Public Affairs Specialist communicates the health care system mission, services, and activities to Veterans, staff, volunteers, members of the media, local, state and federal officials, veteran service organizations, community groups and the general public. Developing, designing, implementing and maintenance of publications, web content, and social media along with coordinating and promoting the Miami VA Healthcare System.

Duties

Major duties include, but are not limited to: Directly responsible for preparing, editing, auditing and monitoring timely web content on complex and dynamic government websites to include their ongoing maintenance and support. Orients internal web authors, content contributors, contractors, and vendors to VA web policies. Ensure Internet and Intranet websites comply with all VA web policies. Supports a robust Public Affairs Program conducting regular events, outreach and community/congressional relations. Organize, participates in, collaborates with, and as appropriate, leads editorial committees and groups developed to help plan facility web content. Ensure materials posted to facility web sites are 508 compliant, providing modification guidance and instructions to content providers and/or modifying them, as necessary. Support and guides implementation of innovative web information, dissemination solutions for a variety of paper publications, including policies, bulletins, memorandums, directives and manuals. Incorporates other media resources to provide information via the Intranet, including streaming video. Graphics will be used in conjunction with existing VA templates. Coordinates and plans projects related to web-based information dissemination and site content management and maintenance to assure compliance with standards, police and regulations as well as ensuring all information is current and viable. Responsible for providing major input towards a long-term electronic media strategy. Assists in planning and implementing technical upgrades in conjunction with technology experts and ensures the viability of content during and after such upgrades. Assists in the evaluation of proprietary software and makes recommendations regarding purchase, modifications, and/or compatibility with other software. Responsible for providing major input towards a long-term electronic media strategy. Completes other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM 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/PD546-07860-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): 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, 02/13/2024. 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-9. 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-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Evaluate and advise management officials on specific courses of action to follow in publishing public announcements. Analyze, evaluate and respond to public comments, proposals or suggestions in the local community. Initiate and prepare responses to inquiries from interested groups and the general public concerning policies and activities of the medical facility public affairs program. Prepare scripts, audio-visual materials and brochures for ceremonies, briefings, events and orientations. Develop public affairs and communication action plans. Identifies, writes and edits promotional content related to the agency mission; and arranges for special group tours and manages special events. 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 LL.M., if related. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and graduate-level education beyond a Master's degree. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: CommunicationCritical ThinkingExternal AwarenessWriting 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. No special physical demands are required to perform the work. Duties may require lifting and carrying computer equipment such as monitors and printers. The work is performed in a typical office setting. Some travel may be required to coordinate initiatives and to represent the agency at meetings and events and to do demonstrations and presentations about the agency's web products. Special safety precautions are not required. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Bruce W Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1201 Northwest 16th Street Miami, FL 33125 US
• Name: Caitlin Sprayberry
• Phone: 901-633-8005
• Email: [email protected]