Government Information Specialist

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Office of the Assistant Director, Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System, Charleston, S.C. a complex level lA facility, with a large and complex research program.

The incumbent serves as the assistant medical center's Privacy and Freedom of Information Act (Privacy/FOIA) Officer.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/09/2026.

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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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.

Preferred Experience: Privacy and FOIA experience 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: Researching, reviewing, and applying laws/regulations related to privacy; Redacting records and documents in response to FOIA requests; Developing or assisting in the development of privacy-related policies and procedures based on existing laws/regulations; Collecting, investigating and tracking complaints related to compliance or allegations of illegal or improper activities related to the handling or release of privacy protected information; Researching and preparing summaries and reports to official inquiries; Assists and/or provides guidance to management and staff regarding HIPAA requirements, policies and procedures.

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 orLL.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 beyond 1 full year of graduate level education.

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 basically sedentary. Some walking, standing, bending and carrying lightweight items such as books, papers and records are also required.

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/.

Major Duties:

The incumbent acts as the primary liaison to facility staff by disseminating information to the appropriate areas, facilitating employee adherence to mandates from regulatory agencies and assisting the Privacy/FOIA Officer with various monitors to ensure VA and other federal privacy policies and procedures are observed.

Major duties include but are not limited to: Assists in preparing, receiving, reviewing, and verifying Privacy and FOIA request documents.

Provides updated privacy information to staff to ensure that government and industry best practices for health care and executive agency privacy are understood and met.

Assists the Privacy/FOIA Officer in assessing the Health Care System environment, and in reviewing the facility's collection, use, storage, and maintenance of sensitive personal information.

Actively participates on the weekly Environment of Care rounds, visiting various departments and, utilizing a nationally developed monitoring tool, assessing if staff are appropriately applying privacy practices.

Searches for and locates records requests; compiles data or information from files or from other departments, such as HIMS, to complete audits.

Documents and provides corrective assistance for deficiencies found based on assessment and risk analysis results, as well as incident report reviews.

Conducts monthly and quarterly monitors as required by VHA policy to ensure privacy processes are being followed; populates information into the local dashboard(s).

Research, formats, and compiles comprehensive, concise technical reports for review by the Privacy/FOIA Officer and Assistant Health Care System Director.

Coordinates with the Facility Records Officer (RO) in ensuring that a structure for all Privacy Act Systems of Records held by the facility is established and records are maintained in accordance with Federal law and VA directives.

Processes complaints and performs initial investigation into allegations of illegal or improper activities related to the handling or release of protected information.

Assists in the investigation of data breaches and recommends appropriate resolution and remediation; provides refresher, remedial and new hire training to staff regarding facility-specific privacy and FOIA expectations and processes.

Coordinates with the Education Service in the identification of deficiencies in the facility's mandated VHA privacy training completion rate. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:30am-4:00pm.

Subject to change based on agency needs. Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Government Information Specialist/PD105280 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized