Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist

Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

The Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist is based at the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System and serves as the public affairs officer for the Healthcare System.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement - 02/27/2026. 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-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:

• Ability to plan work to be accomplished by subordinates - set and adjust short-term priorities - and prepare schedules for completion of work;
• Ability to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the internal/external information programs - media relations and community relations programs in achieving greater understanding of the facility's mission and goals;
• Ability to gather and evaluate information to address issues arising from external stakeholders such as congressional offices - or other federal government agencies in compliance of patient's privacy laws and guidelines;
• Prioritizing strategies that advance strategic goals of patient experience - quality or efficiency - employee engagement - community partnership and environment of care;
• Supporting stakeholder education through the delivery of content (e.g. - printed - digital - internet - social media) that's valuable - credible and relevant.

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. 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/.

Duties

• Serve as facility spokesperson - strategic consultant and media advisor to leadership - service line leaders - and program managers;
• Responsible for work assignments - leave approval - developing performance standards - rating employees - planning - scheduling - resolving complaints - program direction - coordination of work and recommending disciplinary actions;
• Analyze operations in terms of quality - quantity - and efficiency;
• Ability to collaborate successfully - communicate succinctly and effectively both orally and in writing on a wide range of high profile and politically sensitive topics;
• Oversees all media events and services as "first responder" for all media inquiries;
• Develops and coordinates both internal and external communication plans;
• Participate in public - civic or social forums where the Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist shapes public perception of the medical center;
• Researches - develops - and disseminates information materials (press releases - advisories - briefing documents - and talking points) on major health and policy issues for the facility;
• Establishing and maintaining a cooperative working relationship with congressional and news media representatives to ensure a fair representation of the medical center;
• Incumbent shapes strategic communications and positions the health care system to promote VHA's mission - services - achievements and activities;
• Correcting mis-perceptions and enhancing public understanding of its mission and accomplishments;
• Responsible for independently performing and representing/promoting a wide range of customer focused public relations and communications activities;
• Developing and reflecting accurately on VA's public access goals and priorities as a transparent organization;
• Counseling and advising leadership on the possible public and media reactions to proposed policy statements and medical center actions;
• Possess strong critical thinking and analytical skills - solid judgment on confidential on high profile or politically sensitive matters;
• Provide analysis and evaluation of complex issues.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pmVirtual: This is not a virtual or remote positionPosition Description/PD#: Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist/PD405970Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not AuthorizedCritical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not AuthorizedPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Key skills/competency

• Public Affairs Management
• Media Relations
• Strategic Communication
• Leadership & Supervision
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Crisis Communication
• Content Development
• Federal Government Regulations
• Interpersonal Communication
• Analytical Thinking