Communication Program Manager Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. EO-2025-0001 Department District of Columbia Courts
Salary $139,395.00 to $181,216.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/29/2025 Close Date 2/12/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The Communication Program Manager is responsible for initiating, planning and coordinating internal communications within and between the approximately 1,300 employees of the District of Columbia Courts, and will assist in numerous external communications initiatives and efforts under the guidance and direction of the Court’s director of media and communications. The incumbent also handles stakeholder outreach, planning and coordination in support of court initiatives.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

United States Citizens or individuals lawfully admitted for permanent residency or authorized by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service to work in the United States.

Duties

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

The Communication Program Manager will be a true storyteller – leading the Courts' various internal and external communications channels so that those who work for the Courts and those that we serve are receiving timely, relevant, and helpful information. The candidate must be creative, enterprising, and self-motivated. The candidate will develop ideas in a collaborative environment – where the candidate will have the resources to develop, shoot,  write, produce, edit and post creative content to various platforms.

  • Ensures the effective communication of the DC Courts' goals and initiatives to all court employees and stakeholders.
  • Develops and manages digital content (intranet, website, videos), ensuring that it is relevant, of interest, and easily accessible by all employees.
  • Assists in maintaining and updating the Court’s website, including writing, editing, and updating content in a timely manner. Updates documents, forms, and brochures for public consumption.
  • Develops and helps execute the communications strategy for the DC Courts' Executive Team and court leaders in support of court projects and initiatives.
  • Plans, executes, and implements communications plans for court-wide initiatives and engages with stakeholders.
  • Provides divisions with advice, assessment, and guidance geared toward improving business processes, creating new service channels, and strengthening public and employee engagement.
  • Coordinates and supports initiatives to enhance access to justice, such as initiatives for new technology products and content channels.
  • Plans and manages the content development and production of the Full Court Press, including writing and editing content and handling the desktop publishing process.
  • Develops new channels of communication between divisions, units, teams and their employees to enhance employee engagement and public engagement, and thus to enhance public trust and confidence in the judiciary.
  • Assists in developing and executing court-wide strategic initiatives and projects.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Background and security investigation are required.
  • This position is an Excepted Service appointment.

To qualify for this position, you must submit the following:
1. Resume
2. Completed Vacancy Questionnaire
3. Documentation /Proof of Education (e.g. copy of college transcript or degree)
4. List of three (3) professional references

All required documentation must be received by the closing date of the announcement.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, public relations, advertising or a related field plus six (6) years of experience creating and managing communication content, plans and initiatives for internal and external audiences.

Expert knowledge of written, oral, and social media communications principles and methods.  The ideal candidate for this position must have a strong sense of customer service, excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, experience in handling multiple and competing priorities, the ability to communicate effectively in writing and in person at all levels, and a proven track record of managing highly visible initiatives and fostering continual improvements

Education Substitution:

  • Master's degree in journalism, communications, public relations, advertising or a related field plus five (5) years of experience creating and managing internal communications plans for an agency.

The incumbent should be an enthusiastic and engaged professional who enjoys working with a diverse group of Court personnel and customers and lives the DC Courts’ values of Accountability, Excellence, Fairness, Integrity, Respect, and Transparency.

Please note that authorization for the release of your adult criminal record revealing any convictions and forfeitures, and any criminal cases currently pending before the courts is required.  If you are selected for the position, a criminal history records check will be conducted.

Education

To qualify based on education, upload a copy of your college transcript or degree. The transcript must show the name of the college or university, your name, list of courses with credit hours, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking.

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 District of Columbia Courts employment.  You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.  

Foreign Education: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must upload a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript at time of application to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

Additional information

This job is being filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive Federal civil service.

Please note there is a mandatory one year probationary period for all new court employees.

All required information must be received by the vacancy announcement closing date.

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.

This is not a federal position.

The District of Columbia Courts is an independent agency of the District of Columbia Government and is not under the authority of the City Mayor or the D. C. Council. DC Courts' appropriation comes directly from Congress. All DC Courts non-judicial employees receive federal benefits for the following programs:  Life Insurance, Retirement Benefits, Health Insurance and Workers Compensation.

Please click on the following for more information about these benefits:

http://www.opm.gov/Insure/health/enrollment/new_employees.asp

The DC Courts leave policy is as follows:

Annual Leave:  New full-time employees earn four (4) hours of annual leave biweekly. After three years of service this increases to six (6) hours biweekly, and at 15 years it increases to eight (8) hours biweekly. Most military, federal and District of Columbia government service counts toward the time required to go into the next higher annual leave category. Employees can carry over no more than 240 hours of annual leave into the next leave year.

Sick Leave is used for personal medical needs, care of a family member, or adoption related purposes. Full-time employees earn four (4) hours of sick leave biweekly. This leave can be accrued without limit.

In addition to the federal health plans, the DC Courts offer employees supplemental vision and dental plans as well as commuter transit benefit subsidy, for a maximum of $150 a month. There are 26 pay periods in the year.

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.

Upon receipt of your complete application package, a review of your application will be made to ensure that you meet the minimum qualification requirements.  Answers submitted in the questionnaire must be supported on your resume.

Your resume must reflect the relevant experience and that you meet the minimum qualifications or your application will not be considered.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

1. Resume
2. Completed Vacancy Questionnaire
3. Documentation /Proof of Education (e.g. copy of college transcript or diploma)
4. List of three (3) professional references

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

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.  Follow the prompts to complete the vacancy questionnaire. Afterward, click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.

Agency contact information

S.Juarez
Address
District of Columbia Courts
Moultrie Building
500 Indiana Avenue, NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20001
United States
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your completed application is received, the qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. All applicants will be notified of the final outcome.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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