This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Office of the Commissioner, Office of External Affairs, Office of Media Affairs in Silver Spring, MD.
Summary
This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Office of the Commissioner, Office of External Affairs, Office of Media Affairs in Silver Spring, MD.
Develop, plan and oversee agency communication from start to finish for major agency rollouts in close coordination with Office of External Affairs/Office of Media Affairs leadership.
Coordinate and synchronize execution of all communication tactics on rollout days to ensure communication is effectively carried out to all key stakeholders in a timely fashion.
Provide guidance to rollout team members in order to work cohesively and to ensure strategic objectives are met.
Provide expert communication strategy and advice to agency officials on all communication tactics and overall approach surrounding newsworthy, complex and controversial issues.
Oversee digital media strategy for rollouts, including style and messaging aspects of social media and mobile editorial content.
Develop and prepare strong key messages for rollouts, working closely with program offices/units in aligning messaging for all internal and external stakeholders, including FDA employees, consumer organizations, Congress and the news media.
Proactively manage and track the editing, approval, and production processes of communication materials for major announcements, serving as the custodian of all communication assets.
Proactively manage information flow, including timelines for rollouts, between program offices/units, FDA leadership and HHS communicators.
Independently initiate, create, write and edit materials, including communication plans, about complicated public health and scientific subjects directed towards a variety of audiences.
Measure and report on the effectiveness of communication activities, including news media and social media measurement statistics, and provide recommendations for process improvements.
Establish and maintain strong and effective working relationships with internal clients and other government communicators.
Citizenship Requirement: You must be a U.S. Citizen to be considered for this advertisement unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Selective Service Registration: All applicants born male, on (or after) 12/31/1959, must be registered with the Selective Service System OR have an approved exemption. Visit www.SSS.gov for more info.
FDA participates in e-Verify: All new hires must complete the I-9 form; this information will be processed through e-Verify to determine your employment eligibility. If a discrepancy arises, you must take affirmative steps to resolve the matter.
Background Investigation Requirement: All employees must pass a security investigation. Failing to pass the background check may be grounds for removal or legal action. If hired, you may be subject to additional investigations at a later time.
Time-in-Grade Requirement: If you are applying as a current Federal employee, you must meet the time-in-grade requirements described in the Qualifications section, generally, 52-weeks of comparable experience at the next lowest grade.
You must meet ALL requirements by the closing date of this announcement to be considered. Only education, experience, and qualifications attained by this date will be considered. You must continue to meet all requirements through the hiring process.
Certification of Accuracy: All information concerning eligibility and qualification is subject to investigation and verification. False representation may be grounds for non-consideration, non-selection, or appropriate legal action.
Direct Deposit: You will be required to have all federal salary payments electronically deposited into a bank account with a financial institution of your choice.
Additional selections may be made from this vacancy, within the same geographical area, by other organizational elements from within FDA, through shared corporate recruiting activities.
Qualifications
The position of Public Affairs Specialist (Roll-Out Coordinator) falls under the 1035 occupational series. To qualify for this position at grade GS-14, you must meet Time-in-Grade requirements by 11:59 pm EST on 01/03/2019.
You must possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 in the Federal service, including experience as a senior communication/public relations expert overseeing all communication aspects of major announcements and/or public health campaigns/product launches under tight deadlines, including overseeing all aspects of engagement with stakeholder organizations, industry, the news media, Congress and internal clients.
In accordance with Office of Personnel Management policy, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable, however, when documented by satisfactory evidence, such as a signed memorandum from the employee's supervisor or an SF-50 or SF-52 documenting an official detail or other official assignment. The documentation must indicate whether the duties were performed full time or, if part time, the percentage of times the other duties were performed. It is expected that this documentation is included in the employee's official personnel record. In order to receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your official position, you must provide a copy of the appropriate documentation of such experience as indicated above.
If you are applying based on some other qualifying eligibility (i.e. you are not applying as a current Federal employee), you must meet the specific requirements of the eligibility you are claiming, and must have sufficient past experience to demonstrate that you are minimally qualified for this position. See Unique Hiring Paths on USAJOBS for more information about various ways you may be eligible to apply!
PHS Commissioned Corps Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps may apply online to this announcement. Candidates will be referred to (CC) personnel and not as candidates for conversion to a permanent career or career-conditional appointment.
You must submit supporting documentation to verify your eligibility to apply for this vacancy. For most applicants, an SF-50 will be required. However, if you are applying as a Veteran, individual with a qualifying disability, or a displaced employee, you will be required to provide other supporting documents as applicable. See the Required Documents section for more details.
Education
Foreign Education:
If you are using education completed at foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program.
If you have transferred educational credit from a foreign institution to one in the U.S., you must still show that your foreign education was evaluated by an organization recognized by the Department of Education, even if that foreign education was accepted as transfer credit by a domestic college or university. For more information about this requirement, please visit the U.S. Department of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation.
Additional information
For some advertisements, the Food & Drug Administration receives hundreds, even thousands, of applications from job-seekers. Because of this high level of interest in positions with the FDA, the agency reserves the option of setting an application number limit.
When an application limit is set, USAJOBS will close the vacancy at 11:59 pm Eastern Time on either: (A) the day the limit is reached, -OR- (B) the pre-defined closing date of 01/03/2019, whichever comes first.
If the limit is reached before 11:59 pm ET, all applications in excess of the limit will continue to be accepted until 11:59 pm ET. For more information about announcement closing, see: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/job-announcement/expiration/
ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Pre-employment physical required: No
Drug testing required: No
License required: No
Mobility agreement required: No
Immunization required: No
Bargaining Unit Position: Yes BUS-3591
Incentives may be authorized; however, this is contingent upon funds availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require you to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a period of up to 3 years. Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid. Incentives include the following: moving expenses, recruitment or relocation incentive; student loan repayment, superior qualifications appointment, creditable service for annual leave for prior non-federal work experience or prior uniformed military service, etc.
If you are serving, or have served in the last 5 years (from 01/03/2019) as an Executive Branch political, Schedule C, or Non-career SES appointee, HHS/FDA may be required to obtain approval by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) prior to beginning employment. You can find out if you have held one of these appointment types by looking at your Standard Form 50s in your Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF), in Section 5 where the legal authorities are listed. If you have served or are currently serving, you must provide a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting this appointment. In addition, you will be required to respond to the question in the assessment and certify your responses to the questionnaire. Political Appointees FAQ - OPM
Veterans Preference: If you plan to apply based on Veterans Preference, please pay careful attention to the "Required Documents" section for more information about what to provide in your application. USAJOBS Veterans Site.
Schedule A: If you plan to apply under Schedule A based on a disability, please pay careful attention to the "Required Documents" section for more information about what to provide in your application. USAJOBS Individuals with Disabilities Site.
Career Transition Programs: If you are a displaced Federal employee and plan to apply under CTAP or ICTAP, please pay careful attention to the "Required Documents" section for more information about what to provide in your application. USAJOBS Career Transtion SIte.
All requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement (01/03/2019); only education and experience gained by this date will be considered. You must continue to meet all requirements throughout the entire hiring process.
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.
Once the job opportunity announcement closes (at 11:59 pm ET on 01/03/2019), a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted, the information will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your eligibility for Federal employment, and then whether you are qualified for this particular position.
If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your responses when compared to your background information, you may be deemed ineligible, or your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your skills and abilities. Additionally, we will review your supporting documents and resume to determine if you are in the "Area of Consideration" for this vacancy. Government-Wide Merit Promotion vacancies may only accept applications from a limited audience, pay careful attention to the "Who May Apply" and the "Hiring Paths" information. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
Basis of Rating: Merit Promotion Procedures for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be used to rate and rank candidates. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. Qualified candidates will be ranked into one of two categories: Best Qualified or Qualified.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics). You need not respond to the KSA's separately, but your resume should contain sufficient information to demonstrate possession of these competencies.
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.
The following documents are REQUIRED for this vacancy:
3 Writing Samples (3 communication plans that support the experience identified in the specialized experience)
Resume
SF-50
"Required" indicates that the above documents are necessary to determine your eligibility and/or qualification for this vacancy. These documents are collected from ALL applicants and failing to provide any of these documents may result in your application being deemed incomplete or ineligible. Pay close attention to the list above to ensure you are providing all of the documentation we need to consider your application. If you need instructions or assistance with submitting documentation, please see the Applicant Help Site - Documents page for more information.
RESUME REQUIREMENTS:
The Federal Government has very specific requirements for the information that you must include in your resume. A resume for a Federal job will be much longer and more complete than the type of resume you may be familiar with from the private sector, especially if you are accustomed to using the CV (curriculum vitae) format. If you have not written a Federal resume before, you may want to watch this Resume Writing Tutorial video on the USAJOBS YouTube channel, or read through a helpful Resume Writing FAQ article on the USAJOBS Help Site to learn what details you should, and should not, include in your resume. At a minimum, you should include: start and end dates for each position (including month and year), number of hours per week worked, level of experience and duties performed, employer name and address, supervisor name and contact, and salary (or grade and step), for each position listed in your work history.
The following documents are ACCEPTED for this vacancy:
DD-214
3 Writing Samples (3 communication plans that support the experience identified in the specialized experience)
VA Letter, etc.
Resume
SF-15
SF-50
"Accepted" means that you will have the opportunity to submit these documents if they are applicable to you. Such documents include Veteran Preference or other special eligibility documentation, transcripts, or other optional documentation that helps us determine your eligibility. The above list of documents may not apply to all applicants. If you are unsure what documents might apply to you, please review the USAJOBS FAQ article: "What types of documents might I need to provide?" or contact the FDA Applicant Help Desk.
ELIGIBILITY-SUPPORTING DOCUMENT INFORMATION
Current and former Federal employees:
You will need to submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Standard Form 50 - Notice of Personnel Action). To properly verify status eligibility, your SF-50 must show the following. If you do not submit an appropriate SF-50, we cannot verify your status eligibility!
Full position title;
Appointment type;
Occupational series;
Pay plan, series, grade, and step;
Tenure code; and
Service Computation Date (SCD).
If your most recent SF-50 is from an annual pay adjustment, please ensure it contains the information listed above. If it does not, then you should also include your most recent SF-50 that does show your last promotion, execution of appointment, or grade / step increase, and ensure that your competitive status, tenure, SCD, and highest grade held are shown. Learn more about the SF-50 on the USAJOBS SF-50 Help Page.
Veterans & Military Spouses: You will need to submit appropriate veteran eligibility documentation, which may include the DD-214 Member #4 Copy, VA Letter, and Standard Form 15, depending on what type of preference you claim. If you are a veteran who has not yet been discharged, you may provide a statement of intent to discharge from your agency to receive Veterans Preference under the VOW (Veterans Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. Documentation requirements for military spouses claiming a derived preference may differ. Learn more on the FedsHireVets Job Seekers Page or the USAJOBS Veterans Site.
Individuals with Disabilities (Schedule A): Individuals with intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities, may apply for appointment through the Schedule A hiring authority. Certified verification of a disability from a licensed medical professional; a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist; or any Federal, state, or District of Columbia agency or U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits will be required. Learn more on the USAJOBS Individuals with Disabilities Site.
Displaced Federal employees who qualify for CTAP/ICTAP: If you are a former Federal employee who was displaced due to a Reduction-in-Force (RIF) or surplused by some other means, please submit a copy of the separation letter or RIF notice from your agency. To be selected under I/CTAP, you must still be found well-qualified for this position. Learn more on the USAJOBS Career Transition Assistance Site.
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.
To apply for positions with the Food & Drug Administration, you must have a USAJOBS Login.GOV account, and be signed in to that account, before you click "Apply Online". See the USAJOBS Help Site article "How does the application process work?" for more on this process. Additionally, you must provide a resume and any required supporting documentation listed on the announcement, and you must complete all assessment questionnaires BEFORE 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement, 01/03/2019 We recommend that you start the application process early enough that you can complete and submit your application before this deadline. Please note that you cannot submit documentation or make changes to your application after the close date.
If you would like to learn how to use USAJOBS including: accessing and managing your account, adding saved documents, building a resume, or starting an application; we recommend you visit the USAJOBS How To site, and read up on any topic that you need help with. This site is located at: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/. Additionally, if you need technical assistance with USAJOBS (such as account issues) please visit the main USAJOBS Help site at: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/. FDA's Applicant Help Desk is not able to support USAJOBS-related issues.
The Food & Drug Administration uses a system called Application Manager (USA Staffing) to post jobs and accept applications. If you are not familiar with Application Manager or encounter any difficulty with the site, we recommend that you review the Applicant HELP Site at: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Applicant. This help site contains step-by-step instructions for completing the application process, submitting documentation, and completing questionnaires, and should be very helpful to you!
You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. The FDA will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities who are not able to apply online. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the Applicant Help Desk. Decisions on granting a reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
If after reviewing the USAJOBS and Application Manager help sites, you're not able to find the answer to your question or concern, or if you wish to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact the FDA Applicant Help Desk at 888-478-4340, or e-mail QuickQuestions@fda.gov.
The Applicant Help Desk is staffed between the hours of 7am and 6pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except for government holidays.
If you contact the Applicant Help Desk, please provide the following Vacancy Identification Number (VIN) 10385606 so that we may assist you faster.
Office of the Commissioner of Food and Drugs
10903 New Hampshire Ave
Silver Spring, MD 20993
US
Next steps
Once your application is submitted you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We strive to make selections within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will receive application status updates by email and on USAJOBS as the process unfolds. How to check your application status via USAJOBS and understand what each status means. How does the Hiring Process Work?
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The following documents are REQUIRED for this vacancy:
3 Writing Samples (3 communication plans that support the experience identified in the specialized experience)
Resume
SF-50
"Required" indicates that the above documents are necessary to determine your eligibility and/or qualification for this vacancy. These documents are collected from ALL applicants and failing to provide any of these documents may result in your application being deemed incomplete or ineligible. Pay close attention to the list above to ensure you are providing all of the documentation we need to consider your application. If you need instructions or assistance with submitting documentation, please see the Applicant Help Site - Documents page for more information.
RESUME REQUIREMENTS:
The Federal Government has very specific requirements for the information that you must include in your resume. A resume for a Federal job will be much longer and more complete than the type of resume you may be familiar with from the private sector, especially if you are accustomed to using the CV (curriculum vitae) format. If you have not written a Federal resume before, you may want to watch this Resume Writing Tutorial video on the USAJOBS YouTube channel, or read through a helpful Resume Writing FAQ article on the USAJOBS Help Site to learn what details you should, and should not, include in your resume. At a minimum, you should include: start and end dates for each position (including month and year), number of hours per week worked, level of experience and duties performed, employer name and address, supervisor name and contact, and salary (or grade and step), for each position listed in your work history.
The following documents are ACCEPTED for this vacancy:
DD-214
3 Writing Samples (3 communication plans that support the experience identified in the specialized experience)
VA Letter, etc.
Resume
SF-15
SF-50
"Accepted" means that you will have the opportunity to submit these documents if they are applicable to you. Such documents include Veteran Preference or other special eligibility documentation, transcripts, or other optional documentation that helps us determine your eligibility. The above list of documents may not apply to all applicants. If you are unsure what documents might apply to you, please review the USAJOBS FAQ article: "What types of documents might I need to provide?" or contact the FDA Applicant Help Desk.
ELIGIBILITY-SUPPORTING DOCUMENT INFORMATION
Current and former Federal employees:
You will need to submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Standard Form 50 - Notice of Personnel Action). To properly verify status eligibility, your SF-50 must show the following. If you do not submit an appropriate SF-50, we cannot verify your status eligibility!
Full position title;
Appointment type;
Occupational series;
Pay plan, series, grade, and step;
Tenure code; and
Service Computation Date (SCD).
If your most recent SF-50 is from an annual pay adjustment, please ensure it contains the information listed above. If it does not, then you should also include your most recent SF-50 that does show your last promotion, execution of appointment, or grade / step increase, and ensure that your competitive status, tenure, SCD, and highest grade held are shown. Learn more about the SF-50 on the USAJOBS SF-50 Help Page.
Veterans & Military Spouses: You will need to submit appropriate veteran eligibility documentation, which may include the DD-214 Member #4 Copy, VA Letter, and Standard Form 15, depending on what type of preference you claim. If you are a veteran who has not yet been discharged, you may provide a statement of intent to discharge from your agency to receive Veterans Preference under the VOW (Veterans Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. Documentation requirements for military spouses claiming a derived preference may differ. Learn more on the FedsHireVets Job Seekers Page or the USAJOBS Veterans Site.
Individuals with Disabilities (Schedule A): Individuals with intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities, may apply for appointment through the Schedule A hiring authority. Certified verification of a disability from a licensed medical professional; a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist; or any Federal, state, or District of Columbia agency or U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits will be required. Learn more on the USAJOBS Individuals with Disabilities Site.
Displaced Federal employees who qualify for CTAP/ICTAP: If you are a former Federal employee who was displaced due to a Reduction-in-Force (RIF) or surplused by some other means, please submit a copy of the separation letter or RIF notice from your agency. To be selected under I/CTAP, you must still be found well-qualified for this position. Learn more on the USAJOBS Career Transition Assistance Site.
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.
To apply for positions with the Food & Drug Administration, you must have a USAJOBS Login.GOV account, and be signed in to that account, before you click "Apply Online". See the USAJOBS Help Site article "How does the application process work?" for more on this process. Additionally, you must provide a resume and any required supporting documentation listed on the announcement, and you must complete all assessment questionnaires BEFORE 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement, 01/03/2019 We recommend that you start the application process early enough that you can complete and submit your application before this deadline. Please note that you cannot submit documentation or make changes to your application after the close date.
If you would like to learn how to use USAJOBS including: accessing and managing your account, adding saved documents, building a resume, or starting an application; we recommend you visit the USAJOBS How To site, and read up on any topic that you need help with. This site is located at: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/. Additionally, if you need technical assistance with USAJOBS (such as account issues) please visit the main USAJOBS Help site at: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/. FDA's Applicant Help Desk is not able to support USAJOBS-related issues.
The Food & Drug Administration uses a system called Application Manager (USA Staffing) to post jobs and accept applications. If you are not familiar with Application Manager or encounter any difficulty with the site, we recommend that you review the Applicant HELP Site at: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Applicant. This help site contains step-by-step instructions for completing the application process, submitting documentation, and completing questionnaires, and should be very helpful to you!
You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. The FDA will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities who are not able to apply online. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact the Applicant Help Desk. Decisions on granting a reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
If after reviewing the USAJOBS and Application Manager help sites, you're not able to find the answer to your question or concern, or if you wish to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact the FDA Applicant Help Desk at 888-478-4340, or e-mail QuickQuestions@fda.gov.
The Applicant Help Desk is staffed between the hours of 7am and 6pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except for government holidays.
If you contact the Applicant Help Desk, please provide the following Vacancy Identification Number (VIN) 10385606 so that we may assist you faster.
Office of the Commissioner of Food and Drugs
10903 New Hampshire Ave
Silver Spring, MD 20993
US
Next steps
Once your application is submitted you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We strive to make selections within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement. You will receive application status updates by email and on USAJOBS as the process unfolds. How to check your application status via USAJOBS and understand what each status means. How does the Hiring Process Work?
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
