Communications Specialist

The Communications Specialist serves as facility champion for both programs leading facility teams to support existing and future Veteran communication and health education initiatives and coordinating local implementation training communications outreach web and print health content and support efforts across My HealtheVet Secure Messaging and Veteran/patient health education. The Communications Specialist plans organizes directs evaluates and reports on all related local actions and activities and serves as the facilitys local subject-matter expert connecting Veterans with clinical health education resources and broader state local and national veteran service programs. Major duties of the position include but are not limited to:

• Establishes and manages communications plans that identify target audiences appropriate messages activities and resources needed for effective communication and change management.
• Supports and guides facility VHA public affairs officers and stakeholders regarding My HealtheVet and patient/health education efforts.
• Oversees the programs online presence and web content and leads innovations to keep the facilitys offerings on the cutting edge.
• Establishes and manages training plans; designs and performs needs assessments relative to functional and training needs and project effectiveness.
• Represents the VAMC/HCS at forums conferences and meetings and at the VISN/national level on calls and conferences related to My HealtheVet and Patient Education.
• Establishes develops and implements local goals and strategies identifies responsible parties tracks progress monitors activity status and reports status/progress to medical center management.
• Analyzes functional clinical and business process changes and their impact on clinical guidelines policies procedures and user behavior.
• Manages multi-disciplinary teams of professional technical and support personnel to coordinate clinical and business functions for the program.

Work Schedule: Full-time Monday - Friday 07:30am - 4:00pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Communications Specialist/PD253630
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
• To be considered for this position you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary but may require periods of standing during presentations briefings speeches and health fair activities with some slight physical effort required. The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• 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)

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 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 10/02/2026.

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 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: Knowledge and understanding of the full range of principles concepts and techniques of marketing advertising and salesmanship and the ability to transform these requirements into a working viable program; Skill in editing web pages and creating links and using social networking technology; Knowledge of and skill in automated data processing applications (e.g. desktop publishing graphics) sufficient to be able to design establish and operate in the operation of state-of-the-art personal computer (PC) equipment; Skill in audio-visual techniques to assist in preparation of radio television slide show speech materials or other methods of communication; Skill in organizing and communicating ideas and thoughts effectively through written correspondence and oral presentation; Skill knowledge and ability to analyze a variety of research reports studies fact sheets and other documents and translate from analytical to commonly understood language. 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 that demonstrates the knowledge skills and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (Transcripts required) OR
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above and graduate education beyond a masters or equivalent graduate degree to meet total qualification requirements for this grade level. (Transcripts required)

Preferred Experience:

• Experience with patient education and adult learning principles
• Experience with conducting outreach and Veteran engagement

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

Required Experience:

IC