Clarification from the agency

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS POSITION IS OPEN TO ALL CANDIDATES ELIGIBLE TO WORK IN THE UNITED STATES. More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

The Incumbent serves as Public Affairs Specialist handling all aspects of media relations to promote the experts, research, collections, events, exhibitions and programs from throughout the Smithsonian. Incumbent manages various public relations functions to expand knowledge of the Smithsonian Institution, reach new audiences, and to gain support for its mission and programs. The incumbent will also perform the following duties:

• Serve as member of the OPA crisis communications team, providing communications expertise and strategies.

• Develop and carry out crisis communications plans in conjunction with the Associate Director of Public Affairs, Chief Spokesperson and Director of Communications.

• Keeps abreast of Smithsonian activities and content in assigned units and subject matter areas; plans and coordinates the dissemination and distribution of information about Smithsonian museum programs, exhibitions, research and activities in collaboration with museum public information officers.

• Provides professional communications counsel on strategies and plans to ensure coverage in a variety of media outlets.

• Keeps the Associate Director of Public Affairs informed of public attitudes about Smithsonian as reflected in a variety of media outlets.

• Recommends appropriate measures to expand and extend the scope of media coverage.

• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with news media in top-tier local, national and international outlets and other external stakeholders with the goal of disseminating information or answering inquires about Smithsonian programs, exhibitions, research and activities.

Conditions of employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
• May need to complete a Probationary Period
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
• Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.

Qualification requirements must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date.

More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

You must be fully vaccinated for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) with a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized or FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine.

OR

Have an approved Reasonable Accommodation granting an exemption from vaccine requirements. Please see additional information regarding reasonable accommodations below.  

The Smithsonian Institution has a mandate requiring all employees (federal and trust), affiliated staff (including volunteers, interns, and fellows), and the contractors who work with us to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee’s duty location or work arrangement (e.g., onsite, telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination by November 22, 2021 or before appointment or onboarding with the Smithsonian Institution, if after November 22. The Smithsonian Institution will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required exemption from this requirement. This requirement applies to employees, affiliated staff, contractors who are working on-site, and those teleworking in whole or in part. Limited exemptions to the Smithsonian Institution’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate will be considered on a case-by-case basis for selected candidates who inform the Smithsonian that they cannot be vaccinated because of a disability, including certain medical conditions the Center for Disease Control (CDC) considers contraindications to the vaccine, or because of a sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance. Additional information and instructions regarding Smithsonian’s COVID-19 mandate will be provided at the time of selection

Qualifications

Experience:

You qualify for this  IS-12 position if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the IS/GS 11 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system. 

For this position specialized experience is defined as 1) experience providing communication strategies; 2) writing comprehensive media analysis and reports; 3) maintaining relationships with media organizations to generate media coverage; 4) writing and editing materials for media distribution; and 5) producing and managing press conferences and media briefings for a museum, cultural or historical institution.

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.

Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.

There is no education substitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above.  The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:

1. Knowledge of communication principles, techniques, methods, trends and best practices.
2. Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with representatives of the news media, bloggers and social media practitioners, and with Public Affairs Specialists and other staff and officials around the museum, Museum, cultural or historical institution.
3. Skill in written communications, in developing and pitching stories, background statements and news articles that effectively communicate Smithsonian activities.
4. Skill in diplomacy and tact; politically savvy.

Important Note:

Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.