOIA program and plans and conducts monitoring activities which measure the overall level of operational compliance by the facility. Teaches and trains employees on general data protection procedures and detailed service specific practices for daily operations and uses technology to provide required privacy/FOIA training and supplemental education. Performs assessment of privacy-related risks associated with business activities that involve processing of personal and sensitive data. Investigates non-compliance of privacy related issues at all levels of an organization, agency or facility and outside of these entities when information is involved. Strengthens 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. Ensures that organization, agency or facility correspondence for data governance is transparent, timely, accurate and complete in response to requests for information from the general-public, Congressional representatives, law enforcement, courts and commercial business. Creates a communications process and tools that are flexible, customizable and interactive to address unique compliance challenges and educational/training needs. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Full Performance Level 99843-S; GS-11 Statement of Difference 99538-S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Maybe Authorized to a highly qualified candidate. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, facility applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. Non-facility applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/22/2023. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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 GS-11: At least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-09) in the Federal service, that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes experience as a Privacy/FOIA officer, formulating policy, ensuring compliance with federal and state laws and conducts thorough research of implementing regulations and policies and procedures to manage agency/organization information; providing assistance and services to the general public, staff members and communicated information to the Executive leadership, facility staff and outside stakeholders. --OR-- Substitution of Education for Experience GS-11: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, obtained in an accredited college or university, or LL.M., if related to the Government Information Specialist position, may be substituted for specialized experience to qualify for this grade 11 position. Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. NOTE: Transcripts Required. --OR-- Combination Education and Experience GS-11: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related to the Government Information Specialist position, obtained in an accredited college or university which may be substituted for specialized experience to qualify for this GS 11 position if such education demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. NOTE: Transcripts Required. Specialized Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12) in the Federal service, that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes experience as a Privacy/FOIA officer working independently with little supervision, formulating policy, ensuring compliance with federal and state laws and conducts thorough research of implementing regulations and policies and procedures to manage agency/organization information; providing assistance and services to the general public, staff members and communicated information to the Executive leadership, facility staff and outside stakeholders. Note: There is no educational substitution at the GS-12 grade level. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: CommunicationsExternal AwarenessManages and Organizes InformationSecurity 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 Demands and Work Environment: 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 pounds. The work may be performed in an office setting with adequate light, heat, air conditioning and ventilation. Traveling off-station to VA outpatient clinics, contracted community-based clinics, business associate offices and between campuses to provide training and attend/conduct meetings is necessary. May require occasional travel. 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

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 820 South Damen Avenue Chicago, IL 60612 US
• Name: Woa Townsend
• Phone: 317-988-0059 X180059
• Email: [email protected]