Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist

About the role

This position is part of the WAPA Headquarters. As a Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist, you will serve as a technical authority for WAPAs Public Affairs Office and will establish and maintain communication between WAPA, DOE, various government agencies, the public and the utility industry.

What you will do

• Develop and implements integrated, strategic communication plans advancing WAPA missions.
• Shapes and implements WAPA communication strategies, ensuring alignment of initiatives with WAPA strategic direction and organization priorities.
• Determine resources, equipment, and workers required to complete work.
• Prepares hiring packages, interviews, and selects candidates for positions.
• Identifies work to be accomplished by staff members, set priorities, assigns work, advises and assists employees.
• Position the WAPA leadership team to produce consistent and effective messaging across platforms.
• Manages and advocates web and digital media strategy development.
• Leads WAPA digital media team, preparing newsletters, designing websites, graphics, producing videos, and photographs.
• Collaborate with senior leaders and functional teams to identify and implement innovative engagement strategies enhancing workforce morale and productivity.
• Oversees enterprise-level recognition opportunities, ensuring they reflect WAPA's mission and values while celebrating contributions and achievements at all organization levels.
• Lead and oversees programs promoting employee satisfaction, retention, and alignment with WAPA mission and values.
• Promote and integrates innovative communication tools, technologies, and partnerships enhancing engagement and outreach products including, the annual report, strategic plans, congressional fact sheets, organizational presentations, and visual storytelling campaigns.

Requirements

• 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.
• Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period.
• Employees serving on a probationary or trial period may be terminated at any time during the probationary or trial period for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service.
• Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages.
• If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications.
• In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire.
• Answers to these questions are not scored or rated.
• Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
• You may be required to complete a financial disclosure (OGE-450).
• Security clearance and associated requirements- Moderate Risk.
• Shift work and emergency overtime may be required.
• This position is designated as Emergency Essential.
• This positions requires the ability to operate a Government vehicle.
• The incumbent must be at least 18 years of age, able to obtain and maintain Defensive Drivers certification and have a a valid states drivers license.
• Employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, to include evenings, weekends and/or holidays.
• Total salary varies depending on location of position.

Education

For this position, education cannot be substituted for experience.

How you will be evaluated

Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required competencies. SMEs will review ONLY the first two (2) pages of your resume. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume).

Only applicants meeting or exceeding the minimum required level of proficiency will move forward. Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, the Human Resources Offices or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will review the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications.

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics): Accountability Communications and Media Customer Service Decisiveness Flexibility Interpersonal Skills Leadership Manages and Organizes Information Organizational Awareness Problem Solving Resilience All qualified Non-competitive applicants and the best qualified Merit Promotion and VEOA applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet the eligibility criteria; and 2) be rated "well-qualified".

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (09/18/2026) of this announcement.

USAHire: To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application.

Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis.

If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments.

You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement.

To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here. To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click ***

Documents you must provide

• duties performed; full name and address of the 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).
• Submit one or more of the following to support your eligibility(s) to apply to this job announcement: Current and former Federal employees: Most recent non-award SF-50 (Standard Form 50 - Notice of Personnel Action).
• To properly verify status eligibility, your SF-50 must show the following.
• If you do not submit an appropriate SF-50, we cannot verify your status eligibility.
• Full position title; appointment type; occupational series; pay plan, grade, and step; tenure code; and service computation date (SCD).
• If your current position SF50 does not indicate you have competitive service status or does not reflect the pay plan and grade of the highest position you have held in the competitive service, in addition to your current SF50, you must provide your previous SF-50s that provide the proof of competitive status and highest grade held on a permanent basis.
• If you do not submit an appropriate SF-50, we cannot verify your status eligibility.
• Veterans: 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.
• Individuals with Disabilities: Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state or federal rehabilitation office citing your eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u).
• For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center.
• Certain Military Spouses: Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders authorizing you to accompany the Military member to the new duty permanent station; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
• For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center.
• Other non-competitive or special appointing authorities: provide documentation which supports your eligibility.
• 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.

What to expect next

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.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE. For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: *** Applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) when applying or competing for a job due to a medical condition or to exercise religious beliefs.

If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this vacancy announcement. If selected, you may be required to complete a one-year supervisory probation period. Promotion Potential: This position is at the full performance level.

Upon reporting, and annually thereafter, the selectee may be required to file one or more financial statements and/or a procurement integrity certification. These certifications may be subject to public disclosure. The selectee for this position may be eligible to receive a recruitment or relocation incentive.

You will need to sign an employment agreement to be eligible for this incentive. Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs are not authorized. This position may be eligible for creditable service towards annual leave.

Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. DOE may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service.

This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement will be adjusted to include locality payment for selected duty location.

General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.