This position is located in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Legislative Affairs in the Office of the Chief of Staff. Under the administrative supervision of the Director, Legislative Affairs, the incumbent is responsible for assisting in developing, writing, editing and primary reviewing of communications documents to articulate the positions of the VHA and the priorities of the Under Secretary for Health as well as current health care issues affecting VHA and the department.

Duties

The incumbent performs the following major duties and responsibilities: Communicating policy positions to other VA offices and non-VA officials as appropriate. Leading efforts related to editing correspondence for grammar, correctness, clarity, readability, continuity, and consistency within Agency policy. Developing and composing documents that can be of a sensitive nature for a wide variety of audiences and occasions, to include independently researching and verifying factual information, written materials in approved formats and languages, and obtaining clearance prior to publication. Developing information to ensure public understanding and appreciation of programs, activities, objectives of VA, VHA, often dependent on public statements of the USH conferring extensively with VHA Legislative Program Specialists on subject matter to obtain knowledge and ensure accuracy of documentation. Conducting research to determine audiences and special considerations and coordinating emerging issues related to topics. Primary responsibility for keeping current the master tracking tool and ensuring timely dissemination of communications across offices, along with development of physical and electronic files. Establishing internal communications plans including development of any related tools for tracking, explaining, or promoting processes. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00a.m.-4:30p.m. Compressed/Flexible: This position may be authorized for Compressed /Flexible telework. Eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. 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#: Writer-Editor/PD007870 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, 06/27/2024. 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-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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 will qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: - Developing, writing, editing, and primary review of documents that articulate the current position of an Agency on issues. - Developing and composing documents that can be of a sensitive nature for a wide variety of audiences and occasions, to include independently researching and verifying factual information, written materials in approved formats and languages, and obtaining clearance prior to publication. - Communicating policy positions to other agency offices and non-agency officials as appropriate. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication: Effectively expresses information to multiple audiences through clear, convincing oral and written communications; demonstrates logical thinking when describing facts and concepts, and shapes communications to meet the needs of a specific audience; actively listens to others and demonstrates understanding of their comments and/or questions. Writing: Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a brief, clear, and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience. Reading: Understands and interprets written material, including technical material, rules, regulations, instructions, reports, charts, graphs, or tables; applies what is learned from written material to specific situations. Reasoning: Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions. Organizational Awareness: Knows the organization's mission and functions, and how its social, political, and technological systems work and operates effectively within them; this includes the programs, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations of the organization. Decision Making: Makes sound, well informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change. Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences. 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 generally performed in an administrative office setting, which in adequately lighted and climate controlled 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

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.


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 VHA Servicing Human Resources Office - 1 2402 Wildwood Ave Suite 301 Sherwood, AR 72120 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]