What are the responsibilities and job description for the Government Information Specialist position at Tucson VA Medical Center?
The incumbent to this position will serve as the Privacy/Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Specialist and work directly with the Privacy/FOIA Officer managing the overall program for the data governance program and initiatives in a VISN 22 Health Care 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.
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-09. 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:
Experience utilizing FOIAXpress software system for processing all Freedom of Information Act requests to the general public.
Experience utilizing VA Public Access Link (PAL) to delivery processed FOIA requested documents.
Experience utilizing VHA Privacy Security Event Ticket (PSET) portal and dashboard.
Experience conducting VHA Privacy Compliance and Accountability (PCA) self-assessments
Experience supporting or managing Privacy and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) programs, including making determinations regarding disclosure, denial, redaction, access, and dissemination of federal agency records.
You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
Data Lifecycle Management, Protection and Disclosure
The Privacy/FOIA Specialist support the Privacy/FOIA program to develop and integrate 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.
Advocates for Veterans, patients and employees that are victims of privacy violations. conducts detailed investigatory interviews with staff, patients, and vendors to collect facts in response to privacy complaints.
Identifies privacy risk within the organization and assists in oversight of corrective actions identified to mitigate the safety of patients' privacy.
Independently performs in-depth legal research that pertains to both federal and state statutes to render expertise, provide solutions and facilitate corrective action.
Reviews federal court determinations and pertinent case law to make determinations in Privacy, FOIA and other health care related matters that involve the agency.
Adjudicates privacy and FOIA decisions that affect employees, Veterans, patients, and commercial businesses without supervision.
Ensures that agency 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.
Facility Data Governance Director and Information Strategist
The Privacy/FOIA Specialist works with the Privacy/FOIA Officer in developing a local level strategy for data governance, which includes leading from the executive office and ensuring a program that includes diverse processes and specific policies which are independent of other facilities.
Collaborates with the Privacy/FOIA Officer on local privacy strategy that integrates the VA Health Care System with data governance program goals, national strategic priorities, and VA core values. Independently makes decisions of data disclosure, conduct independent investigations, conduct compliance activities, and implement physical, technical, and administrative safeguards across the facility.
Additionally, the Privacy/FOIA Specialist will interact with high-ranking external stakeholders to include Veteran Service Organizations (VSO's), Congressional representatives, internal and external partners, community leaders, attorneys, news media, affiliate universities, commercial entities, and the local public with regards to the protection, release, and transparency of information within the facility. Independently support the Privacy/FOIA Officer by developing and executing strategic management initiatives in Privacy/FOIA program areas that establish areas of control of information within the facility and interfaces with all business operations across service lines/departments.
Implement written policies that define the enterprise privacy principles, guidance and practices that influence the data governance model for the organization.
Represents the agency authoritatively to key officials and organizations both within and outside of VA. Contributes to significant agency decisions, policy recommendations and executive leadership consultations based on an in-depth knowledge of government regulatory and federal and state statutory requirements, case law and Office of Inspector General (OIG), Government Accounting Office (GAO) and National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) verdicts.
Record Management Coordination
Coordinates with those in the VHA Medical Center in ensuring that the 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.
Works with the facility Record Management Officers to assist and other medical center staff with proper maintenance, storage and destruction of departmental records using established spreadsheets, checklists and monitoring tools in accordance with VA and VHA policy, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and other applicable federal laws and regulations.
Incumbent will, in assisting the Privacy/FOIA Officer, provide guidance as necessary to medical center service lines who are responding to correspondence from Congressional offices to ensure Sensitive Personal Information (SPI) is released in accordance with privacy regulations.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Ad-Hoc. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Government Information Specialist/PD14914LS
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/01/2026.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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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:
Experience utilizing FOIAXpress software system for processing all Freedom of Information Act requests to the general public.
Experience utilizing VA Public Access Link (PAL) to delivery processed FOIA requested documents.
Experience utilizing VHA Privacy Security Event Ticket (PSET) portal and dashboard.
Experience conducting VHA Privacy Compliance and Accountability (PCA) self-assessments
Experience supporting or managing Privacy and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) programs, including making determinations regarding disclosure, denial, redaction, access, and dissemination of federal agency records.
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-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: Experience with Privacy Act, FOIA, and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); Skill in the development of a system-wide program; Reviewing documents and requests in detail; Experience with formulating policy, ensuring compliance with federal and state laws and conducting research of federal laws and regulations; Experience with communicating to general public and leadership personnel; Records Management coordination, Assessing privacy risk and investigating privacy violations. OR,
- Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a 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 graduate education.
Responsibilities:
Duties include but not limited to:Data Lifecycle Management, Protection and Disclosure
The Privacy/FOIA Specialist support the Privacy/FOIA program to develop and integrate 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.
Advocates for Veterans, patients and employees that are victims of privacy violations. conducts detailed investigatory interviews with staff, patients, and vendors to collect facts in response to privacy complaints.
Identifies privacy risk within the organization and assists in oversight of corrective actions identified to mitigate the safety of patients' privacy.
Independently performs in-depth legal research that pertains to both federal and state statutes to render expertise, provide solutions and facilitate corrective action.
Reviews federal court determinations and pertinent case law to make determinations in Privacy, FOIA and other health care related matters that involve the agency.
Adjudicates privacy and FOIA decisions that affect employees, Veterans, patients, and commercial businesses without supervision.
Ensures that agency 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.
Facility Data Governance Director and Information Strategist
The Privacy/FOIA Specialist works with the Privacy/FOIA Officer in developing a local level strategy for data governance, which includes leading from the executive office and ensuring a program that includes diverse processes and specific policies which are independent of other facilities.
Collaborates with the Privacy/FOIA Officer on local privacy strategy that integrates the VA Health Care System with data governance program goals, national strategic priorities, and VA core values. Independently makes decisions of data disclosure, conduct independent investigations, conduct compliance activities, and implement physical, technical, and administrative safeguards across the facility.
Additionally, the Privacy/FOIA Specialist will interact with high-ranking external stakeholders to include Veteran Service Organizations (VSO's), Congressional representatives, internal and external partners, community leaders, attorneys, news media, affiliate universities, commercial entities, and the local public with regards to the protection, release, and transparency of information within the facility. Independently support the Privacy/FOIA Officer by developing and executing strategic management initiatives in Privacy/FOIA program areas that establish areas of control of information within the facility and interfaces with all business operations across service lines/departments.
Implement written policies that define the enterprise privacy principles, guidance and practices that influence the data governance model for the organization.
Represents the agency authoritatively to key officials and organizations both within and outside of VA. Contributes to significant agency decisions, policy recommendations and executive leadership consultations based on an in-depth knowledge of government regulatory and federal and state statutory requirements, case law and Office of Inspector General (OIG), Government Accounting Office (GAO) and National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) verdicts.
Record Management Coordination
Coordinates with those in the VHA Medical Center in ensuring that the 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.
Works with the facility Record Management Officers to assist and other medical center staff with proper maintenance, storage and destruction of departmental records using established spreadsheets, checklists and monitoring tools in accordance with VA and VHA policy, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and other applicable federal laws and regulations.
Incumbent will, in assisting the Privacy/FOIA Officer, provide guidance as necessary to medical center service lines who are responding to correspondence from Congressional offices to ensure Sensitive Personal Information (SPI) is released in accordance with privacy regulations.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Ad-Hoc. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Government Information Specialist/PD14914LS
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Salary : $76,095