PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST

Summary

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The primary purpose of this position is to carry out a wide range of public affairs assignments that include elements of media operations, social media, community engagement, command information, visual information, communication planning, contingency/crisis response special event planning, environmental, security, policy review, and public affairs resource management.

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Duties

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• Assists the Chief of Public Affairs in managing all PA activities for the installation/organization.
• Coordinates the planning and development of complex, high level public affairs assignments in support of commander's programs and priorities.
• Researches, drafts, coordinates, produces, and reviews public affairs products such as news releases, talking points, fact sheets, news and feature articles, web-based content, briefings, speeches and scripts, newsletters, photographs, videos, pod casts, and other materials.
• Represents the office with a variety of installation and local governmental, media, community engagement, service, and educational organizations.
• Assists in the planning, organizing and carrying out the visual information program.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must complete initial online questionnaire and additional assessment(s)
• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Males must be registered for Selective Service, see
• If authorized, PCS will be paid IAW JTR and AF Regulations. If receiving an authorized PCS, you may be subject to completing/signing a CONUS agreement. More information on PCS requirements, may be found at:
• This position is subject to provisions of the DoD Priority Placement Program
• Disclosure of Political Appointments
• All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.
• Depending on the type of position (competitive/excepted) you are selected for, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period.
• Upon completion of your probationary/trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain secret clearance.
• Advance in hire is authorized if there is demonstrable proof provided on your resume
• May be required to be on call and/or to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings,
  weekends, and/or holidays.
• Work may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft.
• May perform periodic weekly 24-hour alert duty as the public affairs on-call representative to answer news media
  and other inquiries after duty hours.
• May serve as public affairs point of contact during deployment with news media representatives to a forward
  operating location in the event of hostilities or a major wing deployment.
• Shift work may be required.
• Recall to duty may be a requirement of this position.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Administrative and Management Positions, Public Affairs Series 1035.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-09, or equivalent in other pay systems. Examples of specialized experience includes knowledge of concepts, principles, and practices of a public affairs program and written and oral communication principles, techniques, and analytical methods to perform a wide range of public affairs assignments to develop intercommunication between the agency and a variety of publics. Knowledge of the organization's operations and functions sufficient to communicate accurate information and modify standard methods and adapt approaches in the development of new information materials to meet organizational needs. Knowledge of the concepts, principles, policies and practices of visual information activities, which may include illustrations, photography, presentations, television/motion picture production, and base cable access television. NOTE: Your resume must support this response.

OR

EDUCATION: Successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M., if related in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position, such as Communications. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts.

OR

COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application.

FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-09 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-11 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks. NOTE: Applicants applying as VEOA candidates who are current GS civil service employees or are prior GS civil service employees within the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

1. Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and practices of a public affairs program and written and oral communication principles, techniques, and analytical methods to perform a wide range of public affairs assignments to develop intercommunication between the agency and a variety of stakeholders.

2. Knowledge of the organization's operations and functions sufficient to communicate accurate information and modify standard methods and adapt approaches in the development of new information materials to meet organizational needs.

3. Knowledge of the concepts, principles, policies and practices of visual information activities, which may include illustrations, photography, presentations, television/motion picture production, and base cable access television.

4. Skill in gathering, evaluating, and interpreting data to identify potential problems, arrive at valid conclusions, and offer meaningful recommendations and/or resolutions.

5. Skill in working with people to establish and maintain effective working relationships with groups interested in or affected by public affairs programs or policies and producing written information conveying complex information to publics with different levels of understanding.

6. Ability to plan and develop news stories, features, and quasi-technical articles

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

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

Education

IF USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY: If position has a positive degree requirement or education forms the basis for qualifications, you MUST submit transcriptswith the application. Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if position has a positive degree requirement, qualifying based on education alone or in combination with experience, transcripts must be verified prior to appointment. An accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education must accredit education. Click here to check accreditation.

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 conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

********************ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR ACTIVE DUTY SERVICES MEMBERS********************

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act requires federal agencies to treat an eligible active duty service member as a veteran, disabled veteran, and preference eligible (as applicable) when applying for civil service positions before the effective release or discharge date. Appointment of military members before the release or discharge date is permissible if the member is on terminal leave. At the time the active duty member applies for a civil position, he or she must submit a "certification" memo in lieu of a DD-Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Active duty members applying for a civil service position without submitting a valid certification memo or DD-Form 214 with their application will render the member ineligible for the position. The certification memo must originate from the member's military service branch on official letterhead and contain the following:

• Name/Rank/Grade of Service Member
• Branch of Armed Forces
• Dates of Active Service (Start and End Date(s)
• Expected Date of Discharge/Release from Active Duty
• Terminal leave start date (if applicable)
• Expected character of service (honorable or general) and type of separation (i.e. separation or retirement)
• Must be certified within 120 days of anticipated discharge
• Signature by, or by direction of the adjutant, personnel office, unit commander, or higher headquarters commander.

Note: The VOW Act provides tentative preference. If appointed, a DD Form-214 must be submitted upon receipt

Additional information

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP eligible click here. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated well qualified or above for this position. You must submit a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location.

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information.

120-Day Register: This announcement may result in a 120-day register that may be used to fill like vacancies for 120 days after the closing date. Applicants may be referred for consideration as vacancies occur.

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible: MSP applicants, if determined best qualified, must be selected and placed at the highest grade for which they applied. You must include a completed copy of the DD Form 3145-4, Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for MSP. Click here to obtain/download a copy of the DD Form 3145-4, Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist.

Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicant Eligible: PPP Applicants, if determined well qualified and selected, will be placed at the at the full performance level. You must include the applicable completed copy of the PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility as a PPP Applicant. Click here to obtain/download a copy of the applicable PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD3145-1 through DD3145-4, select the appropriate checklist for your claimed preference). To determine the applicable PPP Self-Certification Checklist required to substantiate the eligibilities you are claiming, refer to the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide located in the Required Documents section of this vacancy announcement.

Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here .

If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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.

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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.