Incumbent has oversight for the data governance program and initiatives. Makes unique determinations about disclosures, issuance of denials, redactions, access, use and dissemination of federal agency records. Formulates policy, ensures compliance with federal and state laws and conducts thorough research of federal implementing regulations. Provides guidance while communicating complex information to the Executive leadership, facility staff and outside stakeholders.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to: Facility Data Governance Director and Information Strategist Developing and executing strategic management initiatives that establishes areas of control of information within the facility and interfaces with all business operations across service lines/departments Creating unique written policies that define the enterprise privacy principles, guidance and practices that influence the data governance model for the organization Approving all facility policies and reviewing business practices to ensure appropriate use and protection of information specific to each functional area Using influence to make recommendations for the establishment, modification or elimination of service specific policies or work practices Strengthening and sustaining the operational life cycle of the privacy/FOIA program Exerting influence on senior leaders within the agency to adopt data governance into their business planning and daily operations Performance Measurement, Assessment and Improvement Possessing the ability to apply a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods for the assessment and improvement of data governance program effectiveness Assessing gaps in policy Measuring the knowledge of individual staff and facilitating improvements against the ever-changing policies, regulations and statutes that impact the privacy and FOIA programs Creating a communications process and tools that are flexible, customizable and interactive to address the VHA Medical Center or Healthcare System's unique compliance challenges and educational/training needs Contributing to national VHA performance data by submitting reports with findings and recommendations to senior leadership and national program offices Making changes to facility policies and procedures after gaps in compliance are identified Sharing best practices with the VHACO Privacy and FOIA Office to improve data governance compliance in other facilities across Teaching and training employees on general data protection procedures and detailed service specific practices for daily operations Data Lifecycle Management, Protection and Disclosure Participating in the planning, development and evaluation of procurement and acquisitions for goods and services for the entire organization Reviewing and approving business agreements such as data use agreement, memorandum of understanding and interconnection security agreements with external federal, state agencies and partner companies without supervision Investigating non-compliance of privacy related issues at all levels of the organization and outside of the organization when VHA information is involved Advocating for Veterans, patients and employees that are victims of privacy violations Conducting detailed investigatory interviews with staff, patients and vendors to collect facts in response to privacy complaints Identifying privacy risk within the organization and ensuring corrective action is taken to mitigate the safety of patients' privacy 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. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Government Information Specialist (Privacy/FOIA Officer)/PD006620 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/16/2023. 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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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: GS-12 Specialized Experience: Adjudicating complex privacy and FOIA decisions that affect employees, customers and commercial businesses in the absence of supervision; analyzing all of the interrelated issues that affect the privacy/FOIA program and planning and conducting monitoring activities which measure the overall level of operational compliance by the facility; ensuring 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 and applying a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods for the assessment and improvement of data governance program effectiveness. GS-13 Specialized Experience: Develop and transmit informational materials and focused guidance to a variety of public, stakeholders and leadership to enhance the understanding of certain attitudes and practices advocated by the organization for planned and efficient program operations and the use of resources; Advises management and staff on Title 38 United States Code (U.S.C.) Sections 5701, 5702, 5705 and 7332, PA, FOIA and, where appropriate, HIPAA requirements, policies, and procedures and ensures that VISN leadership and facility Directors understand and fulfill their responsibilities; Research, analyze, evaluate, discover and provide a timely response to all VISN 17 FOIA requests on behalf of the Network Director or DND, determining whether those requests are granted in whole, in part or denied; Coordinate program implementation and management with higher organizational levels, suspending compiling and providing oversight activities to meet VISN and national reporting requirements. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Manages and Organizes Information Security Communications External Awareness 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 work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. 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

There is no educational substitution at these grade levels.

Contacts

• Address VISN 17 VA Heart of Texas Health Care Network 2301 East Lamar Blvd., Suite 650 Arlington, TX 76006 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]