This position is located in the Office of Discovery, Education, and Affiliate Networks (DEAN), Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Central Office. DEAN oversees the Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA), Office of Research and Development (ORD), Office of Healthcare Innovation and Learning (OHIL) and the National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnership (HAP).

Duties

The incumbent of this position serves as the Communication Specialist - Strategic Communications and reports to the Chief Communications Officer. The incumbent is responsible for effective coordination and collaboration with communications and media personnel with both internal and external stakeholders. The incumbent will also develop and write content designed or newsletters, websites, videos, and social media, including specialized and target audiences both within the VA and external stakeholders. Duties include, but are not limited to: Developing communication and organizational plans by considering specific topics, which require emphasis, for effective media use for communication with intended audiences. Writing and reviewing news releases for legal implications, public reaction, conformance with established policy, and protection of information covered by the Privacy Act. Developing a unified and singular voice for DEAN, assuring all sub-components speak collaboratively and collectively. Independently reviewing, proofreading, editing, and/or developing new fact sheets, brochures, reports, social media posts (e.g., Facebook, Twitter), bios, slide presentations, Web pages, or new materials to ensure consistent messaging across the wider organization. Coordinating distribution of materials to various internal and external stakeholders using Websites, knowledge management systems, email distribution groups, or other means. Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with executive leaders/managers, contractors, media representatives, and/or other agency officials and specialized work groups interested in promoting the wider organization's programs and policies. Coordinating print and broadcast media interviews with executive leadership or subject matter experts. Developing and writing social media postings designed to reach national and international audiences, including specialized audiences and target groups within the VA and within various Veteran groups, governmental, academic, medical, scientific, and other stakeholder communities. Establishing and developing effective media relationships with media representatives and public affairs personnel of specialized groups. Determining the mechanisms for increasing/enhancing communication methods with VHA internal and external stakeholder to increase the presence of DEAN Office programming. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: May be available 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. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Communications Specialist - Strategic Communications/PD83559-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/28/2023. 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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: coordinating and implementing strategic communications and developing communication plans; preparing speeches and briefings, writing and disseminating articles and press releases; developing communications products on a variety of topics for use in responding to media queries and as briefing materials; communicating in written and oral formats complex healthcare information; identifying and resolving a variety of complex public affairs issues and providing guidance to senior leadership on all public affairs and communication issues. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communications and Media Creative Thinking Interpersonal Skills Strategic Thinking Organizational Stewardship 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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. 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. Physical Requirements: The work of the position is primarily sedentary. 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

There is no educational substitution at this 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address VSHO - Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks 2402 Wildwood Ave Suite 301 Sherwood, AR 72120 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]