Government Information Specialist

Summary

This position is located within the Office of Counsel (OC), which is responsible for providing USDA Office of Inspector General (OIG) management and staff with legal advice, counsel, and representation on all matters related to program operations and management issues within the organization. This position expertly supports the processing of Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act and other information requests. This position also assists with administering OIG's Records Management Program.

Duties

• Processes Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act (PA) and other information requests that are often complex and challenging.
• Applies a wide range of qualitative methods when evaluating requests for legal sufficiency and jurisdiction.
• Applies the proper exemptions to protect information in accordance with the FOIA/PA statutes, legal precedents, and current U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and OIG guidance.
• Communicates with requestors both orally and in writing, including negotiating with them as well as preparing and transmitting acknowledgement/release letters.
• Supports the OIG Records Management Program concerning the full spectrum of records management issues.
• Ensures proper control, maintenance, and disposition of records.
• Provides support regarding information law issues within OIG, such as duties relating to Controlled Unclassified Information, System of Records Notices (SORNs), document review, litigation support, and other related issues that may arise.

Requirements

You must be a US Citizen or US National. Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt. Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. Direct Deposit - Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period depending on your appointment type, unless previous federal service is creditable. During this time your employment will be evaluated, and we may consider: your performance and conduct, the needs and interests of the agency, whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government, and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. This is a Testing Designated Position (TDP). If selected, you will be required to submit Form OGE-450 within 30 days of your initial appointment date, and annually thereafter. Selectee is subject to financial Disclosure Requirements in accordance with 5 CFR, Part 2635, Sub part E regarding business or personal transactions with applicants, borrowers, or business contacts who have or who are seeking business with this Agency. Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. If selected you will be subject to a National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI) and a credit report. Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Time in Grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet the time in grade requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. (One year at the GS-09 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-11 level; one year at the GS-11 level is required to meet time-in-grade requirements for the GS-12 level.) Specialized Experience for GS-11: To be considered qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience as described below. You must have one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience that is at least equivalent in difficulty and complexity to work performed at the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service or comparable level of experience from outside the Federal service that demonstrates all of the following: Experience gathering information, identifying and analyzing issues, and developing recommendations to resolve substantive issues regarding the Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act programs. Experience responding to requests for organizational records or other information. Experience organizing and maintaining sensitive records in accordance with legal requirements. OR Education substitution: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. (Note: You must provide a copy of your transcripts) OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. (Note: You must provide a copy of your transcripts) Specialized Experience for GS-12: To be considered qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience as described below. You must have one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience that is at least equivalent in difficulty and complexity to work performed at the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service or comparable level of experience from outside the Federal service that demonstrates all of the following: Experience processing Privacy Act and Freedom of Information Act requests. Experience drafting and responding to requests for organizational information. Ability to collaborate effectively across all organizational levels, including the ability to work with varied stakeholders. Skills in organizing work and establishing priorities in line with organizational goals, ensuring timely and effective execution while handling multiple matters at the same time. Ability to identify and ensuring protected information is appropriately disclosed in accordance with legal requirements. Experience managing, organizing, and maintaining sensitive records in accordance with legal requirements. NOTE: You must include evidence of this specialized experience in your resume, including dates of experience (month/year) and hours worked/work schedule, to be considered qualified for this position. Documenting experience: In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience. Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week. Qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information including work schedule, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume. For resume writing guidance, visit USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a federal resume? NOTE: To be considered for this position, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the GS-0306 series set forth in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards by the closing date of the announcement. A copy is available at:General Schedule Administrative and Management Positions 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13055944 Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. Other Information

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100. Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Employees: Permanent County employees without prior Federal tenure who are selected for a Civil Service position under Public Law 105-277 will be given a career-conditional appointment and must serve a 1-year probationary period. Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility requirements visit the following websites: Persons with Disabilities-Schedule A Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans USAJOBS Help Center - Military spouses Other Special Appointment Authorities Help Center - Peace Corps & AmeriCorps VISTA Explore the different Hiring Paths on the USAJOBS website Veterans who are preference eligible or who have been separated from the armed forces under honorable conditions after three years or more of continuous active service are eligible for consideration under the (VEOA) Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. Refer to PUBLIC LAW 114-47-AUG. 7, 2015 for more information. If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.