Public Affairs Specialist

About the role

The purpose of this position is to serve as a Public Affairs Specialist and national on-the-record spokesperson in the Office of Public Affairs (PAO), Department of Justice (DOJ), guiding and coordinating the federal law enforcement public information programs of certain Department organizations, including legal divisions, Bureaus, and US Attorneys' Offices.

What you will do

• Deals with a myriad of entities such as print, radio, television, internet media, law enforcement agencies, government officials, and private industry Advises and assists other departmental components on communications strategies and resolving issues to align public affairs messaging across the Department Develops and maintains a thorough knowledge of Department policies, guidelines, and internal regulations Evaluates program effectiveness, advises leadership, and recommends modifications as needed Organizes and coordinates media interviews with Department leadership, and develops and provides supporting materials as needed Organizes press conferences and other media events to enhance the Department's law enforcement initiatives Responds in writing and/or orally to information requests from the media, specialized groups, and general public.
• Uses traditional and social media content to monitor and analyze international, national, regional, and local news stories that directly affect the Department Represents the organization in media interviews and press conferences with agency officials, government representatives, and stakeholder associations Establishes and maintains effective relationships with media representatives, Department stakeholders, and across the public affairs community The duties listed above are generally written for one grade level.
• If the position is advertised at multiple grades, the duties will be adjusted in difficulty, complexity, and level of supervision, for higher or lower grades, as appropriate.

Education

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements, please see the statements below. Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in order for it to be creditable towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from accredited institution.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements.

You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program.

It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency.

All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

How you will be evaluated

Your application will be evaluated and rated under DOJ's Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the application questionnaire.

If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Communications and Media Customer Service Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Technical Competence Written Communication If it is determined that you meet minimum qualification requirements and the technical or alternative assessment, your application will then be placed in one of three categories based on the assessment results: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified.

Within these categories veterans' preference eligibles will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles. In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment.

The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Your USAHIRE assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments. If you would like to preview the application questionnaire, please see: ***

Documents you must provide

• It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility.
• Resume Resume - All Applicants: You must submit a resume (a two page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history: Official position title, Employer name and contact information, Start and end dates (including month and year), Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, and A list of duties performed and accomplishments.
• Veterans Preference Documentation: If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit: (1) a copy of your DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," (Member 4 copy), showing the dates of active duty, type of discharge, and character of service, OR (2) a certification letter from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.
• This letter must contain (a) military service dates including the expected discharge or release date and (b) character of service.
• If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference as a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, in addition to the documents specified above, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF-15, and if applicable, a completed SF-15.
• CTAP/ICTAP eligibility documentation - If you are a displaced Federal employee claiming eligibility under CTAP or ICTAP, you must submit: A copy of the agency notice (i.e., letter of intent to separate, separation notice, or agency RIF letter), Your most recent performance appraisal, and Most recent SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location.
• See USAJOBS' Career Transition Programs for more information.
• College Transcripts - If you are using education to qualify for this position, or education is required, you must submit: An unofficial transcript containing a full listing of courses, credit earned, grade and grade-point-average, subject area, degree(s) earned, and dates of award.
• Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcripts will be required prior to your first day.

What to expect next

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement.

You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). You will receive e-mail notifications as your application status is updated by DOJ.

However, you can also see your application status any time by logging in to your USAJOBS account and looking on the "Applications" page. Click the position title to expand the display for each application in the list. We strive to extend a final offer of employment within 90 days from the close of this announcement.

Additional selections may be made from this announcement within 90 days.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made from this announcement. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service.

To receive selection priority for this position, you must: Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; Be rated well-qualified for the position [with a score of 85 or above OR rated Highly Qualified] based on the competencies listed above; and Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.

Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: 1) your performance and conduct; 2) the needs and interests of the agency; 3) whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and 4) whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

EEO Statement/Policy: 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.

More information can be found here: *** DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: 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.

The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: *** Selective Service: If you were born male, on or 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.

Additional information is found at: *** Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment.

If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.

Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.