Government Information Special

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/03/2026. 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. 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-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: experience as a Privacy/FOIA officer working independently with little supervision, formulating policy, ensures compliance with federal and state laws and conducting thorough research of implementing regulations and policies and procedures to manage agency/organization information; providing assistance and services to the general public, staff members and communicated information to the Executive leadership, facility staff and outside stakeholders.

NOTE: Evidence of specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held on your resume. You must provide work experience information such as hours per week, salary, and starting/ending dates of employment (month and year format) to establish you have one (1) full year of Specialized Experience at or comparable to the required grade level.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Accountability Customer Service Decisiveness Flexibility Interpersonal Skills Problem Solving Resilience 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.

01Physical 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/.

Duties include but not limited to the following: Supports 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. Develops and executes strategic management initiatives that establishes areas of control of information within the facility and interfaces with all business operations across service lines/departments.

Systematically approves all facility policies and reviews business practices to ensure appropriate use and protection of information specific to each functional area. Provides subject matter expertise directly and independently with senior leadership, local and facility Law Enforcement, Office of Chief Counsel in the District, VHA Central Office and VISN leadership regarding data governance.

Performs complex analysis of key policy inquiries that can encompass any and all information collected, used or disclosed in the facility. Serves as a senior team leader and independently plans, coordinates and administers major, high- priority privacy investigative cases which are integral to agency data governance objectives.

Coordinates and delegates complex investigative responsibilities that frequently collaborate with Office of Chief Counsel in the District, human resources, executive leadership and labor partners. Using an expert understanding of all applicable laws, regulations and guidelines, independently analyzes all of the interrelated issues that affect the privacy/FOIA program.

The officer must possess the ability to apply a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods for the assessment and improvement of data governance program effectiveness. Creates 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.

Individualized detailed reports are routinely compiled and shared to substantiate compliance with all of the national, state and local applicable statutes. Teaches and trains employees on general data protection procedures and detailed service specific practices for daily operations. Develops and integrates policy-based processes, roles and controls that influences how data is created, collected, used, stored and destroyed throughout the organization.

Performs assessment of privacy-related risks associated with business activities that involve processing of personal and sensitive data. Participates in the planning, development and evaluation of procurement and acquisitions for goods and services for the entire organization. Independently investigates non-compliance of privacy related issues at all levels of the organization and outside of the organization when VHA information is involved.

Independently performs in-depth legal research that pertains to both federal and state statutes to render expertise, provide solutions and facilitate corrective action. Adjudicates complex privacy and FOIA decisions that affect employees, Veterans, patients and commercial businesses in the absence of supervision. Manages a system-wide communication strategy as it relates to the request timely release and amendment of records from the facility.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: This position may be authorized for ADHOC telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Government Information Special/PD99843S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorizied Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized