As a Public Affairs Specialist, you will design, plan, and direct the public affairs program within Access Board to establish and maintain mutual communication, disseminate informational materials, and assess the degree of understanding in these programs and activities. You will be responsible for the agency's strategic communications, deploying press, digital, and analytic resources nationally and globally to effectively explain accessibility and the work of the Access Board.
Summary
As a Public Affairs Specialist, you will design, plan, and direct the public affairs program within Access Board to establish and maintain mutual communication, disseminate informational materials, and assess the degree of understanding in these programs and activities. You will be responsible for the agency's strategic communications, deploying press, digital, and analytic resources nationally and globally to effectively explain accessibility and the work of the Access Board.
All candidates who are: Current or former federal employees qualifying as Status Candidates, VEOA eligibles, CTAP/ICTAP eligibles, eligible for special hiring authorities (e.g., the Schedule A appointment for persons with disabilities, or covered by an Interchange Agreement), or Land Management employees eligible under Public Law 114-47.
The following are the duties of this position at the GS-13. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.
Draft and edit articles, news releases, summaries, reports, statements, studies, or other informational materials to meet the goals and objectives of the agency;
Develop written informational materials designed to reach regional and national audiences through email distribution, in-person information sessions, and other means of communication;
Monitor, track, and evaluate the effect of bills and/or legislation, pertinent laws, regulations, standards, policies, and programs to develop complete and accurate statements keeping appropriate staff informed;
Conduct interviews when needed to discover background facts and overall context of issues;
Serve as an expert advisor to the Executive Director and other managers on opportunities, initiatives, and activities to support, promote, and execute agency outreach and related activities.
If you do not meet any of the categories listed above, you may wish to apply under announcement 21-AB-6-P, which is open for any U.S. citizen to apply. Please refer to that announcement for details on open period, eligibility, and how to apply.
The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your resume.
Key Requirements:
Please refer to "Conditions of Employment."
Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National
Qualifications
You must meet the following requirements within 30 calendar days of the closing date of this announcement.
Specialized experience:For the GS-13, You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service.Specialized experience is defined as: Evaluating legislative initiatives and active legislation in order to execute communication strategies for congressional engagements and correspondence. Examples of this experience may include:
Experience as a point of contact for Congressional committees and individual member offices to explain bureau policies and procedures, responding to inquiries, requests and correspondence regarding agency/bureau regulatory policies, programs, and actions; OR-
Drafting responses to Congressional document requests and related briefings; OR-
Experience acting as a liaison to representatives of the media to provide timely and accurate explanations of agency announcements and activities; OR-
Developing and maintaining effective working relationships with a variety of individuals within your organization.
In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following time-in-grade requirement, if applicable: For the GS-13, you must have been at the GS-12 level for 52 weeks.
Specialized experience: For the GS-12, You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is monitoring legislative initiatives and active legislation, contributing to congressional engagements and correspondence. Examples of this experience may include:
Assisting the agency point of contact for Congressional committees and individual member offices to explain bureau policies and procedures, responding to inquiries, requests and correspondence regarding agency/bureau regulatory policies, programs, and actions; OR-
Assisting the agency point of contact with responses to Congressional document requests and related briefings; OR-
Assisting the agency point of contact in liaising with representatives of the media to provide timely and accurate explanations of agency announcements and activities.
In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following time-in-grade requirement, if applicable: For the GS-12, you must have been at the GS-11 level for 52 weeks.
Time After Competitive Appointment: Candidates who are current Federal employees serving on a nontemporary competitive appointment must have served at least three months in that appointment.
Additional information
OTHER INFORMATION:
We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
This is a non-bargaining unit position.
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
A one year probationary period may be required.
Must successfully complete a background investigation.
Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form i-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
Our comprehensive benefits are very generous. Our benefits package includes:- Challenging work, opportunities for advancement, competitive salaries, bonuses and incentive awards.- Ten paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, and 13 to 26 days of vacation time each year.- Access to insurance programs that may be continued after you retire.- A wide choice of health insurance plans, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and no waiting periods. We pay a substantial amount (up to 75%) of the health insurance premiums.- A retirement program which includes employer-matching contributions.- Learn more about Federal benefits programs at: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits
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.
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.
Your application includes your résumé, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your résumé includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your résumé may result in a "not qualified" determination.
Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Communication, Analytical, Technical.
Your application will be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals and awards relevant to the duties of this position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.
Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview.
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.
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.
A complete application includes 1. A résumé, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
Please ensure all required documents, including any required work samples, narratives, or other materials as stated in this announcement, are attached to your application package
All applicants are required to submit a résumé either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your résumé. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your résumé to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view résumé tips.
CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment:- Submit a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status.
(The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".)
- Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade.
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: Submit a copy of your most recent completed annual performance appraisal which includes the final rating. if you have not received a performance appraisal, please explain why in your application.
REINSTATEMENT: If you are a former federal employee and wish to be non-competitively reinstated for a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating.
CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) OR INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.
If you are applying under a special hiring authority (e.g. Military Spouses, Interchange Agreement, VEOA, VRA, Schedule A Disability, etc.), please see applicant guide for required documentation. In order to be eligible under one of these authorities, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide.
Land Management Eligibles must provide all required documentation to verify eligibility, prior performance, and qualifications for the target position. You can find information on the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act and eligibility here.
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.
Access Board has partnered with the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service to provide certain personnel services to its organization. Fiscal Service's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.
Please review the entire announcement before applying.
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date.
The Bureau provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application:
-Log into your USAJOBS account (USAJOBS Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen
-Under "application status," click "Track this application" and you will be taken to the agency website where you can check your application status. For more information regarding the job and applicant status, please refer to https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/
If you wish to make changes/updates to your application and the vacancy is still open, you can click on the job announcement and "Update Application" to be taken back to your application. No updates can be made once the announcement has closed.
Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website.
Access Board
Administrative Resource Center
Parkersburg, WV 26101
US
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We will review your resume and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct any required suitability and/or security background investigation.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
A complete application includes 1. A résumé, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
Please ensure all required documents, including any required work samples, narratives, or other materials as stated in this announcement, are attached to your application package
All applicants are required to submit a résumé either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your résumé. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your résumé to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view résumé tips.
CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment:- Submit a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status.
(The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".)
- Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade.
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: Submit a copy of your most recent completed annual performance appraisal which includes the final rating. if you have not received a performance appraisal, please explain why in your application.
REINSTATEMENT: If you are a former federal employee and wish to be non-competitively reinstated for a higher grade or full performance level than which you left federal employment, you MUST provide a copy of your separation SF50 (the "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2") AND the last performance appraisal you received from your federal employment which shows at least a fully successful rating.
CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) OR INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible.
If you are applying under a special hiring authority (e.g. Military Spouses, Interchange Agreement, VEOA, VRA, Schedule A Disability, etc.), please see applicant guide for required documentation. In order to be eligible under one of these authorities, you must submit all required documentation as outlined in the applicant guide.
Land Management Eligibles must provide all required documentation to verify eligibility, prior performance, and qualifications for the target position. You can find information on the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act and eligibility here.
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.
Access Board has partnered with the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service to provide certain personnel services to its organization. Fiscal Service's responsibilities include advertising vacancies, accepting and handling applications, and extending job offers.
Please review the entire announcement before applying.
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date.
The Bureau provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application:
-Log into your USAJOBS account (USAJOBS Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen
-Under "application status," click "Track this application" and you will be taken to the agency website where you can check your application status. For more information regarding the job and applicant status, please refer to https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/
If you wish to make changes/updates to your application and the vacancy is still open, you can click on the job announcement and "Update Application" to be taken back to your application. No updates can be made once the announcement has closed.
Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website.
Access Board
Administrative Resource Center
Parkersburg, WV 26101
US
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We will review your resume and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct any required suitability and/or security background investigation.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
