Summary

As a Communications Specialist, you will be working under the direction of the Executive Director, the incumbent serves as a Communications Specialist and is responsible for communications, social media, web design, technical writing, data analytics, administrative and logistical support for virtual and in person public events hosted by the U.S. Access Board.

This job is open to

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Clarification from the agency

All candidates who are: Current Access Board internal employees who are qualifying as Status Eligibles or currently serving on a VRA appointment, OR CTAP eligibles.

Duties

The following are the duties of this position at the GS-12. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties and will receive training to help you grow in this position.

Develops digital strategy and campaign plans for managing marketing and social media programs and content marketing techniques for digital outreach operations.
Participates in the development and deployment of communication content including internal and external communications, communications plans, web, and social media content, press releases and media outreach plans, briefing memos, talking points and remarks, presentations, and other materials in relation to the agency.
Works with vendors and the Public Affairs Specialist to develop and refine agency communications and content strategy to promote agency initiatives and activities.

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.

Key Requirements:

Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National
A probationary or trial period may be required. Continued employment is contingent upon supervisory certification that continued employment will benefit the Federal Service; the certification will occur no less than 30 days before the end of the probationary/trial period
Complete a probationary period of 260 days in pay status, which may not be completed in less than 1 year. (unless already 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.
Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
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.

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements within 30 calendar days of the closing date of this announcement.

Specialized Experience: For the GS-11, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as:

Develop and managed digital communications and marketing efforts for an agency, including web, social media, content marketing, and GovDelivery campaigns to support outreach and increase audience engagement, AND
Create and maintained digital content such as web pages, social media posts, graphics, videos, press materials, and briefing products, ensuring accessibility, accuracy, SEO, and compliance with federal requirements, AND
Use data and collaboration to improve outreach, analyzing performance metrics to inform leadership, and working with Public Affairs, IT, vendors, and partners to support campaigns, website management, and agency events.

OR Education:
You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: 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: You may qualify with a combination of experience and education. To combine education and experience, your total qualifying experience is calculated as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level. Then, your education is calculated as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. The two percentages are added together. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education.

In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following time-in-grade requirement, if applicable: For the GS-11, you must have been at the GS-09 level for 52 weeks.

Time After Competitive Appointment: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a nontemporary competitive appointment must have served at least three months in that appointment.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

OTHER INFORMATION:

We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Our comprehensive benefits are very generous. Our benefits package includes:

- Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards.
- Eleven paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year.
- Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire.
- A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums.
- A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions.
- Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: USAJOBS Help Center - Benefits

The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information, to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by contacting: India Thomas - thomas@access-board.gov

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.

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.

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, responses to the online questions, 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.

USA HIRE ASSESSMENT INFORMATION: You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., résumé, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. 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.

Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas:
Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills Learning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, Teamwork.
The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection 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 92 or better to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority.

Required Documents

A complete application includes 1. A résumé, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).

Please ensure all required documents, including any required work samples, narratives, or other materials as stated in this announcement, are attached to your application package

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 limit your résumé to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, your resume will still be accepted, however only the first 2 pages will be reviewed and considered for qualifications and eligibility determination in whether or not the minimum qualifications for the position have been met. To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your résumé. Please view résumé tips.

CURRENT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment: - Submit a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status.
(The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".)
If you are currently on a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA), submit a copy of an SF-50 showing that. Also, you must submit a copy of your DD214 or other documentation showing dates of service and type of discharge and any other applicable documents such as SF-15, VA letters, etc.
- Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: You MUST submit a copy of your most recent completed annual performance appraisal which includes the final rating, dated within the last year of the opening of this announcement. If you have not received a performance appraisal dated within the last year, please explain why in your application questions. "N/A" will not be considered an acceptable reason for explanation.

REINSTATEMENT: If you are a former federal employee and wish to be non-competitively reinstated for a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating.

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.

How to Apply

Access Board has partnered with the Treasury to provide certain personnel services to its organization. Treasury's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.

We provide reasonable accommodations 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.

HOW TO APPLY: Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. 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 application process is as follows:

Click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

Click here to view the announcement status or your application status. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

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 here.

Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website.

To preview the questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12892989

Agency contact information

Applicant Call Center

Phone: 304-480-7300
Email: accessboardinquiries@fiscal.treasury.gov

Address: Access Board
Treasury Common Services Center
Parkersburg, WV 26101
US

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 any required suitability and/or security background investigation.

Communications Specialist Job in Washington, DC