Summary This position serves as a Public Affairs Officer plans, directs, and executes the strategic communication plan for VA promoting and expanding the reach and impact of messaging. Incumbent reports to the VISN 19 Deputy Network Director, serving as the principle staff advisor on all communication matters for the VA. The incumbent is the supervisor and lead of the VISN 19 Communications Consolidated Unit, which encompasses the Visual Information Specialists, Webmasters, and Audiovisual Production. Responsibilities This position is for a Temporary Not to Exceed 120 day detail/promotion, and may be extended and/or made permanent without further competition. This position serves as a Public Affairs Officer plans, directs, and executes the strategic communication plan for VA promoting and expanding the reach and impact of messaging. The incumbent reports to the Chief Operations Manager, serving as the principle staff advisor on all communication matters for the VA. As the Chief Operations Manager technical authority for communications, the incumbent provides guidance and expertise to the Region. The incumbent is the supervisor and lead of the VISN 19 Communications Consolidated Unit, which encompasses the Visual Information Specialists, Webmasters, and Audiovisual Production. Major Duties: Establishes and maintain effective working relationships with members of the news media, specialized groups interested in the organization's program and field offices. Plans, directs, and executes the strategic communication plan for promoting and expanding the reach and impact of messaging. Provides updates, guidance and expertise on all communications matters to senior leadership. Makes recommendations regarding actions and relationships with other federal and state agencies, special interest groups, individuals, and the various media. Develops strategies and approaches to inform and education stakeholders promoting understanding to minimize adverse reactions regarding policies, programs, and decisions. Responds to information requests from the news media and specialized and general public on the organization's program in written and oral form. Ability to develop written materials conveying complex information about the organization's programs, the maintenance of effective working relationships with specialized groups and the development of recommendations. Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with members of the news media, specialized groups interested in the organization's program and field offices. Serves as the main contact for media interests in VA programs and activities, responding to or facilitating requests from international, national, regional and local media. Coordinates news conferences, special events, news release, and facilitates feature stories as appropriate. Ability to logically and effectively explain programs, functions and activities and gain understanding of the organization's efforts by concerned publics. Skill in responding orally to criticism of the organization's functions or performance. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: This position may be authorized for telework on an ad-hoc basis. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This may be virtual on site at any of the VISN 19 station facilities only. Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist/PD13123-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Approved 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, 04/20/2026. 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 GS-14 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-13. 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 as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-13 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of qualifying specialized experience includes: utilizing concepts, principles, and practices in media communications, public affairs, communication strategies, crisis communications, media relations, customer service, public relations, and extensive experience in developing and implementing an innovative public affairs program. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Partnering Planning and Evaluating Project Management 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: This position is primarily sedentary and does not require any physical exertion. 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/. 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.
