The position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of Communications and Congressional Relations (CCR). The selectee will be a legislative and public affairs correspondent responsible for AOC communications that affect the public, internal information, external communication and congressional interests.
This is a career ladder position requiring the selectee to perform progressively more complex duties and responsibilities leading to the full performance level.
Summary
The position is located in the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Office of Communications and Congressional Relations (CCR). The selectee will be a legislative and public affairs correspondent responsible for AOC communications that affect the public, internal information, external communication and congressional interests.
This is a career ladder position requiring the selectee to perform progressively more complex duties and responsibilities leading to the full performance level.
Develops, writes, edits and packages a variety of written materials for the stakeholders and audiences of the Architect of the Capitol.
Conducts research necessary for organizing information to present written information in a manner consistent with the needs of AOC’s diverse audiences. Operates under the demands and knowledge requirements of an electronic publishing environment.
Reviews and edits correspondence, executive presentations, web pages and other documents to ensure conformance with AOC communications and style guidelines and the Associated Press Stylebook. Makes corrections when not in conformance with known policies or correspondence regulations. Gives advice and instructions for compliance with correspondence guidelines.
Previews incoming publications, regulations and directives. Refers those of importance or interest to the appropriate office. Advises the director on any important matters that require attention.
Reviews and monitors media streams for potential clips to be shared with AOC executives.
Regularly provides assistance to jurisdictions attempting to update Compass intranet pages.
Provides assistance with research, note taking, developing draft stories and correspondence support.
Ensures that drafts meet the 10th to 12th grade Reading Grade Level (RGL) requirements.
Administrative Duties
Provides a wide variety of administrative services to support the agenda and priorities of the director for the CCR. Assists in managing the schedule for the director to include meetings, appointments, events and activities.
Serves as the training, budget, emergency and controlled unclassified information coordinator for CCR. Provides travel arrangements for CCR.
Is responsible for utilizing a thorough knowledge of and compliance with applicable AOC and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety rules and regulations to ensure that work progresses in a safe manner.
Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs
.
Qualifications
You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site at OPM qualification standards
Specialized experience: is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.
For GS-7
Qualifying on Experience:
For the GS-7 level includes one year of specialized experience at least equivalent to the GS-5. Specialized experience is defined as having experience: (1) Applying knowledge of grammar, writing, editing practices and style requirements of the publications used; (2) Using word processing and desktop publishing technology to draft, edit, and develop manuscripts into print ready copy; (3) Providing assistance with research, note taking, developing draft stories and correspondence support; and (4) Performing administrative duties such as scheduling and general office support.
Qualifying on Education:
You may substitute education for experience for this position. Your education must consist of at least one full year of graduate education or superior academic achievement (SAA) on a 4-year degree. Must be related to the duties of the position.
You qualify for the GS-7 level if you meet one of the following SAA criteria in a qualifying field of study.
1. Class Standing – You were in the upper third of the graduating class in your college, university, or major subdivision (e.g., College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration) based on completed courses.
2. Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) –
You have a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based either on 4 years of education or on the courses you completed during the last 2 years of your curriculum.
You have a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher (out of a possible 4.0) in the required courses you completed in your major field or the required courses you completed in your major field during the last 2 years of your curriculum.
Note: You should round your grade-point average to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 would be rounded to 3.0 and 2.94 would round to 2.9.
3. Election to Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society
For GS-9
Qualifying on Experience:
For the GS-9 level includes one year of specialized experience at least equivalent to the GS-7. Specialized experience is defined as having experience: (1) Applying knowledge of grammar, writing, editing practices and style requirements of the publications used; (2) Using word processing and desktop publishing technology to draft, edit, and develop manuscripts into print ready copy; (3) Providing assistance with research, note taking, developing draft stories and correspondence support; (4) Performing administrative duties such as scheduling, travel arrangement, and general office support; and (5) Utilizing congressional and legislative affairs, principles and methods in the performance of editorial or administrative work.
Qualifying on Education:
You may substitute education for experience for this position. Your education must consist of a master’s or equivalent graduate degree OR two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR a LL.B. or J.D. Must be related to the duties of the position.
Education
Not required but it is possible to qualify on education, see Qualifications section for details.
If using education to qualify, you must provide transcripts at the point of selection.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education:
Education completed outside of the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment.
Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part of foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree.
You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing if selected.
Additional information
Welcome Veterans. The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) gives veterans' preference rights in the legislative branch to certain veterans as applied by the Congressional Accountability Act. Veterans' preference is applied on this vacancy announcement. If you are a veteran and have been separated under honorable conditions, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility; SF-15, if applicable; and Department of Veterans Affairs documentation of disability, if applicable. For more information, please visit OPM vet guide
If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with theSelective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.
DRUG TESTING: The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Drug Free Workplace. As part of the AOC’s suitability assessment, a candidate tentatively selected for a position who is not currently an AOC employee is required to submit to screening for illegal drug use. Satisfactory completion of a drug test is a condition of employment with the Agency. A candidate must test negative prior to being eligible for appointment into a position. We will schedule, provide and cover the cost for the drug test.
The selectee(s) under the vacancy announcement for this position is subject to a criminal record check by the U.S. Capitol Police and satisfactory adjudication to be eligible for employment at the Architect of the Capitol.
The Architect of the Capitol is an E-VERIFY Participant. E-VERIFY is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee's Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment authorization in the United States. If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the DHS Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" electronic system. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm
The Architect of the Capitol is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and/or disability.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Moving expenses are not authorized.
Relocation expenses are not authorized.
Probationary Period - A newly appointed selectee is subject to the completion of a one-year trial/probationary period, regardless of whether or not a trial/probationary period has been completed previously with the Architect of the Capitol or another Federal agency.
This vacancy announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies in any of the jurisdictions of the Architect of the Capitol.
All application materials become the property of the Architect of the Capitol.
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.
A variety of health insurance plans; retirement system with investment options; paid holidays; paid sick and annual (vacation) leave; life insurance; incentive systems; subsidized transportation; training and development opportunities, etc.
The Architect of the Capitol offers eligible employees opportunity to participate in the Student Loan Repayment Program.
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.
Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions.
Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for this position, possession of any specialized experience, and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies:
Knowledge of grammar, writing, editing practices and style requirements of the publications used.
Knowledge of modern English usage of grammar in order to correct errors in spelling and punctuation, convert passive voice to active, fix dangling constructions and ensure correct tense and person.
Skill in using automated data processing equipment utilizing word processing, desktop publishing and/or electronic publishing programs and systems to produce publications.
Ability to gather and verify facts and to develop factual information that is clear and meaningful to the intended audience.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with AOC organizations and contractor personnel.
Your responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions. Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions. Falsifying your background, education and/or experience is cause for non-selection or disqualification from further consideration.
Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the “Required Documents” section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).
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.
A variety of health insurance plans; retirement system with investment options; paid holidays; paid sick and annual (vacation) leave; life insurance; incentive systems; subsidized transportation; training and development opportunities, etc.
The Architect of the Capitol offers eligible employees opportunity to participate in the Student Loan Repayment Program.
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.
The Architect of the Capitol's job application process is designed to ensure that we only ask you for the information that is absolutely needed to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility for the position.
To apply for this position, you only need to submit online the following: a) your resume and 2) answer the online vacancy assessment questionnaire. The online questionnaire contains eligibility and screening questions and other relevant supplemental information. No additional documentation or attachment is required at the time of application.
We ask that you prepare and submit a resume that best describes fully your background experience, skills, abilities, education, training and other relevant credentials. The resume should include dates of employment.
Nothing further is required until it is requested by the staff of the Human Capital Management Division. If additional documentation is required for a position, you will be asked to provide it during the selection process or upon selection. At that point, we may ask you to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume.
For example, we may ask you to provide documents such as college transcripts, copy of diploma or proof of Federal employment status. If the position requires a license or certification, we will ask candidate(s) to provide proof at the time of selection.
If you are claiming veterans' preference, we may ask you to submit proof of Veterans preference (DD-214, and, if claiming 10-point preference, the SF-15 plus proof required by that form).
If you fail to provide the required documents, we will withdraw a tentative job offer made and/or remove you from further consideration.
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.
You MUST apply online. FORMS RECEIVED BY FAX, EMAIL OR U.S. POSTAL SERVICE DELIVERY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
If you are a new user to the USAJOBS Site and have never registered for an account; you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying. You must be a registered USAJOBS user AND you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help with setting up an account or for general assistance in using USAJOBS, go to USAJOBS Help Page.
NEED HELP? If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available! If you have problems completing your on-line application, contact the Monster Hiring Management Help Desk at 1-866-656-6831 or by e-mail at MGSHELP@monster.com. The help desk is available Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. You may call and leave a voice mail message at all other times.
All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJOBS “Saved Documents” feature.
If you are unable to apply on-line, you may visit our Employment Center for technical assistance in entering your application. The Employment Center is located at 441 Second & D Streets S.W., Washington, D.C., Room H2-178, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You may call (202) 226-7000 for directions.
Architect of the Capitol
2nd and D Street, S.W.
Washington, District of Columbia 20515
United States
Next steps
You will receive a notice generated by the USAJOBS System when you have successfully submitted your application. We will review your application and transcript(s) (if you are qualifying based on education) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements.
You can check the status of your application by logging into http://www.usajobs.gov. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging into your USAJOBS Account, editing your profile and changing the ‘Notification Settings’ to indicate that you want to be notified by email when the status changes. Information regarding the status of your application should be updated in the system within two (2) weeks after the closing date of this job announcement.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The Architect of the Capitol's job application process is designed to ensure that we only ask you for the information that is absolutely needed to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility for the position.
To apply for this position, you only need to submit online the following: a) your resume and 2) answer the online vacancy assessment questionnaire. The online questionnaire contains eligibility and screening questions and other relevant supplemental information. No additional documentation or attachment is required at the time of application.
We ask that you prepare and submit a resume that best describes fully your background experience, skills, abilities, education, training and other relevant credentials. The resume should include dates of employment.
Nothing further is required until it is requested by the staff of the Human Capital Management Division. If additional documentation is required for a position, you will be asked to provide it during the selection process or upon selection. At that point, we may ask you to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume.
For example, we may ask you to provide documents such as college transcripts, copy of diploma or proof of Federal employment status. If the position requires a license or certification, we will ask candidate(s) to provide proof at the time of selection.
If you are claiming veterans' preference, we may ask you to submit proof of Veterans preference (DD-214, and, if claiming 10-point preference, the SF-15 plus proof required by that form).
If you fail to provide the required documents, we will withdraw a tentative job offer made and/or remove you from further consideration.
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.
You MUST apply online. FORMS RECEIVED BY FAX, EMAIL OR U.S. POSTAL SERVICE DELIVERY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
If you are a new user to the USAJOBS Site and have never registered for an account; you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying. You must be a registered USAJOBS user AND you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help with setting up an account or for general assistance in using USAJOBS, go to USAJOBS Help Page.
NEED HELP? If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available! If you have problems completing your on-line application, contact the Monster Hiring Management Help Desk at 1-866-656-6831 or by e-mail at MGSHELP@monster.com. The help desk is available Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. You may call and leave a voice mail message at all other times.
All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJOBS “Saved Documents” feature.
If you are unable to apply on-line, you may visit our Employment Center for technical assistance in entering your application. The Employment Center is located at 441 Second & D Streets S.W., Washington, D.C., Room H2-178, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You may call (202) 226-7000 for directions.
Architect of the Capitol
2nd and D Street, S.W.
Washington, District of Columbia 20515
United States
Next steps
You will receive a notice generated by the USAJOBS System when you have successfully submitted your application. We will review your application and transcript(s) (if you are qualifying based on education) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements.
You can check the status of your application by logging into http://www.usajobs.gov. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging into your USAJOBS Account, editing your profile and changing the ‘Notification Settings’ to indicate that you want to be notified by email when the status changes. Information regarding the status of your application should be updated in the system within two (2) weeks after the closing date of this job announcement.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
