Program Communications Specialist Job in Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)

Vacancy No. 24-GD-00216-12561933-DHR Department Department of Energy - Agency Wide
Salary $86,962.00 to $167,336.00 Grade 12 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/27/2024 Close Date 10/2/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Anywhere in the U.S. (remote job)


Job Description (Please follow all instructions carefully)

Summary

The Grid Deployment Office (GDO) works to catalyze the development of new and upgraded electric infrastructure across the country by maintaining and investing in critical generation facilities; developing and upgrading high-capacity electric transmission lines nationwide; and deploying transmission and distribution technologies.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens- This direct hire public notice is to gather applications that may or may not result in a referral or selection.

Duties

As a Program Communications Specialist you may:

  • Develop, maintain, and expand relationships with intergovernmental, tribal, and key stakeholder groups.
  • Develop a strategic engagement annual plan to set priorities for and improve the office's external engagement, providing recommendations on tactics and methods of evaluation.
  • Track and evaluate the effectiveness of engagement activities. As necessary, prepare reports and presentations on engagement metrics and outcomes.
  • Organize and facilitate meetings, general inquiries, speaking engagements, and conference attendance, including determination of participation.
  • Coordinate on the development of external resources, including remarks for GDO leadership, talking points, fact sheets, speeches, and PowerPoint presentations.
  • Assist communications team as needed in producing materials such as website updates, press releases, talking points, and media responses.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Subject to satisfactory security and suitability requirements.
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
  • These positions are to be filled under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act or Scientific, Technical, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) direct hire authority.

Qualifications

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS GS-13: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience for this position includes ALL of the following:

  • Developing relationships with internal and external stakeholders to assist with communications to targeted audiences; AND
  • Researching existing standards and methodologies, and trends to develop new methods, criteria, and policies related to external engagement; AND
  • Analyzing and strategizing the effectiveness of communication plans; AND
  • Advising organizational leadership on communications strategies aimed at delivering information to internal and external audiences
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS GS-12: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience for this position includes ALL of the following:
  • Developing relationships with internal and external stakeholders to assist with communications to targeted audiences; AND
  • Researching existing standards and methodologies, and trends to develop new methods, criteria, and policies related to external engagement; AND
  • Analyzing and strategizing the effectiveness of communication plans

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.

OPM Qualification Standards for the GS-0301 series can be found at the following website: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0300/miscellaneous-administration-and-program-series-0301/

CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.

Education

There are no specific education requirements or substitution of education for experience for this position.

Additional information

The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

  • This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE.
  • For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: www.telework.gov
  • Status and Non-Status applicants from outside DOE selected under these authorities are required to serve a mandatory one (1) year probationary period. A DOE career status employee selected for this position may be required to serve a new one (1) year probationary period, pursuant to 5 CFR 315.802.
  • If you believe that you are eligible for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), please visit the OPM ICTAP/CTAP website for more information. In order to be considered under the ICTAP program, your application must score within the pre-established "well qualified" category as stated in the Qualifications section.
  • This public notice is to gather applications that may or may not result in a referral or selection.
  • There may or may not be actual/projected vacancies at the time of your application.
  • More than one selection may be made under these hiring authorities.
  • Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year.
  • Many positions require successful completion of a background investigation.
  • Positions may be filled at varying levels of leadership, ie Team Lead, Manager, Supervisor.
  • Supervisory positions may require a 1-year probationary period, if not yet completed.
  • New employees to the Department of Energy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify
  • Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the links at the bottom of this page or visit the FedsHireVets website.
  • All males born after December 31st 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register. If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.
  • EEO Policy: USAJOBS Help Center - Equal employment opportunity policy
  • Reasonable Accommodation Policy: USAJOBS Help Center - Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Veterans Information: USAJOBS Help Center - Veterans
  • Selective Service Registration: http://www.sss.gov/
  • The Fair Chance 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 to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrative Investigations Program at AdministrativeInvestigations@hq.doe.gov.

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.

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 for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

This position is announced under a government-wide Direct Hire Authority (DHA) for Miscellaneous Administration and Program positions in the GS 0301 series. Under this Direct-Hire authority, applicants are required to meet minimum qualification requirements at the grade level(s) of interest. Veteran's Preference, Schedule A, Category Rating, and other methods of consideration DO NOT APPLY under Direct-Hire Authority regulations.

Appointments made under this authority will be processed as new appointments to the Civil Service. Current Civil Service employees would, therefore, be given new appointments to the Civil Service. Current Federal employees may be required to serve a new probationary period (5 CFR 315.802(b).

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.

Successful candidates will possess the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

  • Communications and Media
  • Oral Communication
  • Organizational Awareness
  • Planning and Evaluating


To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, clickhttps://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12561933.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you MUST provide a complete application package which includes:

  • Your RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
  • Cover Letter, optional, expressing additional information not covered in your resume.
  • Transcripts, if specific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement. Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements.
  • Veterans' Preference documentation,if applicable, DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; current active duty members- certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter. For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center & OPM CHCOC website for VOW information.
  • Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable(e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition.
Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section.

The application process is as follows:

  1. You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: USAJOBS Help Center - How to create a login.gov account
  2. To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
  3. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation and submit your application.
  4. Applications will not be accepted after 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; 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://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.

If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/

If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.

Agency contact information

Mary Bowman
Address
Grid Deployment Office
P.O. Box 5088
Oak RIdge, TN 37831
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The status of your application will be updated in USAJOBS as it is evaluated.

You can check the status by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application changes by logging into your USAJobs Account and editing the Notification Settings.

You will be contacted directly if an interview is required.

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the Department of Energy from another Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR ยง575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.


If you are interested in being added to our Schedule A or 30% or more Disabled Veterans repository, please submit your information by using the below links.
https://www.usajobs.gov/job/789178500 - 30 Percent or More Disabled Veteran Repository 2024 for Department of Energy
https://www.usajobs.gov/job/789179000 - Schedule A Repository 2024 for Department of Energy


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