Communications Specialist

Description:

This position is located at the Tampa VA Medical Center (VAMC) and serves as the facility's primary Communications Specialist and designated My HealtheVet (MHV) Change Agent. The incumbent leads the planning, development, coordination, and evaluation of communication, marketing, training, and outreach strategies that support Veteran engagement with VA digital health tools.

Requirements:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by 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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. 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 announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

For GS-09:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Analyzes participation trends, customer markets, needs of the customer and advises leadership team on concerns and trends; Establishing and managing communications plans that identify target
  audiences, appropriate messages, activities, and resources needed for effective communication. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. of J.D. 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 level education (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours).

For GS-11:

• 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: Establishing and managing communications plans that identify target audiences, appropriate messages, activities, and resources needed for effective communication; Establishing, developing, and implementing local MHV-related goals, strategies to meet goals; and supporting and guiding facility public affairs officers and stakeholders about My HeatheVet. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements.

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

• Communications
• Education and Training
• Stakeholder Management

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: Work is primarily sedentary, but may require periods of standing during presentations, briefings, speeches, health fair activities, etc., although some slight physical effort may be 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/ .