Job opening: Public Affairs Specialist - TCF Trainee
Salary: $52 636 - 68 426 per year
Published at: Aug 09 2023
Employment Type: Full-time
The Technical Career Field (TCF) is a national workforce development program within VHA that was designed to replenish technical staff in critically identified positions.
Duties
The TCF career fields represent those technical fields where VA-specific knowledge and experience is desirable for success in the field. Individuals selected follow a formal training plan for two years during which they are trained, coached, and supervised by a preceptor.
As part of the VA's succession planning, the Technical Career Field (TCF) training program was created to ensure individuals are trained in critical areas that have current or predicted shortages. The program is nationally funded to include salary, benefits and training/travel dollars. At the time of acceptance into the TCF program, trainees will be asked to sign mobility, training, and service agreements. Relocation expenses for acceptance into the training program or for placement are not funded by the TCF program. Please keep in consideration, the training program is meant for those individuals who plan on staying with the VA a minimum of 3 years after completion of their training program.
Selectees will be required to complete and sign the following paperwork; Mobility, Training, and Continued Service Agreements.
Although not guaranteed, with more than 150 freestanding facilities and hundreds of clinic locations, we will strive to place trainees in positions that will work for their needs and the needs of the VA.
This is a developmental position leading to a GS-11, performing assignments intended to broaden skills and provide practical experience leading to progressively more complex assignments performed under progressively less supervision. You will ultimately acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds.
Major Duties:
Develops and disseminates a wide range of information and data concerning the nature and objectives of Agency programs, employing all types of media, including radio, television, newspapers, magazines, professional and scientific journals, pictures, posters, and exhibits. Edits and composes news articles feature materials, identifies and caption appropriate photographs and other graphic materials and performs design/layout of various high-visibility publication(s) at both the system and VISN level. May disseminate sensitive information regarding disasters or emergencies affecting facilities, patients and/or employees
Coordinates media interviews with staff and oversees arrangements with media representatives involving organization activities; provides supporting materials as required. The incumbent ensures proper attribution of news stories between staff members holding joint appointments with the medical college.
Establishes and maintains working relationships with local mass and specialized media representatives and with the special interest representatives concerned with veteran's affairs within the geographic area. The incumbent generates solid relationships by keeping media informed; being responsive to their requests; obtaining resources for media on various issues and programs; and by otherwise creating goodwill.
Assists in the coordinates of internet and intranet web content and ensures compliance with the overall direction and objectives for the agency web presence. Works with Information Technology Staff along with the Public Affairs Officer to ensure content is updated regularly. Periodically reviews Internet and Intranet sites to ensure message consistency, currency, and to prevent information duplication and contradiction. Ensures visual identify standards and content quality standards. Advises the Public Affairs Officer on overall regional and agency web direction and strategy, ensuring content is consistent with and supports agency's strategic plan, mission, vision, and values.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (8:00am - 4:30pm)
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Qualifications
GS-7: A bachelor's degree and superior academic achievement S.A.A. (S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. 1. Class standing--Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses. 2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.)--Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9. 3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society--Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies listed below. These honor societies are listed in the Association of College Honor Societies: Booklet of Information (1992-95) and/or Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (1991). Agencies considering eligibility based on any society not included in the following list must ensure that the honor society meets the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision. (Unofficial Transcripts required)
-OR-
Education: One full year of graduate level study or possess a master's or higher degree, e.g., in a subject that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. (Unofficial Transcripts required)
-OR-
Experience: One year of specialized experience in presenting analyses of factual material in narrative form, such as writing news reports or magazine articles; conducting tours of facilities and explaining the work performed; market research activities; writing and developing materials for employees and public communications; arranging and coordinating interviews with local, regional and national officials; or composing and preparing correspondence, reviews and clips/transcripts of print and electronic media, etc. This experience must be equivalent to the GS-5 in federal service.
-OR-
Combination Education/experience: less than the full amount of graduate education described above and less than the amount of experience described above but have a combination of the type of education and experience described above.
You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:
Educational Experience (ACWA)Mathematical Skills (ACWA)Rating (ACWA)Social Organizations (ACWA)Work Experience (ACWA)
IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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.
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.
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
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
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 Anchorage VA Medical Center
1201 North Muldoon Road
Anchorage, AK 99504
US
- Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
- Phone: (844)456-5208
- Email: [email protected]
Map