Location: West Haven,CT, USA
Summary
This Communications Specialist position is located in The Chief of Staff office at the VA Connecticut Health Care System, West Haven Campus. This position is a Full-Time at 40 per week. This position serves as facility champion, leads MHV and SM facility teams, and coordinates local MHV implementation, training, communications, outreach, and support efforts. MHV Program Coordinator plans, organizes, directs, evaluates, and reports local MHV-related actions/activities.
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Overview
* Accepting applications
* Open & closing dates
11/06/2024 to 11/21/2024
* Salary
$70,448 - $110,803 per year
* Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 11
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Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
* West Haven, CT 1 vacancy
* Remote job
No
* Telework eligible
Yes-as determined by the agency policy.
* Travel Required
Not required
* Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
* Appointment type
Temporary Promotion - 1 Year
* Work schedule
Full-time
* Service
Competitive
* Promotion potential
11
* Job family (Series)
* 1001 General Arts And Information
* Supervisory status
No
* Security clearance
Other
* Drug test
No
* Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
* Trust determination process
* Credentialing
* Suitability/Fitness
* Financial disclosure
No
* Bargaining unit status
Yes
* Announcement number
CBTD-12601258-25-EF
* Control number
817920800
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This job is open to
* Internal to an agency
Current federal employees of this agency.
Clarification from the agency
Open to current permanent VA Connecticut Health Care System employees only
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Duties
Duties for this position includes but are not limited to:
* Working closely with medical center clinicians, Chief of Staff, and/or the Associate Director to encourage involvement and knowledge of MHV information and for approval of promoting/training strategies within the VAMC and in the community.
* Establishing a MHV team, holds monthly team meetings, and effectively coordinates MHV team activities.
* Participating in monthly MHVPC and VISN conference calls, attends MHV-related training, and shares lessons learned from this training with team members, other facility staff, and management.
* Providing one-on-one or group training to providers on a regular basis to encourage involvement with the MHV Program and informs clinicians of new releases and time frames, as well as answers questions related to the MHV Program.
* Working closely with clinical applications coordinators to promote clinical and Veterans support with the MHV Program and develops and integrates MHV strategies to enhance Veteran-provider communications and improve overall quality of care.
* Promoting an atmosphere where patients are better able to make informed healthcare choices, stay healthy, and seek services when they need them.
* Receiving and distributing MHV related training and marketing materials and customizes
for local use.
* Coordinating technical staff efforts to ensure that MHV computers and related equipment are functioning and available to MHV users. Works closely with IRM staff to ensure that appropriate software is loaded and operational in a timely manner and that MHV PCs
are functioning and maintained properly.
* Facilitating interaction with MHV Program office and local technical staff during code deployments.
* Coordinating local reproduction and distribution of materials, and develops and implements materials for marketing when possible. Develops/employs creative strategies in marketing MHV and obtains funds needed for effectively promoting MHV locally.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible Work Schedule: Not Authorized
Telework/Virtual/Remote Work: May be authorized.
* Telework can be performed on a less than full-time basis anywhere other than a VA facility or using VA-leased space (example: home).
* Telework Ad-Hoc work can be performed on an as needed basis anywhere other than a VA facility or using VA-leased space (example: home).
* Virtual work can be performed on a full-time basis using VA-leased space or at a VA facility other than the facility that hired the employee.
* Remote Work can be performed on a full-time basis anywhere other than a VA facility or using VA-leased space (example: home).
* Mobile Work requires routine and regular travel to conduct work in customer worksites or other worksites as opposed to a single authorized alternative worksite.
Position Description/PD#:Communications Specialist (Temporary Promotion NTE 1 Year)/PD001500 and PD000060
Relocation or Travel Incentives: Not Authorized
Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the next level or grade level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the higher level.
Notifications:
* This position is a Bargaining Unit position.
* Selectee may be required to work at any VA Connecticut Healthcare System campus, as needed.
* May be required to attend conference at other facilities or other VA sites on occasion.
* The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's.
* Selectee may be required to work at any VISN 1 Healthcare System campus, as needed.
* Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
* This position is in the Competitive Service.
* Time-in-Grade Restriction: 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. The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service.
* Veterans' preference does not apply for other current permanent Federal agency employees.
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Requirements
Conditions of Employment
* You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
* Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
* You may be required to serve a probationary period
* Subject to background/security investigation
* Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
* Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
* Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See Additional Information below for details.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/21/2024.
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. For a GS 09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS 07. 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 and/or education as described below:
GS-09 Grade Requirement 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: Working closely with clinical applications coordinators to promote clinical and Veterans support with the MHV Program and develops and integrates MHV strategies to enhance Veteran-provider communications and improve overall quality of care. Promoting an atmosphere where patients are better able to make informed healthcare choices, stay healthy, and seek services when they need them.
OR,
Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 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., if related that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
OR,
Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first-year level of graduate education This may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the GS-09 grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the GS-09 grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for the GS-09 grade level. (When crediting education that requires specific course work, prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
GS-11 Grade Requirement 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: Promoting an atmosphere where patients are better able to make informed healthcare choices, stay healthy, and seek services when they need them. Receiving and distributing MHV related training and marketing materials and customizes for local use. Coordinating technical staff efforts to ensure that MHV computers and related equipment are functioning and available to MHV users. Works closely with IRM staff to ensure that appropriate software is loaded and operational in a timely manner and that MHV PCs are functioning and maintained properly.
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 LL.M., if related. The degree must be in a field that would equip the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the Communication Specialist position. (Transcripts must be submitted)
OR,
Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first two-year level of graduate education. This may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the GS-11 grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the GS-11 grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for the GS-11 grade level. (When crediting education that requires specific course work, prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
* Data Management
* Database Administration
* Technical Documentation
* Technical Problem Solving
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 You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
Education
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
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
Receiving Service Credit or 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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.
Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/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
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.
If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
This position may be terminated at anytime prior to the 1 year Not To Exceed date.
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* Benefits
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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.
Review our benefits
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.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
For more information on the Who may apply eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.
Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
* Benefits
Help
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.
Review our benefits
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.
* Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
* Resume
* SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.
* Cover Letter
* DD-214/ Statement of Service
* Disability Letter (Schedule A)
* Disability Letter (VA)
* Other (1)
* Other (2)
* Resume
* SF-15
* SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
* Transcript
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):
* Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
* An SF-50 showing 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
* Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
* Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
* Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
* Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
* SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
Veterans' Preference: Veterans' preference does not apply for internal VA or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
* How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/21/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click
* To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
* Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Application page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Agency contact information
Edward Ford
Phone 860 ###-#### Email ...@VA.GOV
Address West Haven VA Medical Center
950 Campbell Avenue
West Haven, CT 06516
US
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Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
* Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
* Criminal history inquiries
* Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
* Financial suitability
* New employee probationary period
* Privacy Act
* Reasonable accommodation policy
* Selective Service
* Signature and false statements
* Social security number request
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Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
* Resume
* SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.
* Cover Letter
* DD-214/ Statement of Service
* Disability Letter (Schedule A)
* Disability Letter (VA)
* Other (1)
* Other (2)
* Resume
* SF-15
* SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
* Transcript
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):
* Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
* An SF-50 showing 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
* Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
* Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
* Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
* Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
* SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
Veterans' Preference: Veterans' preference does not apply for internal VA or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Help
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/21/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click
* To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
* Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Application page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS