Summary For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. This position is also being announced to applicants eligible to apply through Merit Staffing procedures under 26-NH-12870235-MS. This announcement has a USAHIRE assessment test requirement. Please make sure to check your SPAM email for the assessment. Responsibilities If selected for this position as a Public Affairs Specialist in the United States Attorney's Office (USAO), you will join a well-respected team that is responsible for providing public information support. Typical work assignments will include: Providing a variety of ancillary administrative and office support services to the United States Attorney. Providing administrative support on all public affairs and press matters. Maintaining office files, projects, media contacts, distribution lists, and records related to outreach and communication activities. Participating in planning, writing, and editing news releases, briefing news media representatives, and preparing written material for dissemination and publication. Planning, initiating, and implementing comprehensive public affairs campaigns to enhance the understanding of USAO initiatives among the general public, specialized groups and organizations. Furnishing policy guidance, developing directives for policy procedures, and evaluating program effectiveness. Formatting correspondence, organizes briefing materials, and ensures proper routing and coordination of documents. Responding to routine inquiries regarding administrative matters for the USAO. Developing a variety of recurring reports and documents which involve obtaining information from the staff, subject files or other sources, and formatting the needed information properly in narrative, table, or graph formats. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications GS-9: To be eligible at the GS-09 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions, as defined below: Specialized Experience, Education, OR a combination of Education and Experience. Specialized Experience: One full year of full-time specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service which could have been gained in the federal, public, and/or private sector. Specialized Experience is defined as coordinating, organizing and planning media events; gathering facts and drafting press releases or news stories for publication; developing digital strategy campaigns using diverse digital media platforms and tools (such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and content management systems) to drive public awareness, disseminate public interest and/or public safety information; and responding to information requests from the media, the general public and/or specialized groups and organizations. OR Education: One of the following @types of education in a related field (e.g. Communications, Journalism, Public Affairs): a Master's or equivalent graduate degree; OR 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR LL.B. or J.D., if related. Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position. OR Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 1 full year. GS-11: To be eligible at the GS-11 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions, as defined below: Specialized Experience, Education, OR a combination of Education and Experience. Specialized Experience: One full year of full-time specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service which could have been gained in the federal, public, and/or private sector. Specialized Experience is defined as coordinating and participating in media events and/or press conferences; utilizing media relationships with organizations and personnel in local and/or national media markets; responding to information requests from media and the general public; drafting press releases, speeches and/or public remarks for news stories or publication; and developing and managing organizational social media platforms and internet presence to disseminate public interest and/or public safety information. OR Education: One of the following @types of education in a related field (e.g., Communications, Journalism, Public Affairs): a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate degree; OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR LL.M., if related. Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position. OR Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 2 full years Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)- The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in the announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)-The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Education All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see http://www.ed.gov OR Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. Additional Information Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized. The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov. Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal Agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. EEO Statement: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. Political Appointees (Current or Former): The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
