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Public Affairs Specialist

Department of the Army
U.S. Military Academy
Directorate of Admissions, Admission Support Branch
This job announcement has closed

Summary

About the Position: The U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY is an academic institution located in the Hudson River Valley, 50 miles from New York City. The historic site is the oldest continuously occupied military post in America. West Point is a self contained city with housing, a Department of Public Works, libraries, hospital, fire department, chapels, and restaurants. Employees have access to Eisenhower Hall Theater, Hudson Valley's performing arts center, and recreational facilities.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
07/12/2024 to 07/22/2024
Salary
$57,594 to - $91,582 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
West Point, NY
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
9
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CHDE241690793852D
Control number
798996700

Duties

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  • Direct and manage communications with the public, regarding West Point's Admissions programs and initiatives.
  • Manage all admission-related college interest initiatives and events, such as, Summer Leaders Seminar, STEM Workshops, electronic based symposiums, and local college fairs on post.
  • Manage the efforts of the volunteer cadets comprising the Cadet Public Relations Executive Council and assists them in their efforts to generate additional cadet volunteer support for the programs outlined.
  • Conduct initial organizational meetings, interim coordination meetings, Club Night participation, and briefings to new orientation visits volunteers, and to hometown visit volunteers.
  • Responsible for the planning, organizing, and financing for all Cadet Public Relations Committee (CPRC) events, to include special trips in the Army’s travel system, appreciation luncheons, and any other commanded directed events.
  • Conduct yearly training with Brigade Tactical Department to ensure all Tactical Officers are aware of standard operating procedures (SOP) for special event trips, hometown visits, and for onsite candidate visits.
  • Work directly with the marketing officer and the associate director for platform management and oversight.
  • Manage inventory of other publications with information on the Admissions process for use in Admissions Public Relations programs, to include all external visits.
  • Supervise employee(s) by planning work to be accomplished, insuring deadlines and suspense items are met. Develops, and modifies, as necessary, performance standards. Issues ratings. Approve or disapprove leave requests.
  • Assign and reviews work on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis adjusting as necessary for cyclic nature of programs.
  • Effect minor disciplinary measures, such as warnings and reprimands, recommending other action in more serious unresolved cases.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • Appointment to this position is subject to a one-year probationary period unless the appointee has previously met the requirements as described in 5 CFR Part 315.
  • This position is supervisory as defined by the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) General Schedule Supervisory Guide (GSSG). A one-year probation to assess your ability to perform supervisory duties is required unless previously completed.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the requirements described 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

GS-07

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience, which includes: 1) Using web and/or social media networks or platforms, such as, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Instagram or YouTube to provide technical and/or creative support for an organization's information program; 2) Communicating an agency's policies, programs, services, and/or activities to varying audiences; AND 3) Establishing and/or maintaining professional relationships with groups and/or individuals within the community to meet common goals (for example, churches, profit/nonprofit organizations, and/or media outlets). This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05).

OR

Education: One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as, Public Affairs, Public Relations, or another related field.

OR

Superior Academic Achievement: Successful completion of all the requirements for a bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled, such as that identified in Education above. Superior Academic Achievement is based on:
(1) Class Standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; OR
(2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.; OR
(3) Honor Society Membership - Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achshonor.org/).

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages.

GS-09

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience, which includes: 1) Analyzing material for publications; 2) Responding to requests for information concerning an organization's programs and/or services; 3) Representing a part of a project and/or assignment for accurate and timely completion of project and/or assignment goals; AND 4) Preparing written materials in draft and/or final copy, to publicize an organization's mission and/or events, such as, news releases, feature articles, newspaper, magazine stories and/or digital media content. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07).

OR

Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D. [remove LL.B or J.D., if unrelated] in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as, Public Affairs, Public Relations, or another related field.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages.


You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:

  • Communications and Media
  • Leadership
  • Message Development
  • Public Affairs Policies and Procedures

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

Additional information

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • One year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • Direct deposit of pay is required.
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
  • This is a Professional Services Career Field position.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
  • Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
  • Applicants may be selected at the GS-07, or at the GS-09 grade level. This is a developmental position up to the full performance level, GS-09. Non-competitive promotion to the full performance level is authorized.
  • This position is not eligible for regular and recurring telework. This position is eligible for situational telework only, including emergency and OPM prescribed "unscheduled telework". Situational telework is approved on a case-by-case basis, where the hours worked were not part of a previously approved, ongoing, and regular telework schedule. Situational telework is sometimes also referred to as episodic, intermittent, unscheduled, or ad-hoc telework.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.

Basis for Rating: Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of three quality categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified and Qualified. Veteran preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category.

  • Best Qualified. Candidates in this category possess exceptional skills and experience to exceed well above the minimum requirements for the announced position.
  • Highly Qualified. Candidates in this category possess good skills and experience above the minimum requirements for the announced position.
  • Qualified. Candidates in this category meet the minimum experience requirements for the announced position.
You may claim Military Spouse preference.

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) applicants will receive preference consideration and will be placed (if selected) at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined best qualified, up to and including the full performance level.

You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.

DoD Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicants will receive preference consideration at the full-performance grade level only.

Only MSP/PPP applicants currently occupying a formal training program position are entitled to exercise their priority status.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

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