Public Affairs Specialist Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. AC-25-12598146-CD Department AmeriCorps
Salary $70,000.00 to $77,919.00 Grade 2 to 2
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/5/2024 Close Date 11/18/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

This position is located in the Department of the Chief Executive Officer, Office of Communications and Marketing.

Duties

Press Content Development

  • Interviews stakeholders to gain insight and background for story development for the purpose of drafting press releases, advisories, or story pitches to garner press coverage.
  • Coordinates and shares this information with others to facilitate accomplishment of these tasks. Distill complex ideas, data, and research such as, but not limited to, research gathered by our data team or taken from AmeriCorps grantees in several programs into compelling content.
  • Content may include language for the website or for media materials like press releases or advisories. This content is typically posted on the AmeriCorps website or on social media platforms like LinkedIn.
  • Drafts and verifies long and short-form content in a fast-paced environment, including national service and volunteerism think pieces, Op-Eds, blog posts, recruitment collateral, web content, emails, and social media.
  • Writes, proofs, and edits content to ensure consistency, accuracy, and alignment with brand platform, AP Style, and Agency style guide.
  • Writes talking points, FAQs, and other background communications for Agency principals in support of media and external outreach.
  • Serves as an editor for Agency departments for external communications, emails, blogs, social media, and other content as requested.
  • Tracks and updates editorial calendar.

Media Outreach and Monitoring
  • Identifies and tracks story ideas by program and key demographic attributes for potential future use.
  • Monitors and reviews media coverage and public engagement events to amplify AmeriCorps in the news.

Press Support Duties
  • Assists in preparing briefing memos for senior leader interviews.
  • Adeptly manages a busy workload and competing deadlines.
  • Provides excellent customer service and responsiveness to colleagues across the agency to receive information to help inform press releases.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a United States Citizen
  • A 2-year probationary period is required for new Federal employees and supervisors.
  • Merit Promotion and internal applicants must submit a SF-50 to verify Status and grade
  • Satisfactory completion of a background investigation.
  • A financial disclosure may be required for this position.
  • Dates of employment, including beginning and end dates in the following format: month/day/year, must be included on resume.
  • Occasional travel is required 4-6 times per year as needed.
  • A valid state driver’s license is required to drive a government vehicle.
  • Requires occasional lifting of equipment up to 15 pounds.

Qualifications

AmeriCorps uses an experience-based process to set pay for employees. Experience is evaluated and credited using the employee's résumé. To ensure that all of your prior work experience (e.g., internships, volunteer work, details, part-time, self-employment, secondary jobs, etc.) is considered and accounted for.

Resume: You must submit a resume that clearly demonstrates you have experience that meets the requirements of this position.

To qualify at the NY-2/GS-7 level or equivalent, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience at the next to lower pay band/ grade level (NY-1/GS-5) or equivalent under other pay systems. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements and minimum qualifications, and any other regulatory requirements by the cut-off/closing date of the announcement. Applicants must have one year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to successfully perform the duties of the position, in either federal or non-federal service performing two (2) out of three (3) of the following duties or work assignments:

1) Maintaining effective working relationships at multiple levels within an organization in order to develop and disseminate coordinated messages that accurately address organizational programs;
2) Preparing written or multimedia materials to promote the organization's position on a variety of sensitive, controversial and/or complex issues; and/or
3) Assisting with designing and tailoring meetings and public involvement strategies to the general public and special target audiences.


Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps VISTA) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education


Education cannot be substituted for experience.

Additional information

Additional Selections: Additional selections may be made from this announcement or for similar positions across AmeriCorps. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at AmeriCorps.

Military Selective Service Act: If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/59 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.

Veteran's Preference: If you are claiming 5-point or 10-point veteran's preference, you must submit documentation described below in "Required Documents."

Special Employment Consideration: Persons with disabilities, disabled veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more, certain other veterans, spouses of certain members of the Armed Forces, VISTA volunteers, some Peace Corps employees and returning Peace Corps volunteers are examples of individuals who are potentially eligible for noncompetitive appointment. If you are eligible and would like to be considered for one of these noncompetitive appointments, applicable documentation that supports your eligibility must be submitted with your application package.

Ethics Requirement: Our Agency is committed to the highest ethical standards and, as an employee you will be covered by the criminal conflict of interest statutes (18 U.S.C. 201-209) and the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (5 C.F.R. part 2635). Additionally, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) or Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 278e) within 30 days of your appointment date and on an annual basis thereafter.

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.

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.

Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above. The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:

  • Oral Communication
  • Technical Competence
  • Writing

Important Note: Your resume must support your answers to the job specific questions. High self-assessment on the Occupational Questionnaire that is not supported by the information in your resume or supporting documents can/will result in elimination from further consideration. If you do not answer all of the job specific questions you will not be considered. Incomplete applications (resume and required supporting documents) will be considered ineligible.

Qualified applicants will be placed in one of the following three categories:

1 - Qualified Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements as described in the Qualifications section of this announcement.
2 - Well Qualified Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrates proficiency based on the answers to the job specific questions.
3 - Best Qualified Category - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrates high level proficiency based on the answers to the job specific questions.

NOTE: Status candidates will be considered under the provisions of the agency's Human Resources system which allows for:
1) Non-competitive referral of lateral candidates; and
2) The separation of status and non-status applicants for referral purposes.

Status candidates will be referred on one selection list only, i.e., either merit promotion or non-competitive. Non-status candidates who are eligible for Noncompetitive referral, e.g. Peace Corps, VRA, etc., will be referred under Noncompetitive procedures only. For Noncompetitive categories, See "Special Employment Consideration" below under "Other Information."

Required Documents

  • Resume showing relevant experience (cover letter optional);
  • Veterans' Preference Documentation (DD-214, VA Letter, and SF-15 if claiming 10-point preference; DD-214 if claiming 5-point preference), if applicable;
  • For Merit Promotion Eligibility: SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (must indicate tenure and position occupied), if applicable;
  • Documentation supporting eligibility for Non-Competitive appointment, e.g., Schedule A (severely disabled), eligible veterans (VRA or 30-percent or more disabled), VISTA, Peace Corps, etc., if applicable

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 occupational questionnaire, which is available to preview here https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12598146, along with submitting the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on 11/18/2024.

  • To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
  • Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
  • To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the Agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

AmeriCorps Hiring
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once the occupational questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful, however, you must also include a resume and any other documents that are applicable to you under the "Required Documents" section of this vacancy announcement. After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your status via email. Please be aware that emails could reside in your "junk," "bulk," or "spam" mail folder, depending on your filters. You will be notified of the final outcome.


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


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