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 and maintaining policies and procedures in the execution of an effective Privacy and FOIA program.

Duties

The Government Information Specialist acts as the primary liaison to facility staff by disseminating information to the appropriate areas, facilitating employee adherence to mandates from regulatory agencies and assisting the Privacy/FOIA Officer with various monitors to ensure VA and other federal privacy policies and procedures are observed. Duties include: -Advises facility staff on Title 38 United States Code (USC) Sections 5701, 5702, 5705 and 7332 Privacy Act, FOIA and where appropriate, HIPAA requirements, policies and procedures. -Assists in preparing, receiving, reviewing, and verifying Privacy and FOIA request documents. -Assists the Privacy/FOIA Officer in assessing the Medical Center environment and in reviewing the facility's collection, use, storage, and maintenance of sensitive personal information. -Searches for and locates records requests. -Compile's data or information from files or from other departments, such as HIMS, to complete audits. -Documents and provides corrective assistance from deficiencies found based on assessment and risk analysis 4results, as well as incident report reviews. -Research, formats, and compiles comprehensive, concise technical reports for review by the Privacy/FOIA Officer and Deputy Medical Center Director. -Scans and enters FOIA requests into the FOIA Xpress program, initiating the facility response process. -Responds to FOIA requests and maintains records by coordinating records review and redaction by organizations responsible for the records being requested. -Assists with privacy awareness training with Veterans and other program outreach requests. -Processes complaints and performs initial investigation into allegations of illegal or improper activities related to the handling or release of protected information. -Assists in the investigation of data breaches and recommends appropriate resolution and remediation. -Coordinates with the facility Records Management Officer (RMO) in ensuring that a structure for all Privacy Act Systems of Records held by the facility is established and records are maintained in accordance with Federal law and VA directives. -Assists Privacy/FOIA Officer, provide guidance as necessary to medical center service lines who are responding to correspondence from Congressional offices. -Represents, as necessary, the Privacy/FOIA Officer on facility and reginal committees, teams and work groups with information security and privacy related functions and responsibilities, including presentation of reports and revie findings. -Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Position Description: Government Information Specialist, PD 19154-O Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized 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, 08/28/2023. 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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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 and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience GS-9: One (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skill, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the Government Information Specialist and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization (GS-7). Examples of specialized experience include: Specialized experience includes experience as a Privacy/FOIA officer, formulating policy, ensuring compliance with federal and state laws and conducts 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 Specialized Experience - GS-9: A master's or equivalent graduate degree or two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL. B or J.D.., if related to the Government Information Specialist position. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position and been obtained at an accredited college or university. Transcripts Required. --OR-- Combining Specialized Experience and Education - GS-9 - Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying for this position as per the above. Transcripts Required. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analytical ReasoningAttention to DetailCommunicationsCompliance Inspection 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 sedentary. Some walking, standing, bending and carrying lightweight items such as books, papers and records are also required. Working Environment: Work is performed in a typical office setting, and/or at various points throughout the Medical Center. At times, the incumbent will be expected to travel to various outpatient clinical sites. Not Suitable for Telework. 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]