Summary The Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center is seeking a Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist which is located within the Office of the Medical Center Director. The incumbent serves as the Public Affairs Specialist and Chief, Stakeholder Relations Service at the Medical Center. The incumbent plans, directs, and programmatically manages the medical center's Stakeholder Relations Service, which is inclusive of the public affairs, veterans experience, voluntary services and patient advocacy programs. Responsibilities Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Programmatic responsibility for management and implementation of the medical center's public affairs program. Performs work related to public affairs activities such as coordinating media interviews, developing communication plans, coordinating agency information programs, etc. . Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist is responsible for interpreting national VA, VHA and VISN directives or guidance on public affairs issues and in tum developing the Medical Center's Public Affairs related policies and program to be in compliance. Incumbent organizes and coordinates print and broadcast media interviews with key officials and oversees all arrangements with the media involving agency activities. Incumbent identifies and summarizes national and regional news items having a direct impact on V AMC programs and activities. Incumbent provides national news clips to the Director and other key staff in a timely manner. Incumbent reviews national agency program and policies and monitor regional new stories that are publicized daily. He/she develops and writes information material designed to reach selected national audiences through the news media He/she develops a wide variety of internal communication documents and messages including newsletters, medical center magazine, email, Facebook, Target Vision messaging system, and external signage, etc Interviews and confers with the Medical Center Director and other program specialists to obtain latest information for use in news releases, radio programs, articles, and briefings with media representatives. Incumbent manages all aspect of the public affairs program, including internal communications, media relations, community relations, external stakeholder involvement, and medical center website content, including facility main internet site and social media sites such as Facebook. Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist is responsible for providing guidance, direction, and supervision to the staff in the Stakeholder Relations Service. Incumbent directly supports executive leadership in the day-to-day management of the healthcare organization through specific activities aimed to communicate with stakeholders, seek feedback, and improve operations. Incumbent serves as the expert on stakeholder relations and Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs (OPIA) policies. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Available. 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. Position Description/PD#: 679-10269-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. 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, 05/05/2026. 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-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 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-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: possess a mastery of communication principles, methods, practices and techniques; analytical methods; and interpersonal relations practices. Skill in applying such mastery in developing and applying new approaches to the most difficult and complex public affairs problems of the medical center by developing or evaluating information programs enhancing understanding among publics opposed or indifferent to medical center programs. Designing and implementing marketing campaigns and/or strategic communication plans for the medical center and the ability to conceive and create presentations, videos, and other audiovisual products. Possesses ability to make oral presentations to lead and instruct interdisciplinary groups and to facilitate and motivate in order to achieved desired outcomes. Knowledge and skill to analyze public reaction to medical center programs and policies in developing recommendations that significantly change the facility's major programs or policies; and integrating diverse points of view in a strategic communication plan. In establishing and maintaining mutual understanding with various agency publics. Knowledge and skill sufficient for presenting ideas in written materials in new ways that will increase understanding among publics with varying levels of comprehension of agency programs-and policies, or opposition or indifference to the agency's program objectives. Incumbent will act as the resource within the medical center to consult with management and staff on the appropriate and effective application of public affairs initiatives and the evaluation of the impact of public issues. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communications and Media Customer Service Interpersonal Skills Manages and Organizes Information Manages Human Resources Oral Communication Writing 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 primarily sedentary with some walking, bending, standing and carrying of light objects. Objects are not expected to exceed 50 pounds. Incumbent must be readily able to speak in front of small and large crowds. 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 Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. 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.
