Senior FOIA Specialist

Description

Senior FOIA Specialist - 

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Information and Technology (OIT), 

Veterans Affairs Central Office (VACO) FOIA Service

Position: Full-Time / On-Site

     -VA Central Office, 811 Vermont Ave, NW Washington, DC 20420

Caladwich Consulting, LLC is an SBA-certified 8(a), CVE-certified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) with a single focus- deliver exceptional results! Caladwich mission is to help clients meet their strategic and operational objectives by employing a range of capabilities that are integrated and focused to provide real solutions and deliver results.

Caladwich Consulting is seeking an Senior Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Specialist to provide on-site support to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) FOIA Program by processing FOIA requests in accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 552, VA policy, and applicable federal regulations. This role provides advanced FOIA processing support within the VA’s designated eFOIA system of record and serves as a subject matter expert for complex request handling, exemption application, and quality assurance support.

Daily Hours of Operation are 7:00 am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays.

Core Responsibilities- SM Expertise in the following fields: 

• Process Simple, Complex, and Expedited FOIA requests from intake through final response preparation using the VA’s eFOIA system of record.

• Perform FOIA intake activities, including receipt and initial assessment of requests, identification of appropriate VA offices for transfer, initiation of Substantial Interest notifications, and communication with requesters to clarify scope or request additional information.

• Coordinate with VA Service Line offices and stakeholders to obtain responsive records.

• Conduct full cradle-to-grave FOIA request processing, including document review, redaction, and accurate application of FOIA exemptions in accordance with statute, policy, and guidance.

• Prepare draft FOIA response packages for VA FOIA Service review and final determination.

• Support enterprise backlog reduction efforts by meeting timeliness requirements for FOIA processing.

• Provide subject matter expertise on FOIA processing procedures, exemption application, and redaction standards.

• Support quality assurance activities by reviewing work products for accuracy, consistency, and compliance.

• Mentor and provide guidance to junior FOIA staff as assigned.

• Perform FOIA-related tasks in support of other VA organizations only when directly related to VA FOIA Services workload requirements

Requirements

Requirements for Candidate:

• 3+ years’ experience in relative FOIA Experience in a Federal of Government setting

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Information Systems, from accredited institution. 

• Experience mentoring junior FOIA staff or supporting quality assurance reviews.

• Familiarity with enterprise FOIA backlog reduction initiatives.

• Prior experience supporting FOIA operations within the Department of Veterans Affairs or another federal agency. **Preferred**

• Must be a U.S. Citizen

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching

• Health/Dental/Vision insurance

• Life insurance

• Paid time off (PTO)

• Federal Holiday Observation