Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist

Major duties include:

• Provide technical and administrative supervision for Public Affairs staff.
• Plan assign and prioritize work; set schedules and ensure alignment with organizational goals.
• Establish performance standards evaluate staff recommend training and approve leave.
• Conduct interviews and manage hiring promotions reassignments and disciplinary actions.
• Ensure equal employment opportunity and fair employment practices.
• Assist with budget management forecasting and resource oversight.
• Identify customer satisfaction trends and evaluate program effectiveness.
• Manage procurement contracting and serve as COR when needed.
• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of VA programs policies and healthcare issues.
• Support and evaluate public affairs and medical media programs for a large healthcare system.
• Plan and analyze public affairs activities that support organizational strategy.
• Provide guidance to senior leadership on public information and sensitive media issues.
• Coordinate and respond to media inquiries; serve as spokesperson when required.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm evenings and weekends for special events and Veteran engagement. Work Schedule is subject to change based on agency need.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist/PD114980
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• To be considered for this position you must complete all required steps in the process. This position requires the application assessment and questionnaire to be fully completed. The assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public determining if your employment advances the public interest we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 08/14/2026.

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 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: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal Service that has equipped me with the particular knowledge skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Public Affairs Specialist and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Specialized experience includes experience where you were responsible for applying advanced communication and analytical practices methods and techniques to the solution of complex public affairs problems; planning developing and producing a variety of materials and publications (including print visual Web-based multimedia and video materials) to achieve understanding of various points of view or concepts; advising leadership on the development of communication plans and strategies; establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with local media representatives and community groups; and coordinating and implementing special events ceremonies outreach campaigns tours and other activities to generate public awareness of organizations mission.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Conflict Management
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Manages Resources
• Partnering
• Planning and Evaluating

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: The work is primarily sedentary. Some work may require walking and standing at events meetings and conferences including some off-site. The employee may carry light items (papers books) OR moderately heavy items such as file boxes may push carts of supplies or drive a motor vehicle. The work requires manual dexterity hand and eye coordination and the ability to accurately perceive and sense color hues and chroma. May require bending stooping kneeling. May be needed to lift and transport delicate graphic photographic and audiovisual equipment.

For more information on these qualification standards please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.