Summary
The National Archives and Records Administration seeks a visionary and results-focused Chief Communications Officer to drive a new era of strategic engagement for the agency. This new leadership position will spearhead a proactive communications approach that maximizes the agency's voice and reach. Overseeing a comprehensive work portfolio, the CCO will ensure unified messaging across the National Archives to elevate visibility and increase impact.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals; no prior Federal experience is required.
Duties
As a Chief Communications Officer, you will:
- Envision and implement a comprehensive communications plan that advances the National Archives mission, strategic goals, and priorities.
- Provide counsel to the Archivist of the United States, Chief of Staff, and other senior leaders on communication strategies and best practices, public perception, and audience engagement.
- Cultivate strong relationships with the media and build trust and credibility with journalists.
- Serve as a member of the executive leadership team, contributing to the team's decision-making and strategy development.
- Drive innovative approaches to visual storytelling, content creation and development, campaign development, and brand management.
- Oversee the development and execution of integrated marketing and branding campaigns that build awareness, attract new audiences, and enhance NARA's reputation and reach.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your resume.
- Must complete a 1-year SL probationary period, unless previously completed.
- Must successfully complete a background investigation.
- Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
- If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
- Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form i-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
- Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
Key Requirements:
- Please refer to "Conditions of Employment."
- Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
- Must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals
All Technical Qualifications (TQs) noted in the "Qualifications" section.
In addressing these mandatory qualifications, elaborate on your accomplishments, experience, training, education, and awards, highlighting the problems solved and work objectives met, i.e., the results of your effort and evidence of your success. Do not repeat entries from your narrative work history.
Qualifications
You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
As a basic requirement, applicants must demonstrate progressively responsible experience directly related to the knowledge, skills and abilities outlined under Mandatory Technical Qualifications.
MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs):
All applicants MUST submit a written narrative response to the following TQs. Please give examples and explain how often you used your skills, the complexity of the knowledge possessed, the level of people you interacted with, the sensitivity of the issues you handled, etc. TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs) All applicants must address how their knowledge and experience relates to the following TQs. PLEASE LIMIT YOUR RESPONSE TO ONE (1) SINGLE SPACED PAGE PER TQ WITH THE FONT SIZE NO SMALLER THAN POINT 12.
- TQ #1: Demonstrated executive-level experience leading agency or company-wide communications for a cultural, historical, or congressional institution. This includes delivering comprehensive communications strategies, and developing and executing integrated marketing and branding campaigns that build new audiences and strengthen stakeholder engagement.
- TQ #2: Describe your experience building and cultivating relationships with media outlets and journalists to pitch stories and advance newsworthy press coverage on a national scale. This includes working in rapid response environments with tight deadlines to media queries.
- TQ #3: Extensive knowledge of and experience with data analysis tools to track the performance of communications campaigns, measure audience engagement, and adjust strategies based on data insights.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Benefits
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.
Your application includes your résumé, Technical Qualifications (TQs), and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your résumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your résumé may result in a "not qualified" determination.
All applicants will be evaluated by a panel of senior executives on the following documents to determine the degree to which they possess the qualifications.
Your resume and required documents will be reviewed to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the basic qualification requirements, your application will be further evaluated based on your narrative statements addressing the Technical Qualifications. You are being evaluated under the category rating method which means, if you are determined to be qualified, you will be placed into the 'Best Qualified', 'Well Qualified', or 'Qualified' category.
The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. . Preference-eligibles will be listed at the top of their assigned category and considered before non-preference-eligibles in that category. Qualified preference-eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest category.
Your responses should be clear and concise and show a level of accomplishment and a degree of responsibility.
We use a multi-step process to evaluate and refer applicants:
1. Minimum Requirements: Your application must show that you meet all requirements, including the education and/or experience required for this position. You may be found "not qualified" if you do not possess the minimum competencies required for the position. If your application is incomplete, we may rate you as ineligible.
2. Rating: Applicants will be evaluated by an SL board based on the technical qualification (TQ) requirements stated in this announcement.
3. Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application will be referred to a selecting official for consideration and possible interview.
If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)) you must receive a score of 85 or better to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority
Required Documents
Required Documents:
1. TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs) All applicants must address how their knowledge and experience relates to the TQs noted in the "Qualifications" section above. Separate written responses to TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs). Please do not enter "Refer to Resume" to explain your answers. Applications directing the reviewer to search within the application or to "See Resume" are considered incomplete and WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Failure to address all of the mandatory TQs is also considered incomplete and WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
PLEASE LIMIT YOUR RESPONSE TO ONE (1) SINGLE SPACED PAGE PER TQ WITH THE FONT SIZE NO SMALLER THAN POINT 12.
FAILURE TO SUBMIT A NARRATIVE STATEMENT ADDRESSING EACH OF THE TQs WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO BE DEEMED INCOMPLETE AND NOT BE CONSIDERED.
2. RESUME - Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications related to the TQs for this position.
All applicants are required to submit a résumé either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.)
Please view résumé tips.
3. CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) OR INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.
Recommended Documentation:
For current Federal employees: You are encouraged to submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) that documents your current tenure, position title, series, grade level and pay.
Veterans' Preference Documentation: If you are claiming veterans preference, please visit the website for veterans hiring paths located at https://www.usajobs.gov/help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/. In order to be considered for veterans preference, you must submit all required documentation such as a DD-214, VA letter showing disability, SF-15, etc. Please visit the applicant guide for further information on requirements.
Performance Appraisal/Review/Evaluation, etc: All applicants are required to submit their most recently completed annual performance appraisal (dated within 18 months from the closing date of the vacancy announcement), which identifies your official rating of record (must be at least "Fully Successful") AND is signed by the supervisor.
How to Apply
The National Archives and Records Administration has partnered with the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service to provide certain personnel services to its organization. Fiscal Service's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date.
The Bureau provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.
- To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
- Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (USAJOBS Login); all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear, along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website.
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We will review your resume and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability and/or security background investigation. A final job offer for this position is typically made within 40 days after the closing date of the announcement.