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
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 Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist position is located in the Media Relations Branch, Media Operations Division, Public Affairs (PA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As a Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist,SV-1035-J, your typical work assignments may include:
Serving as Field Manager, providing oversight on all TSA media relations including the development of public affairs guidance, press releases, statements, op-eds, story pitches, communication plans, and other initiatives.
Functioning as a subject matter expert responsible for guidance, advocacy and articulation of the Office of Public Affairs position in the development and revisions of TSA communications with the media.
Directing on-camera and/or on the record interviews with primarily local and trade media publications and at times national media about sensitive, complex and potentially crisis situations.
Serving as the internal expert to the agency's top management officials participating in the formulation and articulation of an overall plan integrating the public affairs issues of an agency.
Providing advisory services to other public affairs specialist in the agency on issues involving the application of communication practices in developing or enhancing public affairs matters.
Developing and maintaining agency policies, Standard Operating Procedures, and key performance indicators and metrics to monitor and evaluate program performance.
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.
This position is also being announced through Government-Wide procedures under Announcement #HQ-PA-20-689051-G. Candidates who wish to be considered under both Public (US Citizens) and Government-Wide procedures must apply to both announcements.
**** It is anticipated that all TSA Headquarters personnel within the Washington, DC metropolitan area will begin relocating to Springfield, Virginia beginning Summer 2020. If you are selected for a Headquarters position currently located in this region, your duty location will change due to the TSA Headquarters Consolidation Plan. *****
You must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National.
You must have reached the minimum age (18) at the time of application.
You must complete a favorable Background Investigation (BI).
Selective Service registration is required.
See additional "Conditions of Employment" and "Other Information" section
You must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance.
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.
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 knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is further defined as follows:
1.) utilizing communications and media relations principles, practices and techniques to plan, design and execute agency-wide media communications strategies and programs; AND 2.) researching, writing and reviewing a variety of content for audiences including the media or general public (i.e., public affairs guidance, press releases, statements, op-eds, story pitches, communication plans, etc.); AND 3.) serving as a key point of contact to national and local news media, stakeholder groups, and the general public to convey an understanding of agency programs, issues, projects and initiatives.
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.
National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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, including volunteer experience.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
You must meet the qualification requirements for this position no later than the closing date of the vacancy announcement.
Additional information
Conditions of Employment:
Employee is subject to 24-hour on call duty. Responsibilities may also 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. Selectee must be able and willing to relocate to emergency sites with little advance notice.
Salary listed includes locality pay of 30.48%.
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.
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
TSA employees who are absent for the purpose of performing military duty may apply for any vacancies announced in their absence.
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.
More than one position may be filled from this announcement.
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 .
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.
DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select “Benefits.” Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.
Employees who transfer to TSA from an agency that allows employees to maintain an annual leave balance higher than the maximum accumulation for the appointed position will have their leave ceiling set to the maximum accumulation for the appointed position (e.g., United States duty location - 240 hours, foreign duty location - 360 hours, or TSES position - 720 hours). TSA will not make a monetary payment for any leave forfeited under these circumstances.
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.
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.
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 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 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 as determined by the job analysis.
If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies that are relevant to the duties of this position and must be fully supported by information in your resume:
Mastery of communications and media relations principles, methods, practices and techniques; analytical methods and interpersonal relations practices.
Exercising accountability with members of the media and handling press requests and outreach.
Formulating and recommending media approaches on major projects, policies and issues to senior management.
Establishing and maintaining working relationships with local media, trade publications, government partners and at times national media.
Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with members of the national news organizations, counterparts in DHS, non-governmental specialized groups, the general public, and other government agencies for the purpose of creating meaningful communication interchanges.
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.
DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select “Benefits.” Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.
Employees who transfer to TSA from an agency that allows employees to maintain an annual leave balance higher than the maximum accumulation for the appointed position will have their leave ceiling set to the maximum accumulation for the appointed position (e.g., United States duty location - 240 hours, foreign duty location - 360 hours, or TSES position - 720 hours). TSA will not make a monetary payment for any leave forfeited under these circumstances.
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.
In addition to a resume and the assessment questions, you must submit copies of any of the following documents if you are applying based on current or former Federal Government Status (if you are not a current TSA employee), Veterans' Preference, or education or a combination of education and experience:
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action - Current TSA employees are not required to submit an SF-50 to support eligibility for internal/status consideration.
If you are not a current TSA employee: you must submit your most recent personnel action SF-50 (or equivalent document) to support your eligibility for Status consideration. If you elect Status for the consideration of your application without submitting an SF-50 demonstrating your current or previous permanent Federal employment status, and you are not a current TSA employee, your application may not receive Status consideration.
DD-214 - If you are claiming Veterans' Preference, provide a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4) Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other appropriate documentation to prove your entitlement and to provide verification of an Honorable Discharge. Failure to provide this documentation will result in your application not receiving 5-point preference.
SF-15 and VA Letter - If you are claiming Veterans' Preference based upon a Compensable Disability, Widow or Spouse Entitlement, or as a Purple Heart recipient, you must submit your DD-214 or other proof of entitlement; an SF-15, and the required proof of disability, i.e., Department of Veterans Affairs letter dated 1991 or later. Failure to provide this documentation will result in your application not receiving 10-point preference.
Transcripts - If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed under the Qualifications and Evaluations section, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript(s) with your application. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please Note: All of the following must be received in our office by 11:59 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time) on the closing date of this announcement. If we do not receive all required information by the closing date, your application may not be considered.
Your application must include:
1. Resume 2. Self Assessment Questionnaire for this position 3. Applicable supporting documents (see Required Documents Section)
Click the "Apply Online" button below and follow the prompts to apply.
We strongly encourage you to apply online. If you are unable to apply online, please contact the TSA HRAccess Help Desk before the closing of this announcement for alternative options on how to apply. The Help Desk is available by phone at 1-877-872-7990 between the hours of: 7:00AM - 10:00PM ET Monday - Friday, 11:00AM - 3:00PM ET Saturday, or 12:00PM - 4:00PM ET Sunday. If outside these hours, please email your question or concern to Helpdesk@mailserver-hraccess.tsa.dhs.gov or fax 1-877-872-7993.
When contacting the Help Desk please provide your contact information, the Job Announcement Number of the position you are interested in, and your questions or concerns.
DHS/Transportation Security Administration
Shared Service Center
Contact the TSA HR Help Desk at
1-877-TSA-7990 TTY 1-877-TSA-7992
Arlington, Virginia 22310
United States
Next steps
The questionnaire will assess your qualifications for the job, and will be used to identify the best qualified applicants to be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We will notify you of the outcome of these steps when they have been completed. You may also check your application status by visiting the Candidate Dashboard.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
In addition to a resume and the assessment questions, you must submit copies of any of the following documents if you are applying based on current or former Federal Government Status (if you are not a current TSA employee), Veterans' Preference, or education or a combination of education and experience:
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action - Current TSA employees are not required to submit an SF-50 to support eligibility for internal/status consideration.
If you are not a current TSA employee: you must submit your most recent personnel action SF-50 (or equivalent document) to support your eligibility for Status consideration. If you elect Status for the consideration of your application without submitting an SF-50 demonstrating your current or previous permanent Federal employment status, and you are not a current TSA employee, your application may not receive Status consideration.
DD-214 - If you are claiming Veterans' Preference, provide a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4) Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other appropriate documentation to prove your entitlement and to provide verification of an Honorable Discharge. Failure to provide this documentation will result in your application not receiving 5-point preference.
SF-15 and VA Letter - If you are claiming Veterans' Preference based upon a Compensable Disability, Widow or Spouse Entitlement, or as a Purple Heart recipient, you must submit your DD-214 or other proof of entitlement; an SF-15, and the required proof of disability, i.e., Department of Veterans Affairs letter dated 1991 or later. Failure to provide this documentation will result in your application not receiving 10-point preference.
Transcripts - If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed under the Qualifications and Evaluations section, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript(s) with your application. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please Note: All of the following must be received in our office by 11:59 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time) on the closing date of this announcement. If we do not receive all required information by the closing date, your application may not be considered.
Your application must include:
1. Resume 2. Self Assessment Questionnaire for this position 3. Applicable supporting documents (see Required Documents Section)
Click the "Apply Online" button below and follow the prompts to apply.
We strongly encourage you to apply online. If you are unable to apply online, please contact the TSA HRAccess Help Desk before the closing of this announcement for alternative options on how to apply. The Help Desk is available by phone at 1-877-872-7990 between the hours of: 7:00AM - 10:00PM ET Monday - Friday, 11:00AM - 3:00PM ET Saturday, or 12:00PM - 4:00PM ET Sunday. If outside these hours, please email your question or concern to Helpdesk@mailserver-hraccess.tsa.dhs.gov or fax 1-877-872-7993.
When contacting the Help Desk please provide your contact information, the Job Announcement Number of the position you are interested in, and your questions or concerns.
DHS/Transportation Security Administration
Shared Service Center
Contact the TSA HR Help Desk at
1-877-TSA-7990 TTY 1-877-TSA-7992
Arlington, Virginia 22310
United States
Next steps
The questionnaire will assess your qualifications for the job, and will be used to identify the best qualified applicants to be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We will notify you of the outcome of these steps when they have been completed. You may also check your application status by visiting the Candidate Dashboard.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
