Summary
As a Client Communications Specialist, you will serve as a senior communication advisor to clients, assisting in the identification of existing or emerging issues or opportunities and providing recommendations for improving program effectiveness and efficiency through communication and outreach solutions.
Location of position: GSA, Office of Strategic Communications, 1800 F Street, NW, Washington, DC.
We are currently filling one vacancy, but additional vacancies may be filled as needed.
Duties
The Office of Strategic Communications supports GSA’s mission through communications that inform, influence, and inspire while successfully managing GSA’s reputation in delivering value to the American people. This is accomplished through establishing trusted partnerships delivering strategic communications best practices for our employees, partners, customers, and the public.
As a Client Communications Specialist, you will manage and anticipate the client’s communications needs as well as support and promote GSA programs and services through a variety of communication strategies, ensuring consistent branding. You will perform the following duties:
- Serves as an advisor to senior level internal and external clients, identifying existing or emerging issues or opportunities and providing recommendations for improving program effectiveness and efficiency through communication and outreach solutions.
- Gathers information and initiate accurate responses to inquiries concerning the activities of the office.
- Analyzes, interpret and integrate information into a variety of formats such as graphs and tables, databases, spreadsheets, presentations, and web pages.
- Develops and implements short- and long-term communication plans, campaigns, and solutions.
- Identifies key target audiences, researching and analyzing their attitudes and behaviors, and develops measurable communication activities.
- Creates, plans, develops, coordinates, implements and evaluates internal and external events and ceremonies for assigned clients.
- Organizes national level public and internal forums and collaborates on any publicity or employee notification in conjunction with these events.
- Writes and edits highly professional materials.
- Coordinates and reviews work of colleagues or consultants and vendors.
- Leads the research, writing, editing, proofreading, and/or production coordination of multimedia communication deliverables.
- Works closely with clients to ensure scripts, speeches, talking points and other formal presentation materials are targeted, and aligned with key messages and goals.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- US Citizenship or National (Residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)
- Meet all eligibility criteria within 30 days of the closing date
- Register with Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/1959
If selected, you must meet the following conditions:
- Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or NonCareer SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
- Serve a one year probationary period, if required.
- Undergo and pass a background investigation (Tier 2 investigation level).
- Have your identity and work status eligibility verified if you are not a GSA employee. We will use the Department of Homeland Security’s e-Verify system for this. Any discrepancies must be resolved as a condition of continued employment.
This position has job functions that must be executed within a specific geographic location. The official duty station is a federal facility, leased space, or an alternative worksite (typically the employee’s home) and must be a physical address (not a PO Box) located within approximately a 50 miles radius of the duty location. Positions include routine telework work arrangements that are geographically specific to the Central Office location described below.
The duty station will be 1800 F Street, NW, Washington, DC.
Qualifications
For each job on your resume, provide:
- the exact dates you held each job (from month/year to month/year)
- number of hours per week you worked (if part time).
If you have volunteered your service through a National Service program (e.g., Peace Corps, Americorps), we encourage you to apply and include this experience on your resume.
For a brief video on creating a Federal resume, click here.
The GS-13 salary range starts at $117962.00 per year. If you are a new federal employee, your starting salary will likely be set at the Step 1 of the grade for which you are selected.
To qualify, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level or higher in the Federal service.
Specialized experience is defined as experience: Utilizing oral and written communication skills to communicate messages related to client initiatives, programs, and achievements; analyzing, interpreting, and integrating information into a variety of formats such as graphs and tables, databases, spreadsheets, presentations; and developing short-term and long-term communication plans, campaigns, and solutions. Experience must include:
- Creating, planning, developing, scheduling, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating internal and external events and ceremonies for assigned clients.
- Experience as a writer, editor, proofreader in authoring detailed, high-level responses, briefings, and communication plans, etc.
- Leading the researching, writing, editing, proofreading, and production coordination of written communication materials and multimedia communication deliverables.
- Writing and editing professional materials (i.e., internal, and external email messages, scripts for potential video of a Senior Executive).
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.
You will have access to many benefits including:
- Health insurance (choose from a wide range of plans)
- Life insurance coverage with several options
- Sick leave and vacation time, including 11 paid holidays per year
- Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401(k) plan)
- Flexible work schedules
- Transit and child care subsidies
- Flexible spending accounts
- Long-term care insurance
- Training and development
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.
You will be evaluated on the questions you answer during the application process, which will measure your overall possession of the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities. Your responses to these questions must be supported by your resume or your score may be lowered.
- Skill in applying strategic communication concepts, methods, principles and practices, in conjunction with analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to develop and improve stakeholder communication efforts.
- Ability to apply business and industry policies and processes to develop, execute, and evaluate customer/audience appropriate communications, educational outreach and/or branding.
- Ability to formulate, develop and write strategic communication plans, and execute the tactics within those plans.
- Skilled in effective interpersonal skills.
- Skilled in identifying existing or emerging issues or opportunities and providing recommendations for improving program effectiveness and efficiency through communication and outreach solutions.
- Ability to employ writing and editing methods, techniques and established protocols required to prepare newsletters, webinars, customer conferences, formal briefing papers, reports, etc., for management and/or customer officials.
- Ability to manage projects.
- Skill in written communications to develop and prepare compelling communication documents (e.g. informational brochures, presentation support documents, email notices, social media and websites).
Your answers to the questions will be used to place you in one of the following categories and standard score ranges:
- Best Qualified = Candidates scoring between 95 - 100
- Well Qualified = Candidates scoring between 85 - 94 (Well Qualified for CTAP/ICTAP)
- Qualified = Candidates scoring between 70 - 84
We will verify your answers to the questions in your resume. If your resume doesn’t support your answers, we may lower your score, which could place you in a lower category.
Within each category, veterans will receive selection priority over non-veterans.
Additional hurdle assessments, such as narrative responses or other assessments, may be administered to applicants who meet the requirements of the first hurdle, e.g., the minimum qualification requirements. If additional assessments are used, you will be provided with further instructions.
If you are eligible under Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan or GSA’s Career Transition Assistance Plan(ICTAP/CTAP), you must receive a score of 85 or higher to receive priority. You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Required Documents
ALL required documents must be submitted before the closing date. Review the following list to determine what you need to submit.
Your resume showing applicant's name, email address, work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
If you are claiming veterans’ preference:
(a) Copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD-214 that shows your type of discharge and the dates of your active duty service.
(b) If you are claiming 10-point preference or derived preference (a spouse, widow or widower, or parent of a deceased or disabled veteran), submit both of the following in addition to the DD-214: (1) completed SF-15 form; and (2) proof of your entitlement (refer to SF-15 for complete list).
If you are active duty military - Certification on a letterhead from your military branch that includes your rank, character of service (must be under honorable conditions) & military service dates including discharge/release date (must be no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted).
If you are ICTAP/CTAP eligible - submit a, b, and c: (a) proof of eligibility including agency notice; (b) SF-50, and (c) most recent performance appraisal.
Current or Former Political Appointees: Submit SF-50.
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
Submit a complete online application including any required documents prior to 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement. You can modify or complete your application any time before the deadline. Simply return to USAJOBS, select the vacancy, and update your application. For more detailed instructions on how to apply, click here: Apply for a GSA Job.
If you are having issues applying to this announcement, you should switch to a different browser, network or device. Note: Your firewall may block your transfer from USAJOBS to your GSA application.
To begin, click the Apply Online button on the vacancy announcement.
- Sign in or register on USAJobs and select a resume and documents to include in your application.
- Once you have clicked Apply for this position now, you will be taken to the GSA site to complete the application process.
- Click the Apply To This Vacancy and complete all steps in the application process until the Confirmation indicates your application is complete. If you click Return to USAJobs or get timed out prior to receiving confirmation, your application will not be submitted and cannot be considered for this job.
- Note: Review the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section of this announcement to determine which apply to you and must be submitted online. You may choose one or more of the following options to submit your document(s): Upload (from your computer) or USAJOBS (click the "USAJOBS" link to complete the transfer process).
Need Assistance in Applying? Contact the HR representative listed on the announcement prior to the application deadline. We are available to assist you Monday-Friday during normal business hours. You must receive HR approval before deviating from these instructions. Be sure to APPLY EARLY as most assessments must be completed fully and submitted before the announcement closing.
Next steps
After the closing date/deadline:
- ELIGIBILITY/QUALIFICATIONS: Your application will be reviewed for all requirements.
- REFERRAL TO MANAGEMENT: If you meet all the requirements, you may be referred to management for review and a possible interview.
- SELECTION/TENTATIVE JOB OFFER: If you are selected, you will receive a tentative offer and start the suitability and/or security background investigation process.
- FINAL JOB OFFER: Once our security office determines you can come on board, you will be given a final offer, which is typically 40 days after the announcement closes.
- FINAL COMMUNICATION: Once the position is filled, we will notify you of your status. You may also check your application status by logging into USAJOBS and clicking “Track this Application” on the Applicant Dashboard.
Thank you for your interest in working for U.S. General Services Administration!
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