This position serves as the Lead Public Affairs Specialist in the Community Affairs Service for VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System (VASNHCS).

Duties

Major Duties: Lead a team of employees to accomplish the work of the organizational unit. Articulate and communicates to the team the assignment, project, problem to be solved, actionable events, milestones, and/or program issues under review, and deadlines and time frames for completion. Train or arrange for the training of team members in methods and techniques of team building and working in teams to accomplish tasks or projects, and provides or arranges for specific administrative or technical training necessary for accomplishment of individual and team tasks. Serve as liaison between the medical center and public media, other medical facilities, and VA Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs (OPIA). Coordinate the implementation with other VASNHCS program officials, assessing the impact of implemented policy and providing expert communication advice. Provide technical consultation in the preparation of public relations and marketing materials and publications. Responsible for preparing or directing the preparation of all news releases, media advisories, public service announcements, and feature articles about the medical facility and its programs and services. Serve as the spokesperson for the medical center for media interviews, events or crisis situations. Evaluate the effectiveness of the public affairs program and makes changes as necessary to improve the public image of VA and to improve media exposure of VA programs and activities. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Mon-Fri, 0730-1600 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#: Lead Public Affairs Specialist/PD01275-O 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, 08/18/2023. 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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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 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-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Assisting in the design, implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive communications program; researching, writing and, reviewing content for diverse audiences including the media and general public (i.e. talking points, press release, social media content, communication plans, etc.); providing project management for the planning, production, execution and analysis of public affairs projects and initiatives; directing the work of a team (i.e. overseeing projects, mentoring, preparing production schedules and delegating priorities). You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: CommunicationsCreative ThinkingOrganizational StewardshipStrategic ThinkingVeteran and Customer Focus 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 is sedentary in part involving writing at a desk, working at a computer terminal, conferring with others, and attending conferences, meetings and interviews. Considerable standing and walking throughout the VASNHCS and the grounds of the medical center is required. Driving or riding in a vehicle is also required on a routine basis to attend outside meetings, interviews, and special events. The incumbent must attend lengthy meetings, both during and after regular scheduled work hours. The incumbent is also responsible for providing tours of the VASNHCS facility. This involves a great deal of walking throughout the VASNHCS. In addition, the incumbent travels to numerous conventions, health fairs, and conferences to promote the VASNHCS. This involves carrying, lifting, and erecting bulky display panels. Travel to other VA facilities is also required on a regular basis for meetings and education. 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.

Contacts

• Address VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System 975 Kirman Avenue Reno, NV 89502 US
• Name: Yesenia Nery
• Phone: 910-488-2120 X1273
• Email: [email protected]