What are the responsibilities and job description for the Public Affairs Specialist position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
Summary
This position serves the Alaska VA Healthcare System within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) reporting directly to the Public Affairs Officer. This office provides comprehensive employee communication and public affairs services for the organization - along with marketing communication - branding and product distribution services in support of the VA and VHA Mission.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement - 12/22/2025. 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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. 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. Preferred Experience: Strong writing experience/background; Some media knowledge; proficient in Microsoft Office Product and Adobe Products; Knowledge of grammar - writing - and editing practices - and the style requirements of the media and the publications used. Selective Placement Factor: Skill in interviewing a variety of people and gathering information from many different sources; Knowledge of the practices and techniques in planning and developing new stories and feature articles in laying out a publication. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-7 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: establish and maintain effective working relationships with local media - with particular emphasis on congressional responses on Veterans and Alaska VA Health Care System (AVAHS); coordinate and implement campaigns to inform or educate the public or enhance their understanding of the mission - functions and activities of AVAHS; coordinate and make arrangements for special events in the local area by making advance preparations and making direct contact with participants and media representatives; assist with editing - preparing and developing written and oral materials for dissemination through print and broadcast media on information concerning missions - programs and accomplishments of the Center; write feature stories - articles and news releases for publication in magazines and newspapers; gathers information to formulate speeches and special presentations; manage publishing projects from conception to printing and distribution and integrate and troubleshoot the work of other specialists in the publishing process. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement. 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 graduate education and specialized experience - as described above - which meet the total experience requirements for the GS-7 level. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (Transcripts required) GS-9 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: responding to inquiries from print - broadcast - and digital media representatives regarding VHA activities - programs and policies; drafting news releases - fact sheets - and feature articles for local - regional and national media; coordinating media interviews and providing support and information to VHA leadership preparing for these engagements. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree or two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B or J.D. - if related. This education was obtained in an accredited business - secretarial or technical school - junior college - college or university. If you are qualifying on education - transcripts are required. 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 graduate education and specialized experience - as described above - which meet the total experience requirements for the GS-9 level. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (Transcripts required) GS-11 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Utilizes guidelines to developing written communication material concerning a range of organization's public affairs program; Analyzing information program materials and making recommendations for improving the delivery of information; Performs planning and execution of program assignment for an efficient and effective public affairs program; develop and execute media relations and community engagement strategies; produce high quality informational materials for various audiences. 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 three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. - if related - that provided the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one (1) year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school - 18 semester hours will be considered as satisfying the one (1) year of full-time study requirement). 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 graduate education and specialized experience - as described above - which meet the total experience requirements for the GS-11 level. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (Transcripts required) 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/. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
Duties
This position serves the Alaska VA Healthcare System within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) reporting directly to the Public Affairs Officer. This office provides comprehensive employee communication and public affairs services for the organization - along with marketing communication - branding and product distribution services in support of the VA and VHA Mission.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement - 12/22/2025. 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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. 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. Preferred Experience: Strong writing experience/background; Some media knowledge; proficient in Microsoft Office Product and Adobe Products; Knowledge of grammar - writing - and editing practices - and the style requirements of the media and the publications used. Selective Placement Factor: Skill in interviewing a variety of people and gathering information from many different sources; Knowledge of the practices and techniques in planning and developing new stories and feature articles in laying out a publication. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-7 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: establish and maintain effective working relationships with local media - with particular emphasis on congressional responses on Veterans and Alaska VA Health Care System (AVAHS); coordinate and implement campaigns to inform or educate the public or enhance their understanding of the mission - functions and activities of AVAHS; coordinate and make arrangements for special events in the local area by making advance preparations and making direct contact with participants and media representatives; assist with editing - preparing and developing written and oral materials for dissemination through print and broadcast media on information concerning missions - programs and accomplishments of the Center; write feature stories - articles and news releases for publication in magazines and newspapers; gathers information to formulate speeches and special presentations; manage publishing projects from conception to printing and distribution and integrate and troubleshoot the work of other specialists in the publishing process. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement. 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 graduate education and specialized experience - as described above - which meet the total experience requirements for the GS-7 level. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (Transcripts required) GS-9 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: responding to inquiries from print - broadcast - and digital media representatives regarding VHA activities - programs and policies; drafting news releases - fact sheets - and feature articles for local - regional and national media; coordinating media interviews and providing support and information to VHA leadership preparing for these engagements. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree or two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B or J.D. - if related. This education was obtained in an accredited business - secretarial or technical school - junior college - college or university. If you are qualifying on education - transcripts are required. 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 graduate education and specialized experience - as described above - which meet the total experience requirements for the GS-9 level. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (Transcripts required) GS-11 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Utilizes guidelines to developing written communication material concerning a range of organization's public affairs program; Analyzing information program materials and making recommendations for improving the delivery of information; Performs planning and execution of program assignment for an efficient and effective public affairs program; develop and execute media relations and community engagement strategies; produce high quality informational materials for various audiences. 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 three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. - if related - that provided the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one (1) year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school - 18 semester hours will be considered as satisfying the one (1) year of full-time study requirement). 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 graduate education and specialized experience - as described above - which meet the total experience requirements for the GS-11 level. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (Transcripts required) 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/. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
Duties
- Major duties include but are not limited to: Performs qualitative and/or quantitative methods to assess program effectiveness
- Provides functional expertise to develop marketing and communication plans
- Identifies target markets consistent with program objectives - and identifies gaps and opportunities
- Provides expert advice and support the development of communication plans
- Recommends approaches - specific topics or aspects to be emphasized and the most effective media channels to use for intended audience
- Evaluates impact and effectiveness of communication plans and advises management if efforts should be discontinued - emphasis changed - or coverage expanded in improving communication between the organization and various audiences
- Serves as a key advisor to key client and management contacts on matters related to communicating with organization's stakeholders
- Plans - develops and implements marketing strategies for promoting existing or new learning programs - products and services
- Manages the agencies brand identity
- Serves as a project manager for marketing campaigns
- Conceptualizes promotion pieces and coordinates all aspects of writing - design - production - mailing and evaluation
- Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
- Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
- Work Schedule: Monday-Friday
- 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not Authrorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Position Description/PD#: Public Affairs Specialist/PD503690 - PD504690 - and PD504820 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Salary : $56,490 - $108,678