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Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist - SV-1035-J

Department of Homeland Security
Transportation Security Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Securing Travel, Protecting People - At the Transportation Security Administration, you will serve in a high-stakes environment to safeguard the American way of life. In cities across the country, you would secure airports, seaports, railroads, highways, and/or public transit systems, thus protecting America's transportation infrastructure and ensuring freedom of movement for people and commerce. For additional information about our agency please: Click Here

This position is also being announced through Government-Wide procedure under Announcement #HQ-SCPA-17-347701-G. Candidates who wish to be considered under both Public (US Citizens) and Government-Wide procedures must apply to both announcements.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
07/28/2017 to 08/01/2017
Salary
$94,387 to - $146,296 per year
Pay scale & grade
SV J
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Arlington, VA
1 vacancy
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Limited travel is required.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time - Full Time
Service
Promotion potential
J
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Announcement number
HQ-SCPA-17-347701-P
Control number
475598400

This job is open to

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Duties

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This Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist position is located in the External Communications Division, within the Office of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs (SCPA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If selected for this position, you will serve as the Press Secretary, directing and overseeing the work of more than 5 subordinate employees who serve as regional spokespersons with responsibility for planning, designing and executing the media communications strategies and programs to educate the general public and raise the public perception of TSA as a creative, responsible, competent, and respectful organization; ensuring that TSA’s messaging is consistent and aligned with the agency’s vision and strategic goals and objectives. You will be administering and overseeing the media relations programs to include strategic media plans, media relations, statements, and reports and public affairs issuances to convey the message to the external public to include national and local news media, DHS counterparts, non-governmental specialized groups, the general public and other government agencies. You will be working to gain respect and acceptance of TSA’s national policies with the general public. Typical duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Responding to extremely complex and highly sensitive requests from the news media, specialized non-governmental groups, other government agencies and the general public. Making appearances on major networks, national news outlets, TV and radio, and representing TSA during critical incidents as the spokesperson for TSA's Administrator and other senior leaders. Providing essential information to inform the general public without causing alarm during critical incidents. Directing special events, ceremonies, tours and other activities intended to develop interest in TSA and promote the general perception of the agency.
  • Crafting responses to routine media inquiries and inquiries of a sensitive nature. Crafting talking points and Public Affairs guidance on emerging issues and hot topics. Responding and assisting to 24 hour "on-call" media inquiries during evenings, weekends and holidays as needed.
  • Functioning as the Department's liaison with Public Affairs representatives from other Federal agencies, the airlines and Aviation trade associations.
  • Providing expert advisory services to leadership regarding highly complex issues to include authoritative policy interpretations on extremely sensitive issues impacting the general public and TSA’s ability to meet its mission, goals and objectives. Preparing reports and presenting briefings/meetings to members of executive leadership to discuss the work of the office.
  • Developing and maintaining TSA Management Directives, policies, internal Standard Operating Procedures, and key performance indicators and metrics to monitor program performance in support of TSA’s media relations program in accordance with applicable laws, Federal regulations, DHS and TSA policies and procedures.

Supervisory duties include: Serving as a first line supervisor for the organization providing guidance and support for day-to-day operations. Assigning work, setting priorities, and reviewing and evaluating work and performance of subordinates; approving leave; coaching and developing employees; recommending corrective or disciplinary actions; assisting in budget planning and projecting short-term needs; managing projects within assigned resources; resolving routine problems that typically impact the objectives of the organizational unit; when required, coordinating with customers outside the immediate organization.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National.
  • You must complete a favorable Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI).
  • You must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI Clearance.
  • You may be required to complete a one-year Supervisory Probation Period.
  • See additional "Conditions of Employment" in "Other Information" section

You must meet the qualification requirements for this position no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement.

Qualifications

To qualify for the SV-J Pay Band (equivalent to GS-14/15), you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to SV-I Pay Band or GS-13 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Such experience is defined as:

  • Utilizing communication and media relations principles, practices, techniques, and analytical methods.
  • Advising top management officials on all aspects of public affairs programs, strategies and establishing standards for public affairs activities.
  • Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with members of national and local news media, the general public, and other government agencies for the purpose of conveying an understanding of TSA's programs and activities.

    NOTE: Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime.

Additional information

Conditions of Employment:

  • Limited travel is required.
  • Employee is subject to 24-hour on call duty. Responsibilities also may require irregular working hours, work at locations other than the official duty station, and may include duties other than those specified in the position description.
  • You must be able and willing to relocate to emergency sites with little advance notice.
  • This position requires a Top Secret/SCI clearance.


Supervisory/Managerial Probationary Period Requirements: Unless previously completed, you must satisfactorily complete a one-year supervisory probationary period to continue in this supervisory/managerial position.

Eligibility to apply for other Federal positions: TSA is an Excepted Service agency exempt from most of Title 5 United States Code, including regulations which apply to displaced Federal employees (CTAP/ICTAP) of other agencies, and employment with TSA does not confer "Competitive Status" that generally results from selection and service in Competitive Service agencies. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has established an Interchange Agreement, which allows most permanent TSA employees to apply and be considered for vacancies in Competitive Service agencies. Information from OPM on this or other Interchange Agreements is available at: http://www.opm.gov .

To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation as a condition of placement into this position.

DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities.

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. For more information, click here .

Payment of relocation expenses (Permanent Change of Station) is not authorized.

If you are entering TSA employment on an appointment without time limitations, you must serve a basic trial period unless you have already met the requirement.

TSA policy requires verification of Selective Service registration for male applicants born after 12/31/59. For more information click here .


Veterans and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the documentation that is required, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of the experience and/or related education as reflected in your resume and supporting documentation. You are encouraged to ensure work experiences clearly show possession of the competencies required for this position. We will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses on the assessment questionnaire. If, after reviewing your resume and any supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your category placement may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

When completing the assessment questionnaire for this position, you will be prompted to elect if you wish for your application to be considered as External (where Veterans’ Preference applies), as Status (current or former Federal Employees), and/or Internal to TSA as a current permanent or competitive temporary employee. At that time, please select the answer(s) that apply to you and your application to this position.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Grouping procedures. Under Category Grouping, candidates will be rated and ranked into one of three categories:

Best-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all Selective Placement Factors (SPF) and appropriate Desirable (Quality Ranking) Factors as determined by the job analysis.

Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all SPFs as determined by the job analysis.

Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies, including all SPFs as determined by the job analysis.

Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best-qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. (This position [is or is not] considered scientific/professional.) Other 10-point preference eligibles and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify. View information on veterans’ preference .
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