Government Information Specialist

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs (OSORA), Freedom of Information Group (FIG).

Duties

• Analyze incoming requests to determine the applicability of the FOIA and the type of records requested.
• Maintain a current knowledge of CMS organizational components and their inter-relationships in order to correctly disseminate requests for records.
• Evaluate issues/requests in terms of cited legislation and content to determine legislative applicability.
• Monitor, analyze, and evaluate program status and execution throughout the agency to ensure continuity, accuracy, and completeness of actions.
• Interpret and advise on new developments and recent court decisions, legislative, activities, and Congressional initiatives regarding release of information under the Privacy Act for their impact on the agency.

Qualifications

ALL QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. Your resume (limited to no more than 2 pages) must include detailed information as it relates to the responsibilities and specialized experience for this position. Evidence of copying and pasting directly from the vacancy announcement without clearly documenting supplemental information to describe your experience will result in an ineligible rating. This will prevent you from receiving further consideration. In order to qualify for the GS-12, you must meet the following: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one year (52 weeks) of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal government, obtained in either the private or public sector, to include: (1) Serving as a technical point of contact for a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) program, independently analyzing complex requests involving Medicare, Medicaid, and other program records to determine FOIA/Privacy Act applicability; (2) Researching and resolving requests for access to highly sensitive or proprietary records, applying statutory exemptions, and coordinating complex disclosure and policy questions across the organization; AND (3) Developing organization-wide FOIA policy input and guidance, preparing decision briefings for senior leadership, and delivering FOIA training to employees and management officials to strengthen compliance and reduce institutional risk. Substitution of Education for Experience: There is no substitution of education to meet the specialized experience requirement at the GS-12 grade level. Combination of Experience and Education: There is no combination of experience and education to meet the specialized experience requirement at the GS-12 grade level. 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. Time-in-Grade: To be eligible, current or former Federal employees and current or former Federal employees applying under the VEOA eligibility who hold or have held a permanent General Schedule position in the previous year must have served at least 52 weeks (one year) at the next lower grade level from the position/grade level(s) to which they are applying. Click the following link to view the occupational questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13073604

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), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the results of the online assessments required for this position. A Subject Matter Expert will assist in the resume review process to help determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. 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 In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Other Information

Bargaining Unit Position: Yes, American Federation of Government Employees, Local 1923 Tour of Duty: Flexible Recruitment Incentive: Not Authorized Relocation Incentive: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure: Not Required Workplace Flexibility at CMS: This position has a regular and recurring reporting requirement to the CMS office listed in this announcement. CMS offers flexible working arrangements and allows employees the opportunity to participate in alternative work schedules at the manager's discretion. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced federal employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit the required documentation and be rated well-qualified for this vacancy. Click here for a detailed description of the required supporting documents. A well-qualified applicant is one whose knowledge, skills and abilities clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements of the position. Additional information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp.