AddressSummary The facility Privacy/Freedom of Information Act Officer has oversight for the data governance program and initiatives in the Bronx VA Health Care System located in Bronx, NY. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-12. At the GS-11 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-12. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds. The position makes unique facility-level determinations about disclosures, issuance of denials, redactions, access, use and dissemination of federal agency records. The position formulates policy, ensures compliance with federal and state laws, and conducts thorough research of federal implementing regulations. Major duties include but are not limited to: Implements unique policies and procedures to manage agency information, providing assistance and services to the general public and an organization, agency or facility staff members 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 Monitors and covers all aspects of the collection, use, dissemination, disclosure and destruction of information within an organization, agency or facility Develops and integrates policy based processes, roles and controls that influences how data is created, collected, used, stored and destroyed throughout the organization Adjudicates complex privacy and FOIA decisions that affect employees, customers and commercial businesses in the absence of supervision Performs in-depth legal research that pertains to both federal and state statutes to render expertise, provide solutions and facilitate corrective action Safeguards information while supporting accountability and transparency initiatives Analyzes all of the interrelated issues that affect the privacy/FOIA program and plans and conducts monitoring activities which measure the overall level of operational compliance by the facility Teaches and trains employees on general data protection procedures and detailed service specific practices for daily operations and uses technology to provide required privacy/FOIA training and supplemental education Performs assessment of privacy-related risks associated with business activities that involve processing of personal and sensitive data Investigates non-compliance of privacy related issues at all levels of an organization, agency or facility and outside of these entities when information is involved Strengthens and sustains the 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 Ensures that organization, agency or facility correspondence for data governance is transparent, timely, accurate and complete in response to requests for information from the general-public, Congressional representatives, law enforcement, courts and commercial business Creates a communications process and tools that are flexible, customizable and interactive to address unique compliance challenges and educational/training needs Performs other directly related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Telework: 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. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job 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 Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications You may qualify based on your education/experience, as described below: GS-11: Specialized Experience: 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. Specialized experience includes assisting in performing full-scope privacy risk and compliance evaluations including the development and implementation of privacy enhancing technologies (i.e., technologies that automate privacy controls, risk assessments and compliance monitoring) within the context of an organizational or national level privacy program. OR Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree. LL.M., if related. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. OR Combination of Education and Specialized Experience: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-11 level. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-11. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. GS-12 One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-11) in the Federal service, that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes: performing, reviewing and providing advice on the full-scope privacy risk and compliance evaluations including the development and implementation of privacy enhancing technologies (i.e., technologies that automate privacy controls, risk assessments and compliance monitoring) within the context of an organizational or national level privacy program; and interfacing with agency point of contact to resolve issues and provide compliance, as appropriate. Your experience must be documented in your resume. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Communications External Awareness Manages and Organizes Information Security IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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; religious; 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. Physical Requirements/Work Environment: 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 pounds. 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 associated 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 IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. There is no educational substitution at the GS 12 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional Information Receiving Service Credit for 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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. For more information on how to apply using this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator within the office, contact the facility Human Resources Department at (718) 584-9000. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. 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/. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
