This position serves as the Privacy and Freedom of Information Act Specialist in a VHA facility. The Privacy/FOIA Specialist contributes to the fulfillment of the VA mission and vision by assisting in planning, designing, implementing, and maintaining appropriate and effective program, policies, and procedures in a VHA facility.

Duties

Duties include but not limited to: Assist in the Implementation, management, monitoring and evaluating the Privacy and Freedom of Information Act programs in the facility by distributing information; preparing facility-specific guidance; reviewing facility processes and products for compliance with program requirements; reviewing all contracts and other facility agreements for privacy and other appropriate language; and assessing the facility privacy posture through periodic evaluation of the facility's collection, use, storage and maintenance of sensitive personal information. Prepare responses to inquiries including those from Congressional Offices, Human Resources, News Media and the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (HHS OCR). Investigate HHS OCR requests related to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy complaints in conjunction with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Privacy Office and provides any required information or materials, as necessary. Conduct privacy assessments at facilities by going on Administrative rounds on a regular basis. May be required to visit local Business Associate place of business. Coordinate all external privacy assessments from VHA Privacy Compliance Assurance (PCA). Conduct quarterly focused monitoring in the Facility Self-Assessment (FSA) and submit to PCA. Research, analyze and respond to FOIA requests for agency records, supplying FOIA Exemptions as required. Maintain records; coordinate records review and redaction by organizations responsible for the records being requested. Review and respond to appeals of denials of FOIA requests. Compile the facility's Annual FOIA report. Develop facility-specific privacy and FOIA training materials, as needed, and provide training within the facility to staff and programs, as required. Identify the need for, coordinate, monitor, and maintain records of Privacy and FOIA training completion within the facility, including all CBOCs and Outpatient Clinics. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm, 8:00am to 4:30pm, 8:30am to 5:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Government Information Specialist/PD000540 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/22/2024. 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-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: 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: prepares and disseminates operating procedures and guidance on privacy-related issues; prepare responses to inquiries/complaints; audits and reviews information, records managements systems and manual records to ensure compliance; develops seminars and training; analyze data and trends to make recommendations. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education as described above. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Interpersonal Skills Self Management Technical Competence 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

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

Contacts

• Address Dallas VA Medical Center 4500 South Lancaster Road Dallas, TX 75216 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]