SummaryThis position is located at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center. The purpose of the work is to plan and conduct a Congressional Liaison program at the Salisbury VA Healthcare System (SVAHCS). The position serves as the Congressional Liaison and Public Affairs Assistant, and reports to the Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist (Communication Officer).
DutiesHelp
Major Duties:
- Directs the Salisbury VAHCS's Congressional Liaison Program.
- Acts as a spokesperson for the Medical Center in dealing with Congressional Offices, VA Central Office (i.e., Office of Medical Inspector,
Office of Inspector General, etc.), North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs as well as other local and state government offices and officials. - Communicates with, plans, establishes, and maintains effective working relationships with Congressional, state, and local entities, and communities affecting agency programs to gain a better understanding of their interest and to facilitate their participating and understanding.
- Develops issue briefs and white papers on behalf of the Medical Center Director, after conducting appropriate fact-finding with Administrative and Clinical Services; and keeps the Director, and other members of the Executive Leadership Team updated and informed.
- Manages the Inquiry, Routing, and Information System (I.R.I.S.) Inquiries for the Salisbury VAHCS. Responds directly to inquiries by reviewing electronic medical records, input from administrative and clinical staff and knowledge of VHA policies, directives, and regulations.
- Receives, assigns, and tracks all Congressional, Office of Medical Inspector (OMI), Office of Inspector General (OIG), White House Hotline (WHH), Office of Accountability and Whistleblower (OAWP) and patient inquiries received in the Office of the Director;
prepares responses; and assists with problem solving. - Advises and recommends innovative approaches and/or resolution of problems and reducing conflicts.
- Conducts tours and other related tasks for special visitors and dignitaries; and coordinates a quarterly Congressional Staffer Round Table meeting for the Executive Leadership Team.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 - 4:30 pm
Compressed/Flexible: Available
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist- Congressional Liaison/PD020640
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
RequirementsHelp
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. 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification 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.
QualificationsTo qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/19/2026.
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 and/or education 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: reviewing/analyzing Congressional laws, regulations and policies; gathering facts and information from complainants and respondents and work towards resolving issues; conducting analyses of complex functions and work processes and negotiates recommended change/improvements through reports and presentations; drafting/editing executive, congressional and clinical correspondence in the form of presentations, briefs, memos, letters and public announcements; and communicating and maintaining effective relationships with a wide variety/diverse population and groups. OR,
- Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Successful completion of 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. 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 education (Only graduate education in excess of 2 years or a Master's degree is creditable towards meeting this requirement).
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/.
EducationThere is no educational substitution at this grade level.
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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional informationUnder 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 http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
Expand Hide additional information
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.
BenefitsHelp
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.
