This position is located in the Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs at the West Texas VA Health Care System in Big Springs, TX, and serves as the spokesperson, facilitator and coordinator to the media, congressional staffs and veterans service organizations, the community, VA and other governmental officials.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Develops campaigns and communication strategies that convey information to various publics and the staff about the Medical Center. 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. 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. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: May be authorized for a highly qualified candidate. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must possess at least one of the following: EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a GS-11 VA Public Affairs Specialist and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Qualifying specialized experience includes: participating in day-to-day public affairs activities; serving as a facility spokesperson; responding to media inquiries; developing and managing internal and external communications, web site content, publications, etc.; briefing members of the general public, media, etc.; and coordinating special events, press conferences, etc. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. OR EDUCATION: Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: If you select this option, you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: An equivalent combination of successfully completed progressively higher-level graduate education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: If you select this option, you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Multimedia TechnologiesOral CommunicationWritten Communication 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. Physical Requirements: Assignments regularly involve extended periods of walking, standing, bending, and stooping to execute logistics for special events or to accompany media crews or other special groups. The employee is also required to regularly pick up loads of 15 pounds such as boxes of outreach supplies and other literature and to push carts of supplies. Most work is accomplished in an office-type setting involving minimal discomfort or risk. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, work does occasionally require the employee to be outdoors and in other settings, as for special events, outreach activities, or as escort for media crews. The work environment involves normal everyday risks and discomforts typical of office settings. The work area is lighted, heated and ventilated. 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 George H O'Brien Jr VA Medical Center 300 Veterans Boulevard Big Spring, TX 79720 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]