The incumbent of this position directs the Huntington, WV VA Medical Center (Huntington VAMC) community relations program, which reflects the facilities mission and accomplishments that service the Veteran population in the West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and surrounding areas. The program includes a comprehensive Public Affairs and Patient Centered Care program. The position will be based at the main Huntington, WV campus and will travel to the Huntington, WV VAMC outpatient clinics to also include Vet Centers and National Cemeteries located through Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia.

Provides leadership and direction for the Public Affairs program at a VA Medical Center while displaying tact, common sense, diplomacy, initiative, and solid professional judgment. The goal of the position is to increase internal and external awareness of VA programs, services, special events and projects, technologies, personnel, and research accomplishments. Establishes and maintains proactive contacts with media outlets, legislative offices, veteran service organizations, and health care affiliates. Actively pitches and places stories with media outlets. Develops complete communications plans to include media campaigns and strategies. Plans, develops, and produces a variety of materials and publications including print, visual, Web-based, multimedia, and video materials to convey information about the VA to a variety of stakeholders. Serves as content manager of VA Medical Center's Internet and Intranet. Evaluates information from a variety of sources and provides feedback to senior management on public affairs trends and stakeholder attitudes to assess program effectiveness and make improvements. Serves as agency spokesman for the facility including responding in writing and orally to questions about or criticisms of the agency's activities or policies and explaining the VA point of view. Handles communication efforts when controversial, high level issues impact the VA Medical Center, often during crisis and emergency situations. Serves as Public Information Officer under Hospital Incident Command System. Plans and executes special events, coordinates high profile visits, and supports outreach to veterans not enrolled in the VA health care system. Develops budgets, writes statements of work, and directs, coordinates, and supervises activities of contractors.


Work schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. May be required to work extended hours with notice.

Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not available
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description Title/PD#: Public Affairs Specialist/ 20333-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation

Physical Requirements: Assignments regularly involve extended periods of walking, standing, bending, and stooping to execute logistics for special events or to accompany media crews or other special groups. Incumbent is also required to regularly pick up loads of 15 pounds such as boxes of newspapers and other literature and to push carts of supplies. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts requiring normal safety precautions typical of office settings or commercial vehicles such as planes, trains, buses or automobiles. The work area is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated. However, work does occasionally require incumbent to be outdoors, as for special events, escort for media crews, or crisis communications.

Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/26/2018.

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-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. 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-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:Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Initiates and maintains contacts with individuals outside the organization; Serves as a liaison between government personnel (inside and outside the organization), representatives of business and industry, trade and professional associations, the media, or the public; Serves as a primary point of contact for a specific subject area; Publicizes the organization's programs, policies, or procedures; Contacts others orally to obtain information; Provides or disseminates information orally (for example, responds to inquiries concerning claims status, provides job information); Uses computer systems or applications to access, create, edit, print, send, retrieve, or manipulate data, files, or other information; Writes news articles or press releases; and publicizes the organization's programs, policies, or procedures.
• You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  
  • Communications and Media
  • Oral Communication
  • Planning and Evaluating
  • 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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.