Clarification from the agency

This position is open to Current Permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees and CTAP eligible.

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Duties may include but are not limited to:

• The incumbent provides leadership and direction for the communications program at the VA North Texas Health Care System (a category high complexity, 1A medical facility) 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.
• The incumbent provides leadership and direction for the communications program at the VA North Texas Health Care System (a category high complexity, 1A medical facility) 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.
• Serves as agency spokesman for the facility including responding in writing and orally to questions about 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, negative media, and emergency situations. Serves as Public Information Officer under Hospital Incident Command System.
• Plans and executes prominent special events and ceremonies, coordinates high profile visits, and supports Engagement to Veterans not enrolled in the VA health care system.
• Develops budgets, writes statements of work, and directs, coordinates, and supervises activities of 4 staff (2.0 GS-1035-11; 2.0 GS-0301-09) involved in social media, media relations, crisis communications, marketing, Veteran/community engagement, public affairs, special events, communications, graphics, photography and videography support via medical media.
• Manages media, public affairs, advertising, media relations, marketing, communications, public relations, congressional liaison, Veteran/Community engagement, special events, and social media activities for the Medical Center. For the reports, media responses, and official information announcements, the incumbent closely works with the Medical Center Director, Associate Medical Center Director, Assistant Director, Assistant Director for Outpatient Services, Chief of Staff, Associate Director for Patient Care Services and all Service Chiefs and program managers to review and define the issues; independently reviews the documentation of the reports to ensure adherence to VANTHCS guidelines; and ensures appropriate follow-up actions are taken to remedy and problems or deficiencies identified.
• Incumbent directs functions of the Office of Communications & Community Engagement including budget and fiscal management, human resource management, strategic planning and program management and evaluation, assuring that they are integrated in order to provide optimum usage of resources. Participates in top management discussions, decisions, policymaking, and provides program direction to other executives, managers, and assigned personnel.
• The incumbent is responsible for the formulation, execution and fiscal management of the budgetary plan for the Office of Communications & Community Engagement. Evaluates past expenditures, perceives immediate and long-term requirements and their budgetary impact, coordinates staff input and prepares budget requests accordingly. Establishes priorities which recognize and incorporate program, budget and manpower constraints. Monitors expenditures and proposes reallocation of funds based on shifting program needs. The incumbent estimates operational requirements, including staff/volunteers and is responsible for preparing justifications for major expenditures for equipment and supplies. The incumbent is responsible for proactively pursuing ideas for possible revenue generation in connection with strategic planning efforts.

Work Schedule: 7:30am-4:00pm or 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday
Telework: Ad-Hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist - Recruitment Incentive Authorized/PD091770
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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, 03/04/2026.

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 GS-12 level in the federal service, that equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position and that is typically in and/or related to the position being filled. Specialized experience includes experience where you were responsible for applying advanced communication and analytical practices, methods and techniques to the solution of complex public affairs problems; planning, developing, and producing a variety of materials and publications (including print, visual, Web-based, multimedia, and video materials) to achieve understanding of various points of view or concepts; advising leadership on the development of communication plans and strategies; establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with local media representatives and community groups; and coordinating and implementing special events, ceremonies, outreach campaigns, tours, and other activities to generate public awareness of organization's mission.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:


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 mostly sedentary in nature, functioning in a business office environment and in meetings. However, 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.

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/.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.