Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist

Job Title

Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist
Job Description

The incumbent plans, directs, and programmatically manages public affairs, veteran engagement, and audiovisual/media services. In this role, the incumbent coordinates, maintains and integrates public affairs; veteran engagement; visual information; congressional relations; media relations; community and affiliate relations; event management and internal/external communications that include the development and maintenance of both an internet and intranet site, and multiple social media outlets. S/he serves as the spokesperson for the Medical Center, which entails representing the Director at events of public, civic, or social nature and participation in a variety of events dealing with improving the perception of the VA, VHA, and JHQVAMC.
Duties include but are not limited to:
The incumbent serves as the senior Public Affairs Officer for JHQVAMC and provides leadership and direction for the public affairs and marketing program, to include supervision and management for public affairs, veteran engagement program, visual media within the health care system, and one Public Affairs Specialist. The Public Affairs Officer is responsible for planning, developing, and communicating the organization's programs, policies and activities to the regional public and congressional offices while displaying tact, common sense, diplomacy, initiative, and solid professional judgement.
The goal of the position is to increase internal and external awareness of VA programs, services, special events and projects, technologies, and research accomplishments for the veteran population in the East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and Eastern Kentucky areas.
Evaluates and advises management officials on specific courses of action to follow in making public announcements, particularly on policy statements which inform the public on medical facility positions. Cultivates and maintains contacts with institutions, state and city officials, community organizations, industry, and other centers of influence to improve the public's understanding and awareness of medical facility activities.
Analyzes and evaluates comments, proposals or suggestions from the local community, employees and media outlets before developing recommendations for management concerning the medical facility's impact on the community. Initiates and prepares responses to inquiries concerning policies and activities of JHQVAMC from interested groups, the general public, and legislative offices to include Congressional/Senatorial inquires, and White House Casework.
Establishes cooperative working relationships with legislative partners and local media; writes and disseminates news releases and feature articles regarding the Medical Facility 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 medical facility activities.
Leads team(s) in research, analysis, development and implementation of public affairs strategic communications and marketing plans for highly visible and potentially sensitive agency programs. Establishes and maintains proactive contacts with media outlets, legislative offices, Veteran Service Organizations, and health care affiliates. Actively pitches, advocates and places stories with media outlets. Conducts market analysis via existing VA databases, various media forums, and current literature to evaluate regional program needs. Proactively advises the Medical Center Director and other Executive Management officials of the information that should be made available to the public.
Provides content management surveillance for intranet and internet in conjunction with Veteran Integrated Service Network (VISN) 9 Webmaster. Incumbent provides content and oversight of messages posted on JHQVAMC social media outlets. Monitors social media for inappropriate content and responds to public social media comments. Plan, develop and produce a variety of methods, techniques, materials and publications in achieving communication and marketing goals, including news releases, print articles, brochures and exhibits, radio and television scripts, personal appearances, news conferences, web-based multimedia, and video materials to convey information about VA to a variety of stakeholders.
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm
This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist/ PD604580
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized