Public Affairs Specialist

Full Job Description

The position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6), Central Virginia VA Health Care System (CHCS), within the Assistant Director service line, at Fredericksburg VA Clinic.

As the Public Affairs Specialist (PAS) for the Office of Strategic Communications, the PAS has the responsibility for the medical center's communications both internally and externally in conjunction with the Chief's directions.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/13/2026.

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: experience with written and oral material, such as; speeches, news releases, news and feature articles, intranet/internet social media skills, responses to inquiries that effectively convey information concerning programs and functions to any major organization; experience briefing news media representatives on organization's programs and activities and their impact on various public and private activities; experience effectively interacting and dealing with a variety of publics including news media representatives, Federal, State and Local government officials and the organization's program officials; experience gathering and interpreting data and making recommendations on public affairs strategies and policies, submitting reports and obligations in a timely manner, performing duties and responsibilities under limited supervision oversight.

NOTE: Evidence of specialized experience must be supported by detailed documentation of duties performed in positions held. Please provide such documentation on resume.

~OR~ Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a 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.

This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

(TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED - If you do not submit a copy of your transcript, your application will not be processed).

~OR~ Combination: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the table, and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages.

The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level.

Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11.

(When crediting education that requires specific course work, prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used.) For detailed information, you can always refer to the OPM General Schedule Qualification Standards under the specific job series, GS-1035.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Communications and Media Customer Service Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Multimedia Technologies Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork 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: This work is generally sedentary with walking required during visits and tours of the Medical Center.

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/.

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/.

Major Duties:

Major duties include, but are not limited to: Establishes and maintains proactive relationships with local, regional, and national media outlets, legislative offices, Veteran Service Organizations, and healthcare affiliates.

Coordinates media promotional efforts for medical center programs and initiatives with various media outlets.

Drafts and disseminates news releases, feature stories, fact sheets, and responses to media inquiries. Actively pitches and places stories with media outlets and manages social media and web content.

Supports the Chief with communication efforts during controversial or high-level issues, including crisis and emergency situations.

Serves as the alternate Public Information Officer under the Hospital Incident Command System during disasters and emergencies.

Prepares and delivers timely risk/incident communications, coordinating with Incident Command and the Chief to ensure message accuracy and consistency.

Provides leadership and direction for the Office of Strategic Communications program in alignment with the Chief's guidance.

Advises the Chief on media campaigns and communication strategies to increase awareness of VA programs, services, events, technologies, and research.

Builds integrated communication plans across internal and external channels, aligning messaging with organizational priorities and leadership guidance.

Assesses program effectiveness, recommending improvements based on evaluated information from various sources and public affairs trends.

Plans, develops, and produces print, visual, web-based, multimedia, and video materials tailored to diverse audiences, ensuring brand, accessibility, and policy compliance.

Manages the content lifecycle, including drafting, editing, approvals, publication, and archiving.

Plans and executes special events, such as ceremonies, research showcases, and Veteran outreach, including logistics, run-of-show, and stakeholder coordination.

Coordinates high-profile visits with elected officials, VA leadership, and partners, managing security, media, and protocol considerations.

Supports outreach to non-enrolled Veterans, partnering with Service Organizations and community groups to raise awareness and facilitate access to care.

Develops budgets, writes statements of work (SOWs), and directs or coordinates supporting staff and contractors for various events and services.

***Only employees of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) within VISN 6 facilities are eligible to apply.*** Work Schedule: Full Time, 8:00am-4:30pm, M-F Telework: This position may be authorized for telework.

Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Public Affairs Specialist/PD028500 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved