Summary
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is seeking an experienced, highly motivated, engaging, and self-directed individual to serve as the court's Director of Events and Communications. The primary focus of this role is to manage court events and outreach programs - such as the biennial Federal Circuit Judicial Conference and annual out-of-town court sessions - public information and media relations, and public court communications and publications.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Open to all US Citizens and those eligible to work in the United States. An FBI Background; Master Background Investigation High Sensitive Check is required. This announcement is open until filled.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted and must travel at their own expense. Reimbursement for relocation is not available. The court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this announcement, commence interviews immediately, withdraw the announcement, or fill the position at any time, any of which actions may occur without notice.
The position will report to downtown Washington, DC; however, telework may be available on an ad hoc basis and/or according to agency policy. Employees of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit are excepted service appointments. Federal government civil service classifications or regulations do not apply. All offers of employment are provisional pending successful completion of a background check or investigation and a favorable employment suitability determination. This position is subject to Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit.
Must be a U.S. citizen or eligible to work in the United States. Non-citizens may be interviewed and considered for employment, but employment offers will only be made to individuals who qualify under one of the exceptions in 8 U.S.C.§ 1324b(a)(3)(B). Under 8 U.S.C.§1324b(a)(3)(B), a lawful permanent resident seeking citizenship may not apply for citizenship until he or she has been a permanent resident for at least five years (three years if seeking naturalization as a spouse of a citizen), at which point he or she must apply for citizenship within six months of becoming eligible, and must complete the process within two years of applying (unless there is a delay caused by the processors of the application). Non-citizens who have not been permanent residents for five years will be required to execute an affidavit that they intend to apply for citizenship when they become eligible to do so.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
Education
At a minimum, candidates must possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
Specialized Experience
- CL-28 ($79,339 to $128,992): At a minimum, candidates must possess three years of specialized experience which provided the opportunity to acquire a thorough knowledge of the basic concepts, principles, policies, practices, and theories of event planning, public outreach and communications, and/or project management.
- CL-29 ($94,359 to $153,366): At a minimum, candidates must possess four years of specialized experience which provided the opportunity to acquire a thorough knowledge of the basic concepts, principles, policies, practices, and theories of event planning, public outreach and communications, and/or project management.
Competencies
In addition to the above minimum qualifications, successful candidates should possess one or more of the following competencies.
- Demonstrated project management experience in creating and managing programs or events.
- Demonstrated ability to possess sound judgement, poise, tact, and diplomacy when working with a variety of stakeholders, including judicial officers, senior executives, academic leadership, public officials, or similar C-suite level positions.
- Knowledge of and experience using SharePoint Online, Microsoft Office 365, and Adobe Acrobat.
- Exceptional writing and editing skills and experience producing public-facing documents and materials.
- Ability to work independently and to set priorities across multiple assignments, as well as to work cooperatively in a team environment.
- Excellent time management skills.
Note: Due to the nature of this work, candidates must be able to travel and work off-site at a hotel or similar meeting location with advance notice. During events, incumbent may be on call or required to work for an extended number of hours over five to six days at a time.
Preferred Qualifications
- Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced and frequently changing environment.
- Experience working in the federal judiciary.
- Experience in document, web, or graphic design and related software applications.
- Experience in working with the media or in a public information office.
- Familiarity and experience in public speaking to a variety of audiences.
- Professional credentials or certification in public relations, event/conference management, or project management.
Education
At a minimum, candidates must possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Applicants will also be evaluated based upon review of their qualifications and the application package.
Required Documents
Cover letter, résumé, writing sample portfolio, completion of the provided online application (AO 78) and testing modules. See instructions for "How to Apply."
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 be considered application packages must include:
- Cover letter of no more than two pages, wherein the applicant describes the knowledge, skills, abilities, and or experience that would make the candidate well qualified to fill this position.
- Résumé outlining educational background, employment history, and other relevant information.
- A writing sample portfolio of no more than ten pages highlighting professional, public-facing documents. The samples must be solely the work product of the applicant.
- Completion of the online AO-78, Federal Judicial Branch Application for Employment.
- Completion of the online aptitude test and personality assessment.
Once you have the cover letter, résumé, and writing sample (items 1, 2, and 3 above) readily accessible in PDF format, follow the below link to submit your files and complete the online AO-78 and online tests (items 4 and 5 above):
https://www.ondemandassessment.com/link/index/JB-BWL0OF7GV?u=116354.
Applicants who require an exception to the online application may contact Human Resources to request an alternate method using the following email:
hr@cafc.uscourts.gov. Applications submitted to this email address will not be reviewed.
Next steps
Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.