The facility Privacy/FOIA Officer has oversight for the data governance program and initiatives in the Greater Los Angeles VA 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.

Duties

Major duties include, but are not limited to: Support 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. Create unique written policies that define the enterprise privacy principles, guidance and practices that influence the data governance model for the organization. Approve all facility policies and reviews business practices to ensure appropriate use and protection of information specific to each functional area. Responsible for 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. Routinely make independent key decisions that can have serious implications for the agency in the absence of situational guidance. Perform complex analysis of key policy inquiries that can encompass all information collected, used, or disclosed in the facility. Comprehending of all applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines, independently analyzes all the interrelated issues that affect the privacy/FIOA program. Assess gaps in policy, measure the knowledge of individual staff and facilitate improvements against the ever-changing policies, regulations and statutes that impact the privacy and FOIA programs. Teach and train employees on general data protection procedures and detailed service specific practices for daily operations. Develop and integrate policy-based processes, roles and controls that influence how data is created, collected, used, stored, and destroyed throughout the organization. Independently investigate non-compliance of privacy related issues at all levels of the organization and outside of the organization when VHA information is involved. Adjudicate complex privacy and FOIA decisions that affect employees, Veterans, patients, and commercial businesses in the absence of supervision. 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-Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Government Information Specialist/PD99538S 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, 12/06/2024. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. 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 and/or education as described below: GS-11 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 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 must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: assuring privacy, access and disclosure of protected information in compliance with HIPAA Privacy Rule regulations, VA directives, handbooks and applicable laws and regulations; receiving FOIA requests and determine appropriate level of response (must be in resume). OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have (must submit transcripts) 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. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond. (must submit transcripts) GS-12 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: assuring privacy, access and disclosure of protected information in compliance with HIPAA Privacy Rule regulations, directives, handbooks and applicable laws and regulations; receiving FOIA requests and determine appropriate level of response (must be in resume). You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Administration and ManagementCapacity ManagementData ManagementDatabase Management Systems 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 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 lbs. 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 Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System 11301 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90073 US
• Name: Joseph Parra
• Email: [email protected]