Summary
The Public Affairs Specialist is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement - 06/02/2026. 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 within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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: GS-11 Qualifications: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Skill in writing a variety of communication products (articles - news releases - scripts and speeches); knowledge and skill in digital media production - photography - videography and the equipment to support it; ability to develop marketing and communication strategies - create effective messaging and determine the best method for enhancing understanding; ability to manage briefings and town halls. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR I have successfully completed 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR I have successfully completed a LL.M. - if related. OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree LL.B. or J.D. - if related (To compute the percentage - divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond two years by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify). GS-12 Qualifications: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Skill in writing a variety of communication products (articles - news releases - scripts and speeches); knowledge and skill in digital media production - photography - videography and the equipment to support it; ability to develop marketing and communication strategies - create effective messaging and determine the best method for enhancing understanding; ability to manage briefings and town halls; Skill in applying techniques in gathering - analyzing - and evaluating data and making recommendations for senior leadership direction; Ability to analyze public reaction to program and policies in developing recommendations and integrate diverse points of view in a communication plan; Ability to design and implement a marketing plan. 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/. Resume Reminder - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible) Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008) Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Series and Grade - if applicable - for all Federal positions you have held Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format - your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration - please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held - you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.
Duties
- Duties include but are not limited to: Responds to media inquiries
- Organizes and coordinates print and broadcast media interviews and news conferences
- Writes news releases - feature stories - extended captions - speeches - social media - media kits and other communication techniques and methods
- Analyzes VAPSHCS information needs - goals and resources and tailor specific communication strategies using all media to reach target audiences both internal and external
- Develops plans for campaigns to disseminate information about organization's programs
- Complete comprehensive assessments of Veteran perceptions of VHA and will utilize data to determine messaging and format of communications designed to engage Veterans
- Manage the facility's social media outlets
- Host quarterly Veteran Town Hall meetings
- Solicit in put from Congressional stakeholders - Veteran service organizations and other community partners
- Coordinate on-site logistics to include the space and technology to be utilized - procure the vendor and all related support
- Development - coordination - implementation - and maintenance of public information and community relations programs
- Prepare briefing packages and presentations for VA guests
- Coordinates photo coverage of programs and activities with medical media
- Acts as liaison between staff members holding joint appointments with the affiliated medical college to assure proper attribution of media stories involving both facilities
- Establishes and maintains professional working relationships with representatives of the news media
- Works with VACO and PA Program Office to develop unified action on news stories
- Sets up systematic programs for collecting information of news interest concerning VAPSHCS activities and personnel
- Informs VAPSHCS personnel on matters of significant importance to them
- Coordinates special projects
- Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
- Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
- Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30 pm Telework: AdHoc Only Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Position Description/PD#: Public Affairs Specialist/PD415510 and PD415500 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized
