• Spearheads and manages the Bureau’s media relations, outreach, and liaison function, in collaboration with the Department’s press office.
• Crafts, creates, and executes strategic activations to shape the narrative and tell the U.S. public diplomacy story through all sources of media to audiences ranging from high level stakeholders to consumers in the U.S. and overseas.
• Evaluates the impact and effectiveness of media outreach activities and strategies.
• Carries out various duties and responsibilities typical of a first level supervisor in DoS such as overseeing the work of employees and contractor staff.
• Plans and implements all activities necessary for the daily and long range management and coordination of the media team.
• Establishes, maintains, and expands working relationships with news media representatives and the Department's Press Office and Spokesperson. Leads/participates in intra- and inter agency meetings; represents ECA at various meetings and conferences

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/

Qualifications

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

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

High-level, on-the-record media experience that includes proactive media engagement and extensive experience pitching mainstream media reporters and outlets.  

Experience managing and overseeing crisis communications (in response to crises and emergencies related to international relations with geopolitical nuances) involving mainstream media outlets. 

Experience creating, developing, and executing high-quality content and strategic media activations. 

Experience building and maintaining internal organizational coalitions and partnerships to achieve strategic goals. 

Experience advising and supporting senior level executives regarding new and traditional media outlets and leveraging audiences and programming to advance mission and programs.

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-14 position.

In addition, applicant's experience must also demonstrate that the candidate possesses the following qualities:

• Ability to assign, review, and supervise the work of others;
• Objectivity and fairness in judging people on their ability, and situations on the facts and circumstances;
• Ability to adjust to change, work pressures, or difficult situations without undue stress;
• Willingness to consider new ideas or divergent points of view; and
• Capacity to "see the job through."

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume will be conducted and compared against your responses to the assessment questions to determine if you are qualified for this job.  Note:  Responses to questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating. 

Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, will be assigned to one of three quality categories:

1. Qualified - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate a basic level of the required competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) for the position.
2. Well Qualified - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate proficiency in some but not all of the required competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) for the position.
3. Highly Qualified - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must fully demonstrate proficiency in all of the required competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) for the position.

Highly Qualified applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview.  The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:

• Knowledge of the media environment as well as the principles and techniques of communication strategies.

• Knowledge of program management techniques.

• Skill in the use of communications and public relations principles in accordance with AP style.

• Ability to work effectively with staff, senior officials, congress, foreign and domestic news media and publics.

• Ability to analyze and evaluate materials as they relate to media relations issues.

• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the Highly Qualified category.  Other 10-point preference eligible and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligible applicants within the category in which they qualify.  View information on veterans' preference on OPM’s Fed Hire Vets website.

Agency and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never been a Federal employee, you are not CTAP or ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category for this position and submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job announcement to receive consideration for selection priority.