Summary The incumbent, as a key member of the health care system, serves as leader of communications for the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System providing oversight of the VA ECHCS's communication program with consistent support to VISN 19 and VHA Office of Communications. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to: Develop and execute a strategic communication plan. Ensure sustainable growth, transparency, and visibility among stakeholders. Oversee targeted outreach and marketing activities. Design, plan, execute, research, and evaluate the public affairs program. Participate in liaison activities with veteran service organizations and community groups. Conduct communication audits and provide support in media relations. Serve as spokesperson for VA ECHCS. Manage media relations and respond to media inquiries. Conduct news conferences and briefings. Develop media strategies, particularly in response to negative media inquiries. Write and edit informational materials. Develop, manage, and distribute content for web, intranet, social media, and other channels. Ensure ADA compliance and effective communication with audiences. Facilitate interaction with congressional representatives and other stakeholders. Direct and supervise a team, including roles such as Congressional Liaison, Webmaster, Assistant Public Affairs Officer, and Visual Information Specialist. Cultivate working relationships with local, mass, and specialized media representatives. Maintain and promote a speaker's bureau. Work closely with senior leaders within the healthcare system and external partners. Develop public relations and marketing/communications plans. Promote VA ECHCS through various forms of media and community engagements. Manage crisis communication and develop strategic plans for crisis situations. Specific tasks within these categories provide a clear framework for the PAO's essential responsibilities at VA ECHCS. Ensure compliance with laws and regulations such as the Privacy Act, FOIA, and HIPAA. Protect sensitive data and manage information security. Work Schedule: M-F 7:30-16:00 or 8:00-16:30 Telework: 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#: Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist/PD001540 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Approved Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/06/2026. 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 GG-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. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: GS-13: Develop and execute a strategic communication plan. Ensure sustainable growth, transparency, and visibility among stakeholders. Oversee targeted outreach and marketing activities. Design, plan, execute, research, and evaluate the public affairs program. Participate in liaison activities with veteran service organizations and community groups. Conduct communication audits and provide support in media relations. Serve as spokesperson for VA ECHCS. Manage media relations and respond to media inquiries. Conduct news conferences and briefings. Develop media strategies, particularly in response to negative media inquiries. Write and edit informational materials. Develop, manage, and distribute content for web, intranet, social media, and other channels. Ensure ADA compliance and effective communication with audiences. Facilitate interaction with congressional representatives and other stakeholders. Direct and supervise a team, including roles such as Congressional Liaison, Webmaster, Assistant Public Affairs Officer, and Visual Information Specialist. Cultivate working relationships with local, mass, and specialized media representatives. Maintain and promote a speaker's bureau. Work closely with senior leaders within the healthcare system and external partners. Develop public relations and marketing/communications plans. Promote VA ECHCS through various forms of media and community engagements. Manage crisis communication and develop strategic plans for crisis situations. Specific tasks within these categories provide a clear framework for the PAO's essential responsibilities at VA ECHCS. Ensure compliance with laws and regulations such as the Privacy Act, FOIA, and HIPAA. Protect sensitive data and manage information security. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communications and Media Compliance Leadership Performance Management Project Management Stakeholder Management Strategic Thinking Written Communication 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, standing and bending required during presentations, visits and tours of the health care system. Flexibility is required to accommodate events and activities occurring during other than normal business hours. Mobility is required in terms of staging and assisting staff with equipment and other materials. Work Environment: The work environment involves normal everyday risks discomforts of an office setting. The work area is lighted, temperature controlled and ventilated. Coordination and participation in meetings, and other community relations activities requires presence in a variety of in-house and off-station areas and facilities. The incumbent has access to FAX and computer equipment. Public events and management of public information during disasters may involve working in inclement weather or dangerous environmental conditions (e.g., seismic events) for extended periods of time. 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. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
