The USPS OIG is seeking a highly qualified applicant to fill our Government Relations Specialist position in the Office of General Counsel located in Arlington, VA. As a member of the OIG's Government Relations team, you will be responsible for informing and educating Congress and key stakeholders about the critical oversight activities performed by the USPS OIG under the Inspector General Act. Bring your skills and voice to our team!
Summary
The USPS OIG is seeking a highly qualified applicant to fill our Government Relations Specialist position in the Office of General Counsel located in Arlington, VA. As a member of the OIG's Government Relations team, you will be responsible for informing and educating Congress and key stakeholders about the critical oversight activities performed by the USPS OIG under the Inspector General Act. Bring your skills and voice to our team!
All U.S. Citizens - Current Career United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Service and United States Postal Inspection Service, and Postal Regulatory Commission Employees will not be considered or selected from this vacancy announcement.
The Government Relations team maintains and cultivates key relationships with Congress, oversight committees, postal labor unions, management associations and industry stakeholders. Through proactive outreach and engagement, the team promotes the OIG's work, strengthens stakeholder relationships, and advances the OIG's legislative and public policy priorities.
Candidates will be evaluated on the skills that they possess that are directly related to the duties of the position and the experience, education and training that indicate the applicant's ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position. Only those candidates who meet all qualification and eligibility requirements and who submit the required information by 11:59 PM EST on 07/09/2026 will be considered.
The USPS OIG uses a Pay Banding system, which is equivalent to the Federal GS scale. Grade and salary determinations will be made based upon a candidate's education and professional experience.
This position is being advertised at the Specialist Band level, equivalent to a GS-14. The salary range for this position is $143,913.00 - $187,093.00. The salary figures include locality pay.
Please note that the duties and responsibilities associated with this position may vary based upon the agency's needs at the time of hire. The following description of major duties and responsibilities is only intended to give applicants a general overview of the expectations.
Advise the OIG's executive leadership team on matters of congressional and stakeholder interest, including engagement strategies and issue management.
Manage, facilitate and respond to information requests from Congress and external stakeholders in written and oral form, often requiring detailed explanations on the organization's activities or performance in a particular situation.
Prepare clear, concise, and persuasive written materials for Congress and other key stakeholders, demonstrating strong writing and communication skills.
Develop and maintain relationships with congressional offices and other external partners to promote the exchange of information related to the OIG's mission.
Work closely with senior leadership of all components of the OIG to keep stakeholders informed and communicate the results of our oversight work.
Formulate, recommend, and implement policies, programs, and processes to strengthen the OIG's government relations team.
Research, monitor and track legislation and other congressional activities of interest, and prepare internal reports and periodic updates for OIG executives and staff.
Stay current on developments in the broader stakeholder community, attending external events, and keeping management informed of emerging issues, trends, and news.
Must be able to obtain and maintain Moderate Background Investigation security clearance.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a government-issued credit card
May be required to successfully complete a 12-month probationary period
Qualifications
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
You must meet ALL of the minimum qualifications listed below.
At least four (4) years of specialized experience working for a Member of Congress or a congressional committee, or as a government relations professional.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of the federal budget and appropriations process.
Knowledge of the Postal Service and Inspector General authorities.
Team-oriented with ability to meet competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Demonstrated proficiency with technology such as Microsoft Office, Teams, Apps, Excel and SharePoint.
EVALUATION FACTORS
You must have the experience, knowledge and skills as listed in EACH of the evaluation factors. Failure to demonstrate that you meet all of the evaluation factor requirements as listed below will result in a score of zero (0); an ineligible status, and you will not be referred for further consideration. Include your major accomplishments relevant to the position requirements in your resume.
Expertise in the legislative process and Congress.
Experience interacting with members of Congress and their staff.
Demonstrated strong oral and written communication skills, including experience providing briefings or presentations to management officials, executives, and/or agency leadership.
Demonstrated ability to serve as a subject matter expert and convey complex information to the agency's management officials on high visibility projects.
You will no longer be considered for this position if you: fail to respond to all of the questions in the self-assessment questionnaire; fail to address a factor in the narrative section (no response or "See resume" or similar language will be scored a zero (0)); or receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor.
Failure to demonstrate that you meet all evaluation factor requirements will result in a score of zero (0). Upon receipt of a zero score, you will be deemed "not minimally qualified," and you will not be referred for further consideration.
Special Instructions for Candidates with Foreign Education:
Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in U.S. education programs. You must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. credential evaluation service to interpret equivalency of your education against courses given in U.S. accredited colleges and universities.
Pay is only part of the compensation you will earn working for the USPS OIG. We offer a broad array of benefits programs:
As a result of the passage of the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 (PSRA), USPS employees (including USPS OIG) and retirees will transition from the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program to the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program effective January 1, 2025. Detailed information about eligibility and enrollment will be provided upon hiring. For more information, visit the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program website at https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/pshb/.
Flexible Work Schedules. USPS OIG offers a range of family-friendly flexibilities including flexible work schedules, telework and employee assistance programs.
Leave and Holidays. In addition to eleven (11) paid holidays each year, you will earn thirteen (13) days of paid sick leave and thirteen (13) to twenty-six (26) paid vacation days each year depending on your years of service.
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Status: Exempt (Nonexempt employees are entitled to overtime pay; Exempt employees are not).
This agency provides Reasonable Accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you require accommodations for any part of the application and/or hiring process, please send an email to jobs@uspsoig.gov. The decision on granting an accommodation request will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
The Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications required for this position.
You will no longer be considered for this position if you:
Receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor
Fail to attach all required documentation
Submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit
If your application materials indicate that you are not minimally-qualified for this position
If you fail to qualify on the interview
Only the top-rated candidates will be referred to a review official or the selecting official for further consideration. Top-rated applicants may be required to participate in an interview. Your rating may be further adjusted or rated as ineligible by the review official or the selecting official based on your interview performance. Once all applicant scores are finalized, the selecting official will make a final decision. NOTE: If you receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor or on the interview, you will be considered NOT MINIMALLY QUALIFIED for the position and rated ineligible.
Applicants for this position may be interviewed one or more times as part of the hiring process. During interviews, applicants may not use any AI tool or virtual assistant (such as ChatGPT) to help them answer questions, except for accessibility tools used as part of a reasonable accommodation. Applicants who fail to follow these rules will be disqualified from the 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.
You must submit all required documents by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date of this announcement, Vacancy Announcement EX-26-123B-12993200-PC, by closing date 07/09/2026.
1. RESUME - IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. You will no longer be considered for this announcement if your resume exceeds the two-page limit. It is essential that your resume and supporting documentation provide sufficient information to substantiate your qualifications for the announced position (categorize as "Resume"). Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?
Make sure your page margins are 0.5 inches. The recommended font styles are Sans-Serif, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans, Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noto Sans. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.
2. COMPLETE OCCUPATIONAL QUESTIONNAIRE. Click the "Apply Online" button and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire. (Required: You must click on "Submit My Answers" button at the end of the Questionnaire to complete this process)
3. COVER LETTER. A letter, of no more than 1-2 pages, expressing your interest in the position and relevant qualifications. (Required. Upload and save as "Cover Letter" document.)
4. WRITING SAMPLES. Upload writing sample relevant to this announcement, such as summaries of stakeholder activity or responses to stakeholder inquiries. (Required. Upload and save as "Writing Sample" document.)
5. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL dated within the last 15 months. This is required from all applicants including Federal, USPS, OIG, and private sector employees. If a PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL is not available, you must submit a separate statement with the reason a performance appraisal is not available. (Required. Upload and save as "Performance Appraisal" document.) NOTE: An SF-50 IS NOT acceptable as a performance appraisal.
6. UPLOAD SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS which may include:
Certificates or Licenses, if applicable. Upload and save as "Certificate" or "License" document.
Veterans Preference Documentation. If you are claiming veterans' preference. You must submit the Member 4 copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, and/or other proof of veterans' preference eligibility, including your VA letter, SF-15 (https://www.opm.gov/forms/standard-forms/), and all required documents related to your SF15 claim. Veterans can request the Member 4 copy of their DD-214 at archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records and can download a copy of their VA letter from Download VA Benefit Letters | Veterans Affairs. If applicable, you are required to submit each veterans' preference document in the application packages. Please name these files as "DD-214" or "SF-15" or "Other Veterans Document."
SF-50 if you are or have been a Federal employee to demonstrate tenure and competitive/excepted service for eligibility purposes. (If applicable to you, you are Required to upload each applicable SF-50 and categorize as a "SF-50" document.)
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 this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. You will no longer be considered for this announcement if your resume exceeds the two-page limit.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date, 07/09/2026, to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents.
You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
You are strongly urged to read and print the entire vacancy announcement.
OGC - Office of General Counsel
1735 N. Lynn Street
Arlington, VA 22209
US
Next steps
Once the Occupational Questionnaire has been received you will receive an acknowledgement e-mail that your submission was successful. After a review of your application package has been completed, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the Selecting Official.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
You must submit all required documents by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date of this announcement, Vacancy Announcement EX-26-123B-12993200-PC, by closing date 07/09/2026.
1. RESUME - IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. You will no longer be considered for this announcement if your resume exceeds the two-page limit. It is essential that your resume and supporting documentation provide sufficient information to substantiate your qualifications for the announced position (categorize as "Resume"). Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?
Make sure your page margins are 0.5 inches. The recommended font styles are Sans-Serif, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans, Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noto Sans. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.
2. COMPLETE OCCUPATIONAL QUESTIONNAIRE. Click the "Apply Online" button and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire. (Required: You must click on "Submit My Answers" button at the end of the Questionnaire to complete this process)
3. COVER LETTER. A letter, of no more than 1-2 pages, expressing your interest in the position and relevant qualifications. (Required. Upload and save as "Cover Letter" document.)
4. WRITING SAMPLES. Upload writing sample relevant to this announcement, such as summaries of stakeholder activity or responses to stakeholder inquiries. (Required. Upload and save as "Writing Sample" document.)
5. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL dated within the last 15 months. This is required from all applicants including Federal, USPS, OIG, and private sector employees. If a PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL is not available, you must submit a separate statement with the reason a performance appraisal is not available. (Required. Upload and save as "Performance Appraisal" document.) NOTE: An SF-50 IS NOT acceptable as a performance appraisal.
6. UPLOAD SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS which may include:
Certificates or Licenses, if applicable. Upload and save as "Certificate" or "License" document.
Veterans Preference Documentation. If you are claiming veterans' preference. You must submit the Member 4 copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, and/or other proof of veterans' preference eligibility, including your VA letter, SF-15 (https://www.opm.gov/forms/standard-forms/), and all required documents related to your SF15 claim. Veterans can request the Member 4 copy of their DD-214 at archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records and can download a copy of their VA letter from Download VA Benefit Letters | Veterans Affairs. If applicable, you are required to submit each veterans' preference document in the application packages. Please name these files as "DD-214" or "SF-15" or "Other Veterans Document."
SF-50 if you are or have been a Federal employee to demonstrate tenure and competitive/excepted service for eligibility purposes. (If applicable to you, you are Required to upload each applicable SF-50 and categorize as a "SF-50" document.)
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 this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. You will no longer be considered for this announcement if your resume exceeds the two-page limit.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date, 07/09/2026, to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents.
You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
You are strongly urged to read and print the entire vacancy announcement.
OGC - Office of General Counsel
1735 N. Lynn Street
Arlington, VA 22209
US
Next steps
Once the Occupational Questionnaire has been received you will receive an acknowledgement e-mail that your submission was successful. After a review of your application package has been completed, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the Selecting Official.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
