The VHA public information program involves the presentation of the Medical Centers mission, services, and activities to the staff, volunteers, members of the media, general public, veterans, local, state, and federal officials and community groups in ways that most effectively achieve the VHA's goals while contributing to understanding and support of the Medical Center's care for veterans

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. Coordinates news media interviews with staff, and oversees arrangements with media representatives involving organization activities; provides supporting materials as required. 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 veterans affairs within the geographic area. 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. Assigns, distributes, and reviews workload for his/her designated area of responsibility. Establishes and maintains a speaker's bureau, distributing the list to media and interested organizations, coordinating speech requests and providing training and materials to speakers. Assists management in panning, developing and implementing various programs and projects to meet special needs of veterans' organizations, affiliated educational institutions, and other audiences that require public relations intervention. Maintains liaison with public affairs staffs of related health and educational organizations, service, and civic l organizations on behalf of the Medical Center to maintain goodwill and information and facilitate joint projects or information gathering. Constantly evaluates public affairs programs while helping to track effectiveness of activities in the Medical Center. Develops beats to gather information for possible dissemination, such as news stories involving station activities or personnel (i.e., research initiatives) and is always alert for opportunities to explore potential for participation in exhibits, conventions and professional meetings. Maintains effective relationships with service chiefs and their staffs to refer and evaluate inquires made by the media as well as identifying newsworthy or feature events. Establishes effective relationships with local media and veterans organizations, community groups and management officials. Meets with a variety of these groups to disseminate information, enhance relationships, and communicate Medical Center and VHA policies and information about specialized programs and initiatives. Acts as liaison with the VHACO and VACO Public Affairs Program Offices, and the VISN Public Affairs Manager in matters of public affairs. Develops and maintains an internal public affairs program designed to enhance employee knowledge of and pride in the Medical Center health care organization. May include publication of a newsletter, participation in new employee orientation, preparation of pamphlets, booklets, photo displays, fact sheets, video programs, etc., which enhance internal and external perceptions of the Medical Center. Contribute information about the public affairs milieu and to gain a proactive position on potential public relations issues. Calls news conferences and briefings after appropriate discussion and counsel; determines the best strategy to use when responding to negative media inquiries; and continuously evaluates campaign strategies and positions and monitors their effectiveness. Advises the Medical Center director, VISN Director's staff and VHACO/VACO Public Affairs Program Offices for national issues and national media -- of changes in public affairs strategies and keeps them informed of potential complications, problems and resolutions. Initiates public affairs correspondence, prepares information packages, conducts tours and other related tasks for special visitors and dignitaries, organizes select ceremonies and writes speeches. Actively participates in appropriate management committees; conducts special projects and analysis involving specific problems; coordinates activities for special projects; and analyzes the impact or implications of events, proposals or directives. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 8:00am to 4:30pm. 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#: Public Affairs Specialist/PD094040 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, 11/15/2023. 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: Experience in the actual type of work for which application is made. Functioning as spokesperson, facilitator and contributor to the media, community or government officials. Coordinating and providing support for news media interviews. Establishes effective relationships with local media and veterans organizations, community groups and management officials and meets with a variety of these groups to disseminate information, enhance relationships, and communicate Medical Center and VHA policies and information about specialized programs and initiatives. Drawing appropriate conclusions from varied and complex data including identifying sources of information. 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 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M., if related. Education must be in or related to the position and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first two (2) years of graduate education leading towards a doctorate degree. (i.e., 2.5 years of progressive graduate education leading towards a doctorate degree would meet 50% of the qualifications requirement for this vacancy.) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communications and Media Interpersonal Skills Oral Communication Writing 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: Work is generally sedentary, with walking required during visits and tours of the Medical Center. Flexibility is required to accommodate events and activities occurring in other than normal duty hours. Mobility is required in terms of staging and assisting staff with equipment and other required materials 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: 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 Birmingham VA Medical Center 700 South 19th Street Birmingham, AL 35233 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]