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Director of Public Affairs

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position will serve as the Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist in the Office of Public Affairs at the San Francisco VA Health Care System (SFVAHCS). While primary duties are carried out at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, the incumbent may be required to work at any of the Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) to support public relations or special events activities. Some events may require evening, holiday or weekend work.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
11/28/2022 to 12/12/2022
Salary
$115,928 to - $150,703 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location
San Francisco, CA
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSW-11743229-23-JRK
Control number
691462300

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Duties

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Provides leadership and direction for the Public Affairs program at the Health Care System and functions with minimal supervisory oversight. Incumbent will be responsible for developing a comprehensive public affairs program that aligns itself with the goals and initiatives of the San Francisco VA Health Care System, VISN 21 and VA Central Office. 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.

The public affairs program will report directly to the facility Director and will include staff and support function of the Medical Media Service. Advises the Director and all management staff on all issues relating to community awareness and public information, as well as sensitive media issues.

Responds to all media queries in a timely and appropriate manner. Serves as facility spokesman, where necessary, or sets up subject matter experts to serve as spokespeople as often as possible. Ensures all HIPAA and privacy act requirements are met during interviews and filming and that appropriate management is notified prior to media events. Interviews program specialists to obtain the most current and accurate information for use with media and in setting up interviews and pitching stories. Maintains files with background materials and other pertinent information.

Provides technical and administrative supervision to:

Three Public Affairs Specialists (GS-1335-12); one Visual Information Specialist (GS-1084-12), one Audiovisual Specialist (GS-1071-11) and one Medical Photographer (GS-1060-11). Oversees the daily operation of the unit, ensures that agency policies and priorities are being followed; develops performance standards, and evaluates work performance of subordinates. Provides advice, counsel, and instruction to employees on both work and administrative matters. Hears and resolves minor complaints from employees; refers group grievances and more serious unresolved complaints to a higher-level supervisor or manager; effects minor disciplinary measures such as warnings and reprimands and recommends action in more serious cases.

Work Schedule: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, but may be required to occasionally work evenings, holidays or weekends to cover events
Telework: 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.
Virtual: This is not a virtual/remote position.
Position Description/PD#: Director of Public Affairs/PD01534O
Relocation/Recruitment Incentive: May be authorized for highly qualified applicant
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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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
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • Subject to background/security investigation
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
  • Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/12/2022.

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:
  • Knowledge applicable to a wide range of duties involving oral and written communication principles, practices, techniques and methods; analytical methods; and interpersonal relations practices.
  • Knowledge applicable to and skill in assessing public reaction and identifying extent of understanding achieved to evaluate effectiveness of information programs.
  • Knowledge and skill to explain significant issues to generally responsive groups or individuals interested in the agency's programs.
  • Knowledge of and skill sufficient to research medical, human interest, and research stories to develop feature stories and news releases for internal and external audiences. This includes the ability to write and edit news releases and articles about medical, research and scientific issues.
  • Knowledge and skill using desktop publishing and image editing applications such as Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, etc.
  • Responds to all media queries and actively pitches and places stories with media outlets.
Preferred Experience:
1. Ability to effectively supervise and lead a Public Affairs team.
2. Ability to write and edit strategic content, such as press releases, media advisories, web articles, and other external content for print and online news publications.
3. Expertise and skill in managing social media accounts, with proven experience in growing social media followership.
4. Expertise and skill in managing web content and properties, with proven experience in growing website visitors and users.
5. Ability to employ crisis communication skills in the event of emergency or high-profile incidents.
6. Ability to produce and execute public events for the health care system, such as town halls, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, and community meetings.
7. Expertise in engaging and training internal audiences for best public affairs practices and policies.
8. Ability to analyze data to produce interactive data visualizations and graphics for use as communications collateral.
9. Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external audiences, including media outlets.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Communication
  • Human Resources Management
  • Organizational Awareness
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • 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 usually performed sitting at a desk. Assignments may 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.

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.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or 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.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a VA job announcement includes language requiring applicants to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to Executive Order 14043, that requirement does not currently apply to this Job Announcement. VA may request information regarding your vaccination status, if selected, for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

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.

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