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Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist

General Services Administration
Office of Strategic Communication
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This is NOT a remote position; you MUST reside within commutable distance (approximately 50 miles) from the duty station or relocate within a commutable distance to the duty station BEFORE your entry on duty date with GSA.

As a Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist, you will serve as the Director, Client Relations, and acts as a liaison between OSC and GSA service lines and offices to ensure alignment with and advancement of the agency’s public affairs messages.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
11/14/2024 to 11/29/2024
Salary
$143,736 to - $191,900 per year

If you are a new federal employee, your starting salary will likely be set at the Step 1 of the grade for which you are selected.

Pay scale & grade
GS 15
Location
GSA - US Locations
Few vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel maybe required to attend job related training, events, and/or conferences.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
15
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
Z-2025-0002
Control number
818784100

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Duties

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The Office of Strategic Communication is responsible for using communication to help the agency meet its mission and business goals. Major duties include, but are not limited to the following:

Plans and leads a comprehensive and integrated public affairs program across the Office of Strategic Communication and agency service lines and offices that advance agency programs, goals, priorities or public policy initiatives, including developing standards operating
procedures as well as communication policy and procedures for handling sensitive information.

Advises management on the public affairs impact of proposed changes to agency programs, policies, and operations, including ensuring leadership has critical information with which to respond to urgent issues and ensuring enterprise staff and partners are aware of
information and the supporting rationale to respond to issues.

Supervises and oversees the research, writing, editing, and production of plans, products, public affairs materials and information (e.g., newsletters, press releases, news articles for publication in newspapers or periodicals, internal communications, explanatory materials,
etc.) about GSA activities and mission which build mutual understanding between the GSA and with partners, communities, and national and international organizations.

Leads a comprehensive program for capacity building and technical assistance in public affairs for constituencies which includes the use of generally accepted practices for communication and issues management, based upon current research, and serving as an expert advisor regarding the translation of key issues and strategies and promotion of key topics to targeted publics and constituencies.

Participates in directing, coordinating, and supervising of various staff through the supervision of the division by advising, guiding, and working closely with branch chiefs in the planning and accomplishment of assigned programs.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship or National (Residents of American Samoa and Swains Island)
  • Meet all eligibility criteria within 30 days of the closing date
  • Meet time-in-grade within 30 days of the closing date, if applicable
  • Register with Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/1959

If selected, you must meet the following conditions:

  • Current or Former Political Appointees: 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 or Non­Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
  • Serve a one year probationary period, if required.
  • Undergo and pass a background investigation (Tier 2 investigation level).
  • Have your identity and work status eligibility verified if you are not a GSA employee.  We will use the Department of Homeland Security’s e-Verify system for this. Any discrepancies must be resolved as a condition of continued employment.
  • Serve a one year supervisory or managerial probationary period, if required

This position has job functions that must be executed within specific geographic locations. The official duty station is a federal facility, leased space, or an alternative worksite (typically the employee’s home) within the specified geographic area. You will be expected to report to a specific GSA duty location (listed below) at least one or more days a pay period depending upon the terms of the agency’s telework policy.

New England Region - Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Federal Building, 10 Causeway Street, Boston, Massachusetts
Northeast Caribbean Region - One World Trade Center, 55th Floor, New York, New York
Mid-Atlantic Region - 100 Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Southeast Region - Martin Luther King, JR Federal Building, 77 Forsyth Street, Atlanta, Georgia
Great Lakes Region - 230 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois
Heartland Region - 2300 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri
Greater Southwest Region - Fritz Lanham Federal Building, 819 Taylor Street, Fort Worth, Texas
Rocky Mountain Region - Denver Federal Building, West 6th Avenue & Kipling Street, Lakewood, Colorado
Pacific Rim Region - 50 United Nations Plaza Federal Building, San Francisco, California
Northwest/Arctic Region – 1301 A Street, Tacoma, Washington
National Capital Region – 1800 F Street, NW, Washington, DC
Central Office - 1800 F Street, NW, Washington, DC

Qualifications

For each job on your resume, provide:

  • the exact dates you held  each job (from month/year to month/year)
  • number of hours per week you worked (if part time).    

If you have volunteered your service through a National Service program (e.g., Peace Corps, Americorps), we encourage you to apply and include this experience on your resume.

For a brief video on creating a Federal resume, click here

The GS-15 salary range starts at $143,736.00 per year.  If you are a new federal employee, your starting salary will likely be set at the Step 1 of the grade for which you are selected.  

To qualify, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level or higher in the Federal service.  Specialized experience is defined as experience directing and supervising a team of employees developing and performing communications strategies for complex, technical, sensitive and/or controversial topics; participating in the development and coordination of large scale communication plans for a nationwide audience; applying a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods to assess and improve a public affairs program's effectiveness; researching, writing and editing speeches, opinion editorial articles, Congressional testimony and other similar assignments; and participating and providing key input in regional, national and/or internal special projects, working groups, and task forces focusing on identifying solutions to problems, policy making and shaping the future direction of an organization.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Existing Work Product Sample: You may be asked to bring an existing work product sample to the interview.

Bargaining Unit Status: - This position is ineligible for the bargaining unit
If you apply to this position and are selected, we will not ask about your criminal history before you receive a conditional job offer. If you believe you were asked about your criminal history improperly, contact the agency or visit GSA's webpage.

Relocation-related expenses are not approved and will be your responsibility.  

Travel expenses associated with interviews may be approved. Determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis.

On a case-by-case basis, the following incentives may be approved:

·       Recruitment incentive if you are new to the federal government

·       Relocation incentive if you are a current federal employee

·       Credit toward vacation leave if you are new to the federal government

Additional vacancies may be filled through this announcement in this or other GSA organizations within the same commuting area as needed; through other means; or not at all.

GSA is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility that goes beyond our compliance with EEO regulations including: 
  • Valuing and embracing diversity, promoting equity, inclusion and accessibility, and expecting cultural competence; and
  • Fostering a work environment where all employees, customers and stakeholders feel respected and valued.
Our commitment is: 
  • Reflected in our policies, procedures and work environment;
  • Recognized by our employees, customers and stakeholders; and
  • Drives our efforts to recruit, attract, retain and engage the diverse workforce needed to achieve our mission.

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 on the questions you answer during the application process, which will measure your overall possession of the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities.  Your responses to these questions must be supported by your resume or your score may be lowered. 

1. Skill in applying communication principles, methods, practices, and techniques, including analytical methods and interpersonal relations practices to develop new methods and approaches in planning, integrating, and evaluating the overall health of a communications program.
1a. Skill in applying the mission, goals, objectives and the organization of an organization and how they relate to the policies, practices, procedures, and regulations which affect the way the organization operates at the local, state, territorial, tribal nation, national and
international level.

2. Ability to negotiate with external entities for form partnerships.
2a. Ability to advise top management officials on aspects of a strategic communications program.
2b. Skill in establishing and maintaining working relationships.

3. Ability to apply knowledge of responsibilities and relationships of programs at the local, state, and international level.
3a. Skill applying a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods for the assessment and improvement of program effectiveness or the improvement of management processes and systems.
3b. Ability to apply supervisory and leadership Skills.

4. Skill in applying an organization's program goals and objectives, the sequence and timing of key program events and milestones, and methods of evaluating the worth of program accomplishments.
4a. Ability to apply strategic planning and evaluation processes.

5. Skill in performance management, strategic planning, and organizational change.

Additional hurdle assessments, such as narrative responses or other assessments, may be administered to applicants who meet the requirements of the first hurdle, e.g., the minimum qualification requirements. If additional assessments are used, you will be provided with further instructions.

Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3). You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume so that information will be taken into consideration during the selection process.  If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

If you are eligible under Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan or GSA’s Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP/CTAP), you must receive a score of 85 or higher to receive priority.


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