Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current and former permanent competitive service Department of Defense (DoD) employees. Veterans eligibilities include Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA). Individuals with disabilities may also apply. Military Spouse Preference (MSP), Retained Grade Preference (RGP), and Military Reserve and National Guard Technician eligibles may also apply.

As a Public Affairs Officer at the GS-1035-12/13 some of your typical work assignments may include:

• Serves as principal advisor in matters pertaining to all aspects of public affairs.
• Analyzes issues and situations from a public affairs perspective and recommends appropriate courses of action.
• Develop and maintain relationships with media outlets, journalists , and bloggers to secure positive media coverage.
• Draft and distribute press releases, media advisories, and talking points to ensure accurate representation of the organization.
• Respond to media inquiries, arrange interviews, and prepare spokespeople for media appearances.
• Develop speeches, articles, news releases, stories, radio/TV scripts, fact sheets, captions for photos, FAQ documents, and other written materials to reach broad audiences with diverse needs and levels of understanding to support the organization's public image.
• Develops a long term public affairs plan incorporating different mediums and methods of communication to include a podcast, video-clips, quick hit videos, etc.
• Provide analytics and narrative assessments for quarterly and annual reports.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
• Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)
• Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary period
• Work Schedule: Full Time
• Overtime: Occasionally
• Tour of Duty: Flexible
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentives/PCS: MAY be authorized
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
• Financial Disclosure: Not Required
• Telework Eligibility: This position is telework eligible

Qualifications

You may qualify at the GS-12, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service:

• Planning and executing public affairs and communication programs to inform internal and external audiences about organizational missions, policies, programs, and initiatives
• writing, editing, and coordinating a wide range of communication products, including press releases, talking points, speeches, fact sheets, web content, and social media posts
• responding to media inquiries and coordinating interviews with subject-matter experts or senior leaders under established guidance
• supporting crisis or sensitive communications by drafting timely, accurate messaging and ensuring consistency with organizational and departmental policies; applying knowledge of public affairs laws, regulations, ethics standards, and information release policies.

You may qualify at the GS-13, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

A. One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service:

• Leading and managing comprehensive public affairs and strategic communication programs for complex organizations or high-visibility initiatives
• serving as senior advisor to executive leadership on communication strategy, media engagement, stakeholder outreach, and reputational risk
• developing and executing long-term communication plans aligned with organizational goals, national priorities, and policy objectives; coordinating public affairs activities across internal offices, interagency partners, and external stakeholders
• evaluating communication effectiveness using metrics and analytics to inform strategy and improve outcomes.

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration.

• To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
• You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. NOTE: Resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
• You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
• To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://www.usajobs.gov, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To preview the questionnaire, please go to https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12860832.

To review the status of an application through USAJOBS:
1. Log into your USAJOBS account
2. Click Application Status within your profile to expand your application
3. Locate the job announcement and click the more information link under the Status column for this position. You will be routed to Application Manager. The Details tab displays by default. The Details tab displays comprehensive information about the selected Application Package including: assessment(s) and the status, supporting documents and their status, correspondence sent to you by the hiring agency, and your application processing status. To fax supporting documents you are unable to upload, complete this cover page http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf . Fax your documents to 1-478-757-3144. You are highly encouraged to submit your application package and complete your assessment questionnaire on-line.

Please review the General Application Information and Definitions at:
https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DoDGenAppInfo%2012-1-2020.pdf?ver=ECNbdsHtGilTd3OENN4A0Q%3d%3d

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc.). Your complete application includes your COMPLETE resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

The following documents are REQUIRED

1. Your resume:

• All applicants are required to submit a resume limited to two (2) pages showing all relevant experience. Your resume must address your qualifications for the position, and it may not exceed two (2) pages. Your 2-page (or less) resume must be in PDF format, with no smaller than a 0.5" margin and no smaller than a 10-point font. If you submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit and/or does not meet the margin or font limitations stated herein, you will immediately be deemed ineligible for this position and will be removed from further consideration. Must include the work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, and duties performed. The resume and required supporting documentation should provide the minimum qualifications and relevant experience for the announced position. If multiple resumes are submitted by an applicant, only the last resume submitted will be reviewed for qualifications and referred for selection consideration, if eligible. The resume must not be more than 5MB and should be saved and uploaded as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a font like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans.
• Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job? The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.

2. SF50

• All current and former civilian Federal employees must submit a copy of your MOST RECENT SF50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, salary, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation, i.e., Transcript of Service, Form 1150, etc. This is also a requirement to verify your Time in Grade (TIG).

3. Veteran's Documents:

• If applying using veteran's preference or under a Veteran's hiring authority you must submit the following documents: DD214 showing character of service, SF-15 Form and VA letter showing final percentage, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty.

PLEASE REVIEW THE BELOW LINK FOR OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS needed for proof of eligibility:
https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DODCustomersRequiredSupportingDocumentation.pdf

Next steps