Communications Specialist

Summary

The Communications Specialist functions as a MyHealtheVet Change Agent Coordinator at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS). The position will perform a variety of duties in an extremely complex medical facility which is constantly evolving within a highly complex and competitive geographic area. The facility is a complexity Level 1-a facility and ranks among the largest Medical Centers in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

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Duties

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Major duties include, but not limited to:

• Plans, develops, and executes comprehensive communication strategies for My HealtheVet (MHV) and Secure Messaging, identifying target audiences, key messages, delivery channels, and performance measures.
• Serves as facility liaison to VISN and National MHV program offices, ensuring alignment of local initiatives with national objectives and accurate dissemination of information.
• Oversees and manages MHV-related web content and digital presence, implementing innovative approaches to enhance outreach, usability, and engagement.
• Develops and implements marketing and outreach campaigns using multimedia products (e.g., articles, brochures, videos, social media) to promote MHV programs and services.
• Analyzes audience engagement, participation trends, and customer needs to advise leadership on communication strategies, program improvements, and emerging issues.
• Coordinates with Public Affairs Officers, clinical staff, and stakeholders to ensure consistent messaging and effective communication across internal and external audiences.
• Designs and delivers presentations, briefings, and training sessions to staff, Veterans, and community partners on MHV capabilities, benefits, and healthcare initiatives.
• Establishes and evaluates training and education programs for employees and Veterans, including needs assessments, curriculum development, and coordination with education services.
• Leads change management communication efforts by supporting workflow integration, stakeholder engagement, and adoption of MHV tools across clinical and administrative operations.
• Manages multiple communication and outreach projects simultaneously, including planning, execution, evaluation, and reporting of outcomes to leadership.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am to 4:00pm (Subject to change based on the needs of the Agency).

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Communications Specialist/ PD048070

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Aithorized.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• 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: 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. 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. 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, 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.
• 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 interest. In 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/22/2026.

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 announcement. In 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: 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:
  
  
  • Developing and implementing communication and outreach strategies to promote programs, services, or initiatives to diverse audiences;
  • Coordinating or developing training and educational materials for staff, customers, or the public;
  • Managing communications or program activities, including tracking milestones, maintaining schedules, and supporting project execution;
  • Analyzing workflows, operational processes, or customer experience issues to identify improvements and recommend solutions;
  • Engaging internal and external stakeholders to share information, gather feedback, resolve issues, and coordinate activities;
  • Providing customer service and conflict resolution support to individuals who may be distressed, need guidance, or have varying levels of technical comfort; and
  • Collecting data, preparing reports, and evaluating progress toward program or communication goals.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave : Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.