Public Affairs Specialist

Full Job Description

The primary purpose of this position at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, is to manage public affairs and communication functions.

Key responsibilities include enhancing awareness of VA programs, services, events, and research among both internal and external audiences, creating and maintaining media relations, advising senior management on communication strategies, and actively pitching stories to media outlets to promote organization's initiatives and achievements.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/09/2026.

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:.

OR, 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: Assisting with public affairs and social media tactics, techniques, procedures and effective courses of action to support and amplify mission and organizational objectives; Working knowledge of how to properly upload content to social media, intranet and Sharepoint to include use of metadata and marketing to appropriate audiences; Incorporating knowledge of social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn to publicize facility activities; and Organizing and coordinating print and broadcast media interviews with staff members, and overseeing all arrangements with the media involving organization activities 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 an LL.M. if related.

OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have a combination of specialized experience experience (less than one year equivalent to the GS-9 level or pay band in the Federal Service) and successfully completed graduate level education (more than 2 years but less than 3 years).

To compute, first determine your total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determine your 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 beyond the second year may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grade GS-11.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communications and Media Customer Service Organizational Performance Analysis Technology Application 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 with some minor physical activity during information gathering visits.

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 at least ·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/.

Major Duties:

Duties include but are not limited to: Serves as a facility spokesperson and prepares written and oral responses to inquiries regarding agency programs, policies, and sensitive or high-visibility issues, including during emergencies.

Plans, coordinates, and executes special events, ceremonies, outreach activities, and high-profile visits to support communication and engagement objectives.

Develops communication products such as news releases, briefings, talking points, newsletters, web content, and social media posts for internal and external audiences.

Manages content for the facility's website, Intranet, and SharePoint platforms; ensures accuracy, accessibility, usability, and compliance with VA communication standards.

Produces and edits digital content, graphics, and visual materials using professional design and photo-editing tools.

Tracks, analyzes, and reports on social media and digital communication metrics; recommends strategies to improve engagement and message effectiveness.

Works with IT and communications staff to troubleshoot website and Intranet issues and ensure continuity, integrity, and timely delivery of information services.

Reviews and edits written materials for clarity, accuracy, and alignment with organizational messaging; selects photographs and artwork for communication products.

Oversees newsletter production, including content development, layout review, final editing, and coordination with contracted printing services.

Collaborates with writers, editors, designers, and photographers to produce timely, high-quality communication products.

Supports employee communication initiatives, including briefing sessions, information forums, and internal outreach efforts across the healthcare system.

Evaluates communication trends, stakeholder feedback, and media activity to advise leadership on improving messaging and public engagement.

Researches emerging digital communication tools, technologies, and best practices and integrates them into communication plans when appropriate.

Ensures compliance with information security, information assurance, and VA policies as they apply to website, Intranet, and content management activities.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30 pm Telework: Per supervisor discretion Position Description/PD#: Public Affairs Specialist/PD11288O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required