Summary
THIS IS A NATIONAL GUARD TITLE 5 EXCEPTED SERVICE POSITION.
This National Guard position is for a PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST (TITLE 5), Position Description Number T5804100 and is part of the IL 126, National Guard.
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
Open to current, onboard permanent and indefinite technicians/employees only. Initial pull date will be 27 April 2026.
Duties
As a PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST (TITLE 5), GS-1035-11, you will carry-out a wide range of public affairs assignments that include elements of visual information, social media, media operations, community engagement, command information, communication planning, contingency/crisis response, environmental, security, policy review, and public affairs resource management in support of the mission and the commander's priorities.
Major Duties - This is NOT an all-inclusive list:
- Coordinates the planning and development of complex, high level public affairs assignments in support of commander's programs and priorities.
- Carries out public affairs tasks that support the wing commander's priorities through the integration of visual information, social media, community engagement, command information, communication planning, contingency/crisis response, media operations, environmental, security and policy review, and public affairs resource management activities.
- Responds to requests for information, materials and support; and plans and conducts community engagement activities with community officials and groups.
- Maintains an active web/social media presence, provides visual information services for documentation and/or publicity purposes and plans and arranges news media coverage.
- Evaluates the propriety and advisability of agency support of/ participation in local activities, programs, and events. For approved events, coordinates support requests from community and community groups, schools, news media organizations, and others to include requests for interviews, speakers, tours, bands, honor guards, and aviation support and support of local observances and celebrations.
- Researches, drafts, coordinates, produces, and reviews public affairs products such as, web-based content, photographs, videos, news and feature articles, news releases, talking points, fact sheets, briefings, speeches and scripts, newsletters, and other materials.
- Modifies standard methods and adapts approaches in developing new information materials aimed at enhancing the understanding of groups or individuals of significant issues concerning agency programs.
- Maintains effective working relationships with officials of various senior wing leadership, civic, news media, community groups, Department of Defense personnel, as well as local, state and national government officials, and the general public.
- Manages audio visual equipment for section.
- Appointed as the Wing Visual Information Manager per current DoD directives.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
- Federal employment suitability as determined by a background investigation.
- Subject to provisions of DoD Priority Placement Program.
- file:///C:/Users/1616598224.CIV/OneDrive%20-%20US%20Army/Desktop/PPP%20DD%203145-2%20Checklist.pdf
- This position is covered by the Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment (30 Sep 96) of the Gun Control Act (Lautenberg Amendment) of 1968. An individual convicted of a qualifying crime of domestic violence may not perform the duties of this position.
- IAW The Fair Chance Act, Agency employees may not request criminal history information at the point of initial application, upon receipt of an application, or prior to, during or after a job interview. If an Optional Form (OF) 306, Declaration of Employment is submitted prior to the point of a conditional offer, questions related to background information section may not be asked.
- Irregular and/or overtime (compensatory) hours may be required to support operational requirements or contingencies or may be required to work hours outside of the normal duty day.
- May be required to successfully complete a trial period.
- Selectee is required to complete SE1-260 requirements within six months of employment. Selectee must complete the DoD Public Affairs Qualification Course within two years of employment; or, for on-board personnel, complete the course within two years from the appointment date to this position description.
- This position is designated as Essential Personnel and may be subject to duty in preparation for, or in response to, a state emergency or disaster declaration. This designation will not exceed 14 calendar days per year unless otherwise approved in advance by the TAG.
- Participation in direct deposit is mandatory.
Qualifications
AREA OF CONSIDERATION: The areas of considerations for this position, Title 32 Excepted Service (32 U.S. Code § 709), the only area of consideration for this position will be all excepted permanent and indefinite temporary technicians within the ILNG.
Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9 Level. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: GS-11 Level MUST possess at least 1-year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-9: experience, education, or training involving a thorough knowledge of writing and communication principles, methods and techniques that relate to public affairs of the military; experience developing new information materials including news releases, fact sheets, brochures, booklets, broadcast spots, etc., that increase communication with the agency's audiences; experience making on-the-spot presentations to audiences with opposing points of view or erroneous understanding of agency positions; experience responding timely and appropriately to requests for information concerning agency programs and services.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Verbiage displayed on your resume or application must contain your own words. You may refer to position descriptions, i.e. the general and specialized experience located within the vacancy announcement, to assist with describing work experience; however, resumes or applications received in verbatim will not be considered. In your resume you will need to address the general and specialized experience listed below. Please use as much detail as needed, giving dates (months and years) of the experience, position title and how the experience was gained. This information is needed to determine if you are qualified for the position.
Education
If you are using Education to qualify for this position, for a GS-11 you must have a 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
You must provide a copy of your OFFICIAL transcripts to support your Educational claims.
Additional information
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.
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.
Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application package, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this position. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
- Public Affairs Policies and Procedures
- Public Service Motivation
- Writing
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Your resume that clearly demonstrates experience that meets the requirements of this position. Your resume must contain identifiable information such as your name, address, and phone number. It should also show your work schedule, hours worked per week, dates (including Month and Year, e.g., 02/2017, Feb 2017, etc.) of employment and duties performed. Resume must not exceed 2 pages.
Other supporting documents (as applicable):
- Certifications
- DD-214
- SF-50 - Please include if you are a current or previous federal employee.
- OFFICIAL Transcript
- NGIL Form 73
https://www.il.ngb.army.mil/Portals/30/Documents/Jobs/NGILForm73.pdf?ver=2019-05-01-161908-260
*NGIL Form 73 - Illinois National Guard Technician Program Supplement to Application for Dual Status (DS), to reflect military qualifications.
Complete and accurate data is essential to ensure fair evaluation, applicants with no military qualifications must submit form stating, "not applicable" and signature on page 2 of the NGIL Form 73.
Documents NOT accepted: photographs, copies of position descriptions, training certificates, performance ratings, awards, and letters of appreciation.
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 apply for this position, you must complete the online application/Occupational Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To view the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12935761
A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
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 (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/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/.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.