The incumbent serves as a Government Information Specialist in the Privacy Office of the Director's Office handling a broad range of routine to moderately complex Privacy and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) cases. Such assignments require a thorough working knowledge of center and Agency functions, operations, and record regulations.

Duties

Privacy and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) cases. require a thorough working knowledge of center and Agency functions, operations, and record regulations. The work also involves the safeguarding of Government information while supporting accountability and transparency. The Medical Center FOIA Division receives and controls all requests FOIA, covering all aspects of the Medical Center operations and policy. The requests vary widely in scope and complexity, and in skills and time necessary for completion. The incumbent is expected to handle the broad range of requests received by the office to exclude only the most complex and sensitive submissions, which are assigned to the Supervisory Privacy Officer. Government information work involves implementing policies and procedures to manage Government information and providing information-related assistance and services to the general public and VA staff members. The work requires interpreting and applying laws, regulations, policies, and guidance to provide access to VA agency records and information, while ensuring protected information is appropriately disclosed. The Assistant Privacy/FOIA Officer makes determinations about disclosures, issuance of denials, redactions, access to Federal agency records and use and dissemination of personally identifiable information. The Privacy/FOIA Office focuses on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Privacy Act (PA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), and 38 U.S.C. statutes that govern the collection, maintenance, and release of information from VA records. Major duties include but are not limited to: Receives FOIA requests, determining all actions to be taken and drafting all necessary correspondence, notices, internal memoranda or other documentation for disposition of the request; Initiates pre-disclosure notification Monitors the status and progress of each case assigned and responds to inquiries from the public and or management Performs an in-depth review and analysis of each request received Coordinates with other Medical Center and Agency response units necessary to assure completion of requests. Performs detailed research, analysis, and evaluation of data Prepares documentation setting forth the determination with supporting arguments Provides information, guidance and assistance to requesters and other organizational units with the Center or Agency on the current procedures, regulations, format and other technical matters involved in the preparation of requests Confers and negotiates with managers and their staff at all levels within the Center and requestors Screens incoming requests and determining whether requests reviews valid requests to determine data to be placed in automated tracking system. Provides privacy/FOIA program information during New Employee Orientation Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position Position Description/PD#: 502480 Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/02/2024. 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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the lower graded of a GS-05. For the GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the lower grade of a 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-07: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Coaches supervisors to train staff on the appropriate access to protected health information; teaches staff to identify, respond and report potential violations of sensitive information. Conducts detailed investigatory interviews with staff, patients and vendors to collect facts in response to privacy complaints. Independently investigates non-compliance of privacy related issues at all levels of the organization and outside of the organization Reviews federal court determinations and pertinent case law to make determinations in Privacy, FOIA and other health care related matters that involve the agency. Adjudicates complex privacy and FOIA decisions that affect employees, patients and commercial businesses. Performs assessment of privacy-related risks associated with business activities that involve processing of personal and sensitive data. ~OR~ Education: 1 full year of graduate level education or, superior academic achievement. (Must provide transcript for verification) Specialized Experience GS-09: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Coaches supervisors to train staff on the appropriate access to protected health information; teaches staff to identify, respond and report potential violations of sensitive information. Conducts detailed investigatory interviews with staff, patients and vendors to collect facts in response to privacy complaints. Independently investigates non-compliance of privacy related issues at all levels of the organization and outside of the organization Reviews federal court determinations and pertinent case law to make determinations in Privacy, FOIA and other health care related matters that involve the agency. Adjudicates complex privacy and FOIA decisions that affect employees, patients and commercial businesses. Performs assessment of privacy-related risks associated with business activities that involve processing of personal and sensitive data. ~OR~ Education: Completed a Masters or equivalent graduate degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. (Must provide transcript for verification) Communications Critical Thinking Customer Service Reasoning Stakeholder Management 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 of this position places no special physical demands on the employee. 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 Memphis VA Medical Center 1030 Jefferson Avenue Memphis, TN 38104 US
• Name: Judith Castro
• Phone: 4078406953
• Email: [email protected]