Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from all U.S. citizens. Please see detailed guidance regarding employment eligibility under "Requirements." This position is eligible for direct hire.

The Director of Legislative and Public Affairs represents the Architect’s views on programs, policies and operations. The executive is responsible for strategic legislative and communication initiatives, agency branding, media relationships and community relations. The Director assists the Architect of the Capitol in balancing the needs of a wide range of stakeholders, including Congressional leadership, oversight and appropriations committees, individual Members of Congress, congressional staff, congressional constituents, the Capitol Hill community and the visiting public. 

In this capacity, the Director performs the following:

• Provides leadership of the legislative affairs program. Initiates strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals in a continuously changing environment. Establishes positive interactive relationships with Congressional Members and their staffs.
• Coordinates and manages responses of AOC organizational elements to legislative inquiries and mandates.
• Ensures the centralized coordination and tracking of congressional correspondence/reports required by legislation or congressional committees to ensure timely delivery.
• Prepares materials for Congress, including testimony, briefings and reports.
• Works with outside groups that interact with Congress on legislative matters and AOC-related policies or operations.
• Monitors policy initiatives, decisions, precedent cases and matters. 
• Serves as principal AOC liaison to Members of Congress, their staffs, and staffs of relevant Committees to promote the AOC strategic plan, accomplishments, activities and agendas.
• Establishes and updates communications standards and guidelines for AOC internal and external communication. Develops, reviews, and maintains employee magazine, multimedia, website, intranet, and social media content.
• Prepares news releases for media. Responsible for testimony development and replies to congressional inquiries.
• Represents the AOC through attendance at events and contributing to communications, speech writing and preparation of publications. 
• Prepares and presents briefings to the AOC senior management on complex, highly-sensitive and controversial issues.
• Provides information to stakeholders on AOC accomplishments of interest to historical and preservation organizations, community engagement groups and archivists.
• Provides advice and guidance to senior management on media reports and public affairs issues to promote the vital interests of the AOC. Edits a wide variety of publications (e.g., public notices, articles, news releases, information bulletins, advisories, fact sheets, employee magazine) including a review of the material for coordination and collaboration with initiating organizations, revision of copy, preparation for publication and proofreading.
• Collaborates across the organization to build strategic relationships. Contributes to the AOC Strategic Planning process by developing and implementing appropriate annual performance objectives that address the goals of the AOC. Provides content for the annual Performance and Accountability Report.
• Responsible for administrative and technical supervision as well as performance evaluation, coaching, mentoring and training of staff. 

Conditions of employment

1. Filing of a Financial Disclosure Report.

2. Successful completion of a background investigation commensurate with the risk and sensitivity level of the position.

3. Successful completion of pre-employment and applicable random drug testing required.

4. Meets qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

To be employed by the Architect of the Capitol in a paid position, an individual must meet one of the categories below:

• A citizen of the United States;
• A person who is lawfully admitted for permanent residence and is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B);
• A person who is admitted as a refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or is granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible;
• A person who owes allegiance to the United States (nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and nationals who meet other requirements described in 8 U.S.C. 1408); or 
• A person who is currently an officer or employee of the Government of the United States.

Qualifications

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. For the Executive Core Qualifications and Technical Qualifications, you are required to submit a narrative response addressing your specific knowledge, skills, and abilities that demonstrate your possession of the qualifications. For more information about the Executive Core Qualifications, please visit this site: http://www.opm.gov/ses/references/GuidetoSESQuals_2010.pdf

Applicants must clearly show possession and demonstrated leadership experience, normally obtained over several years by serving in positions at the GS-15 level or equivalent for each Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) and Professional Technical Qualification (PTQ). Failure to address and meet any of the ECQs and PTQs via the vacancy questionnaire, will eliminate you from further consideration. Review the ECQ competencies guidance and sample resumes in OPM’s Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualification.

Applicants currently serving in a Senior- Rated (SR) appointment (other than a temporary promotion), career Senior Executive Service (SES) appointment or have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program and have been certified by the Office of Personnel Management do not need to address the ECQs, but must address each PTQ.

Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ's): 

ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE: This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.

ECQ 2 - LEADING PEOPLE: This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.

ECQ 3 - RESULTS DRIVEN: This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.

ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.

ECQ 5 - BUILDING COALITIONS: This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.

Professional Technical Qualification (PTQs):

You must also address the PTQs in your resume. Please provide specific examples that address relevant experience and accomplishments.  Examples should detail the level of responsibility, scope and complexity of work performed.

PTQ1: Demonstrated experience leading a legislative affairs program to include liaison with Congressional offices and committees, monitoring legislative and congressional actions, and monitoring and controlling Congressional correspondence.

PTQ2: Demonstrated experience in overseeing and directing the production/publication/distribution of a wide variety of informational material such as reports, training materials, newsletters or brochures, delivered in a variety of media.

How you will be evaluated

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

Review your resume and responses carefully. Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your narrative responses.  

Your resume will be evaluated to determine if you possess the ECQs and PTQs required for this position and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. All applicants must submit online written statements describing accomplishments that would satisfy the ECQs and PTQs. You must address each ECQ separately and are required to respond to all ECQs . All applicants must address the PTQs. 

Your resume and narratives must support your responses to the ECQ competencies.  Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for non-selection or disqualification from further consideration. 

Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the “Required Documents” section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).