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Government Information Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Eastern Colorado Healh Care System/ Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Eastern Colorado Health Care System RMR VAMC is recruiting for a Government Information Specialist (Privacy Officer). The Government Information Specialist (Privacy/FOIA Specialist reports directly to a member of the VHA triad (i.e., Medical Center Director, or Assistant/Associate Medical Center Director).

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/13/2020 to 06/03/2020
Salary
$84,118 to - $109,358 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Aurora, CO
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSU-10816300-20-CM
Control number
568197900

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Duties

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Responsible for administering, analyzing, and performing work involved in establishing, disseminating or managing Government information within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Healthcare Centers. Government Information Specialists formulate policy, advise agency and facility management, and ensure compliance with all Federal and State laws governing the collection, maintenance and disclosure of information. The work also involves the safeguarding of Government information while supporting accountability and transparency. Government Information Specialist implements policies and procedures to manage information and provides information-related assistance and services to Veterans, the general public, Congress 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 health information is appropriately used and disclosed. The Privacy/FOIA Specialist makes determinations about disclosures, issuance of denials, redactions, monitoring and access to Federal agency records and use and disclosures of individually-identifiable health information. The Government Information Specialist focuses on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Privacy Act (PA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Title 38 United States Code (U.S.C) §§ 5701, 5705 and 7332 statutes, and VA implementing regulations that govern the collection, maintenance, and release of information from VA records. Implements, manages and monitors the Privacy and FOIA programs in the facility by distributing information; preparing facility-specific policy guidance; reviewing facility processes and workflow to ensure information is appropriately safeguarded, used and disclosed; reviewing all contracts and other facility agreements for privacy and other appropriate language; and assessing the facility privacy posture through evaluation of the facility's collection, use, storage and maintenance of sensitive personal information.

Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
Position Description/PD#: Government Information Specialist/ 10710A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/03/2020.

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. 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. 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:

  • 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: Progressively responsible analytical, administrative, management, or supervisory experience related to information sharing, privacy, FOIA or other similar programs. Experience in applying laws, regulations, policies and guidance to provide access to records and information. Experience in records management, release of information and disclosure of sensitive information. Management, collection, use, storage and maintenance of sensitive personal information.
  • You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
    • Administration and Management
    • Analytical Thinking
    • Critical Thinking
    • Employee Development
    • Interpersonal Skills
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 Government Information Specialist is required to perform privacy walk-throughs throughout the facility, travel to surrounding Clinic Based Outpatient Clinics, and visit local Business Associates' place of business or record storage locations, so there may be on certain day a lot of walking. Other than the limited amount of walking there are no unusual physical demands.

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 this grade level.

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.

Additional information

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

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