Clarification from the agency

All qualified United States citizens.

The individual selected for this position will:

1. Plan, develop, and coordinate the partnership agreements to ensure activities at all levels are carried out, resolve problems encountered, and determine the need for renegotiation.
2. Address questions, concerns and issues related to current and potential partners and stakeholders.
3. Establish partnership agreements with federal, tribal, state and local governments, and/or local businesses and community groups to develop specific strategies to eliminate enumeration barriers in specific regions in support of the Decennial Census.
4. Develop presentations, give briefings, conduct meetings and promote partnerships with various governments, local businesses and community groups.
5. Speak Russian in order to make and answer calls that may come from the Russian population and organizations that service the Russian community in the ACO geographical area.
6. Present information to audiences that predominately speak Russian and translate and develop targeted informational and promotional materials from Russian to English, and English to Russian when necessary.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. citizen and be 18 years or older to be hired.
• Suitability/Background Investigation for Federal employment.
• Registered for Selective Service if applicable. (www.sss.gov)
• A trial period may be required.
• Must be able to speak, read and write in English and Russian.
• This is not a Bargaining Unit position.

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that the application submitted clearly indicates that they meet the qualifications listed below.  To be eligible for this position, you must have the specialized experience, education, or a combination as indicated below.

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.

The ideal candidate sought for this position would have deep ties to and in-depth knowledge of the norms and customs of the Russian community.  Ideally they would be involved with community organizations in an effort to develop professional partnerships/connections with the Russian community leaders, professionals and centers of influence. 

Selective Factor: This is a bilingual position. Applicants will be required to self-certify proficiency in Russian as a condition of employment. To be considered proficient you must be able to speak, read, and write in English and Russian. All applicants must have the ability to converse and translate fluently from Russian into English and from English to Russian, and accurately reflect the intent and meaning of the original material.

Specialized experience or education sought for these positions include:

GG-0301-07
EXPERIENCE: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the grade 05 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is work experience explaining nontechnical information or providing on-the-job training on regulations, policies, or procedures to others or at briefings, meetings, conferences, or hearings OR work experience in providing instructions or coaching others in athletic, leisure, or community activities, helping customers, clients, or members of the public who were hostile or upset, handling customer complaints or providing instructions to customers or the public either in writing or by telephone.
OR
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in any area with Superior Academic Achievement OR one full year of graduate education directly related to the position that provided the applicant with the knowledge of speech communication; broadcast journalism; print journalism; creative writing; public administration; advertising; composition; mass communication or mass media; public relations techniques; or radio, television, and film production.

GG-0301-09
EXPERIENCE: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the grade 07 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is work experience applying communication principles, methods, techniques for the development of campaigns OR work experience in editing technical material for targeted audience OR work experience interacting and dealing with the public including media, state, and local government officials, community, businesses, and organization program officers.
OR
EDUCATION: Two full years of graduate education or master’s degree directly related to the position that provided knowledge of broadcast journalism; print journalism; creative writing; public administration; advertising; composition; mass communication or mass media; public relations techniques; or radio, television, and film production.

GG-0301-11
EXPERIENCE: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the grade 09 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is work experience applying analytical techniques and interpersonal relations in dealing effectively with targeted audience; and analyzing the views and opinions from organizations and developing recommendations for stimulating interest in activities.
OR
EDUCATION: Three full years of graduate education or the Ph.D., directly related to the position that provided the knowledge of speech communication; broadcast journalism; creative writing; public administration; advertising; mass communication or mass media; public relations techniques; or radio, television, and film production.

GG-0301-12
EXPERIENCE: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the grade 11 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is work experience conducting public affairs programs involving public information community relations activities and seeking cooperation; and presenting information to internal and external groups to inform them of program objectives and activities; and (2) ability to present information to the public including media, state, and local government officials, community businesses, and organization program officers.

EDUCATION:  No substitution of education for experience is permitted.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job opportunity announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of three pre-defined categories. These categories are "gold," "silver," and "bronze." Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.  

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed. (Remove the next sentence if advertising a scientific or professional position at the GS-9 and above.) Preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold). The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response.

The following competencies are desirable at the full performance level of this position (FPL 12):

1. Ability to manage partnership agreements, resolve problems, and address questions and/or concerns.
2. Knowledge of Federal, tribal, state and local governments' and/or local business and community groups' organizational structures and functions.
3. Skills in negotiating, with sometimes reluctant, Federal, tribal, state and local governments and/or local businesses and community groups in order to receive their support in the Decennial Census through partnerships.
4. Knowledge of presentation methods and techniques such as use of Microsoft PowerPoint. 
5. Knowledge of basic technology skills and use of a laptop or tablet.  
6. Knowledge of Russian language to speak, read, and write fluently.

For more information on category rating, please go to: http://www.hr.commerce.gov/s/groups/public/@doc/@cfoasa/@ohrm/documents/content/prod 01_009474.pdf

We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process.