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Summary

USAID is an independent Federal Government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. With headquarters in Washington, we operate in more than 100 countries around the world, playing an active and critical role in the promotion of U.S. foreign policy interests. When crisis strikes; when rights are repressed, when hunger, disease and poverty rob people of opportunity; USAID acts on behalf of the American people to help expand the reach of prosperity and dignity to
people the world’s most vulnerable. USAID employees in the Civil Service and Foreign Service, as well as individuals employed through Personal Service Contracts, must adhere to our Counter Trafficking in Persons Code of Conduct. For information on the effort to counter all forms of human trafficking, including the procurement of commercial sex acts and the use of forced labor, visit http://www.state.gov/g/tip.For more information about USAID, visit http://www.usaid.gov.

You are encouraged to read the entire announcement before you submit your application package. Your application may not receive full consideration if you do not follow the instructions as outlined.

This position is located in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC., U.S. Global Development Lab, Office of Engagement and Communications.

Announcement 17-0089-DML is open concurrently with this announcement and has an area of consideration of Federal Status Candidates. You must apply separately to be considered under both announcements.

Overview

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Job canceled
Open & closing dates
12/30/2016 to 09/08/2017
Salary
$108,887 to - $141,555 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
District of Columbia, DC
1 vacancy
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional Travel
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Full-time appointment in the Competitive Service. This position IS NOT in the bargaining unit.
Service
Promotion potential
14
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Secret
Announcement number
AID-17-0089-DML
Control number
461121900

This job is open to

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Duties

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As a Public Affairs Specialist, you will:

  • Independently plan, organize, and direct the technical aspects of assigned program areas of responsibility including communications, budget, program review and analysis, and program management.
  • Develop and implement plans designed to enhance relationships with stakeholders utilizing all forms of written and digital media to increase effectiveness in communicating program goals, priorities and areas of concern.
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships at multiple levels in order to develop and disseminate coordinated messages that accurately address programs, including foreign assistance programs.
  • Prepare written articles and develop digital media materials that communicate results and success stories. Perform general quality control by managing, editing, and reviewing material submitted for publication.
  • Represent the organization by attending meetings on issues related to assigned areas with stakeholders.
  • Target specific audiences, determined by research, to bring awareness to the organizations humanitarian and development work within specified areas of responsibility, and creates strategic plans to reach those audiences and track their use of USAID.gov and other digital media channels.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • United States Citizenship is required.
  • Relevant experience (see Qualifications below).
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959, must be registered with the Selective Service.
  • Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer is required.
  • You will be required to serve a one-year probationary period.

Note: Your answers to the assessment questionnaire must be supported in your resume.

Qualifications

GS-14-You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. Examples of qualifying specialized experience at the next lower level for this position includes: (a) overseeing the development of agency strategy for social media, video and online publications; (b) serving as an agency's subject matter expert on public affairs concepts, doctrine, policy, and organizational structure; (c) serve as a supervisor, and/or team leader, assigning and coordinating research, and consolidating findings into a completed project.

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

ICTAP candidates will be referred to the selecting official if they are found well qualified. Well-qualified means an eligible employee who possesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities which clearly exceed the minimum requirements of the position. A well-qualified employee must meet the qualification and eligibility requirements of the position, including any medical qualifications, suitability, and minimum education and experience requirements, meet all selective factors (where applicable); meet quality ranking factors and are assigned to the Silver Category or higher Category; be physically qualified with reasonable accommodation to perform the essential duties of the position; meet any special qualifying U.S. OPM-approved conditions; AND be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry without additional training.

A well-qualified candidate will not necessarily meet the definition of highly or best qualified when evaluated against other candidates who apply for a particular position. In the absence of selective and quality ranking factors, selecting officials will document the job-related reason(s) for qualification determinations.

Education

This position does not have a positive education requirement. Therefore, ​ no Transcripts are required.

Additional information

This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

These are Testing Designated Positions (TDP’s) under the Agency’s approved Drug Free Work Place Program. All applicants selected for this position will be subject to random drug testing once they begin working for the Agency.

Moving and relocation expenses are not authorized.

Mythbuster on Federal Hiring Policies:

https://hru.gov/Studio_Recruitment/tools/Mythbuster_on_Federal_Hiring_Policies.pdf.

EEO Policy: EEO Policy Statement.

Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement.

Veterans' Information: Veterans Information.

Telework: https://www.telework.gov/.

Selective Service Registration: http://www.sss.gov/.

It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. Information about an individual’s employment experience will be used only to determine the person’s qualifications and to assess his or her relative level of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Although an individual’s personal conduct may be relevant in any employment decision, including conduct during periods of unemployment or evidence of dishonesty in handling financial matters, financial difficulty that has arisen through no fault of the individual will generally not itself be the basis of an unfavorable suitability or fitness determination.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your application package to ensure you meet the job and eligibility requirements, including the education and/or experience required for this position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/ No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of three pre-defined categories. These categories are “Gold,” “Silver,” and “Bronze.”However, your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the “Gold” category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans’ preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed. Preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (Gold) depending on the position and grade level of the job. (You must provide proof of disability rating with a letter from the Veteran's Administration showing disability percentage rating).

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies:

  • Project Management
  • Technical Competence
  • Oral and Written Communication
  • Political Savvy
  • Communication and Media

To preview questions please click here.

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