Clarification from the agency

The area of consideration for this announcement is current, permanent employees of the Finger Lakes VA Medical Center.

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Major Duties - Include but not limited to:

• Establishing and managing communication plans that identify target audiences, appropriate messages, activities and resources needed for effective communication.
• Supporting and guiding facility employees and stakeholders about My HealtheVet.
• Oversees My HealtheVet's online presence and web content and leads innovations to keep facilities My HealtheVet program on the cutting-edge.
• Ensures accountability through written communication related to My HealtheVet as this is the modality the VHA uses to communicate with Veterans, Congress, volunteers, the public and employees.
• Establishes and manages training plans and designs/performs needs assessments within the project relative to functional and training needs and overall project effectiveness.
• Serves as liaison to VISN and National My HealtheVet teams and Coordinators to ensure that information is correct, current and accurately presented to meet objectives.
• Analyzes functional, clinical and business process changes and their impact on clinical guidelines, policies, procedures and user behaviors.
• Collaborates with subject matter experts to identify and manage significant changes in how employees integrate My HealtheVet into the delivery of VA healthcare.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm
Telework: This position may be authorized for AdHoc telework.
Travel: Position can be located at either Bath, Canandaigua or Rochester with travel to the other sites up to 25% of the time.
Position Description/PD#: Communications Specialist (MyHealtheVet)/PD08310O

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 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, 04/22/2026.

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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Communication skills (oral and written) in order to effectively promote MHV and provide high quality training; knowledge of the Veterans Health Information Systems & Technology Architecture (VistA) and Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) computer systems; enhanced computer skills to facilitate the collection and analysis of My HealtheVet (MHV) statistics and program reports/data; possess the ability to establish work objectives, set priorities, assign tasks, coordinate operations, monitor/report work progress, and initiate corrective actions as required to ensure that team efforts are accomplished in an efficient and timely manner; basic knowledge and application of computer tools such as personal health record and self-assessment tools; possess technical knowledge sufficient to employ/acquire skills in the use of computer programs such as: MHV internet tools and applications, Social ·Media sites, Microsoft Word Microsoft Office, Excel, Power Point, Microsoft Office Publisher, Secure Messaging, and other computer programs as required by program releases; knowledge and understanding of the concepts, and techniques of marketing, advertising and salesmanship and the ability to transform these requirements into a working, viable program; knowledge of the World Wide Web as a marketing vehicle and skill in using social networking technology; understanding of complex blend of integrating organizational concepts with medical information systems in a rapidly changing health care environment; and skills for effectively identifying tasks/goals and monitoring/reporting status of local MHV and SM efforts. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have
  • Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree
  • or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree
  • or 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 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education.

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

• Administration and Management
• Analysis and Problem Solving
• Communication
• Veteran and Customer Focus
• 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: Work is primarily sedentary, but may require periods of standing during presentations, briefings, speeches, health fair activities, etc., although some slight physical effort may be required. Work is performed in an office setting with adequate lighted and climate controlled office. May require occasional travel.

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.