Incumbent serves as a Public Affairs Specialist at the Amarillo VA Health Care System. This position reports to the VAMC Public Affairs Officer and is the official responsible for promoting and coaching outreach in the VAMCs, sharing best practices, planning, and conducting a comprehensive outreach program, developing outreach plans, generating events, etc. Recruitment/Relocation incentive may be authorized for highly qualified candidate.

Duties

Major duties include: Incumbent is assigned to provide toxic exposure outreach and other support for the Public Affairs program at a VA Medical Center while displaying tact, common sense, diplomacy, initiative, and solid professional judgment. Advises senior level management on development of outreach campaigns, communication plans and strategies. Serves as a content manager of VA Medical Center's public website and intranet. Serves as agency spokesperson in the absence of the Public Affairs Officer, including responding in writing and orally to questions about or criticisms of the agency's activities or policies and explaining the VA point of view. Executes special events, coordinates high profile visits, and supports outreach to Veterans not enrolled in the VA health care system. Analyzes internal communication needs and develops publications or other information materials for staff, patients, volunteers, and others who contribute to VA effectiveness and responsiveness. Has responsibility for the development, coordination, implementation and maintenance of public affairs and community relations programs that are designed to promote understanding, confidence, and goodwill between VA Medical Centers, surrounding communities, individuals, volunteers, and groups who are interested in and affected by the VA. Analyzes information needs, goals, and resources, and tailors' specific communication strategies using all media to reach target audiences both internal and external. Interacts with top officials of public and private sector to enhance understanding among VAMCs and VHA's many publics, strengthening relationships. Evaluates the effectiveness and efficiency of the public information programs for internal communications, media relations, and community relations with the ultimate goal of achieving greater understanding of their facility's mission and programs. Plans, initiates, and implements comprehensive public affairs activities to enhance the understanding of VA's programs among the general public and specialized groups and organizations. Organizes photo coverage of programs and activities, using medical media production service if the VAMC Public Affairs Office does not provide photographic support services. Coordinates the production and dissemination of information, material, and, where necessary, works with contractors who design, write, or produce materials for the VISN/Medical Centers in the VISN. Establishes and maintains professional working relationships with representatives of the news media, responding in a timely fashion to information requests from the media in writing and orally to ensure the fair representation of the VA. May respond, or prepare response for the director, to detailed explanations for negative comments made about VA activities or performance particularly in urgent, sensitive situations. Develops and utilizes a variety of methods and techniques in achieving communication goals, such as news releases, radio and television scripts, personal appearances, brochures, pamphlets, etc. Sets up systematic programs for collecting information of news interest concerning VA activities and personnel. Provides expertise in planning and implementation of special events, ceremonies, open houses, tours, and other activities conducted for the purpose of generating awareness of, and interest in the mission of VA and for public awareness. Prepares briefing packages and slide presentations for VA guests from regional and central offices as well as congressional staff, Veterans' organizations, and all other community representatives and groups. Prepares and updates brochures on VA, its personnel, and activities. Undertakes other assignments, such as coordination of special projects, at the direction of VISN Public Affairs Officer. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm CST Telework: Ad-hoc available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Public Affairs Specialist - Recruitment/Relocation Incentive/PD006420 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May Be Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved 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, 09/07/2023. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: oral and written communication practices, techniques, and methods; assessing public reaction and identifying extent of understanding achieved to evaluate effectiveness of information programs; providing representatives of the print and broadcast media, trade associations, and industrial representatives with timely and accurate explanations of agency policies and regulations; determining the appropriateness of elements of an internal information program; writing a variety of articles, news releases, and speeches in conveying information and clarifying VA medical center's operations, programs and activities to specialized audiences and general public; applying a variety of analytical techniques in gathering, analyzing, and evaluating complex data and developing appropriate recommendations; Designing and implementing a strategic communications and outreach plan; conceive and coordinate slide shows, videotapes and other audiovisual products; and knowledge of Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have any combination of specialized experience and education listed above. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication Oral communication Multimedia Technologies Manages and Organizes Information 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. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. 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

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

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 Thomas E Creek VA Medical Center 6010 Amarillo Boulevard, West Amarillo, TX 79106 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]