Program Specialist (Public Affairs Officer).

Responsibilities

• Provides oversight in all areas of public information including policy development, dissemination of internal information, and community relations activities.
• Actively participates in a variety of teams and workgroups with representatives from all levels of VA and private concerns.
• Attends and participates in conferences and meetings with representatives of higher, lateral, and lower echelons.
• Initiates and prepares responses to inquiries from interested groups and the public concerning policies and activities.
• Establishes cooperative working relationships with the local media; writes and disseminates news releases and feature articles regarding the RO mission, functions, programs, and policies to print and broadcast media representatives.
• Organizes and coordinates print and broadcast media interviews with staff members and oversees all arrangements with the media involving RO activities.
• Evaluates and advises management officials on specific courses of action to follow in making public announcements.
• Maintains contacts with congressional staffers, city and state officials, institutions, community organizations, industry, and other centers of influence to improve the public's understanding and awareness of RO activities.
• Represents the Director in public forums, including making formal and informal presentations on local and national policies, which may be controversial in nature.

Requirements

• 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.
• As a condition of employment, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement: 08/24/2026.

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. For a GS-12 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11 level. 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.

Minimum Qualification Requirement (GS-12 Grade Level):

• Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level performing public affairs work, including:
  • Developing and delivering communication strategies.
  • Preparing press releases and media responses.
  • Advising leadership on communication issues.
  • Managing relationships with media and community partners.
  • Using multiple communication platforms to convey information.
  Experience must demonstrate skill in supporting organizational initiatives, coordinating with leadership, and applying policy guidance in public affairs operations.

Volunteer Experience: 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, religious, 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.

Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume, you must specify the average hours worked per week.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required.

Schedule

• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM.
• Compressed/Flexible: Not Available.
• Telework: Eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position.
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent.