Skip to main content
U.S. flag
Back to results

Public Affairs Specialist

Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

These positions are located at Forest Service Offices across the Intermountain Region, Region 4.

Serves as a Public Affairs Specialist performing a wide variety of activities in planning and implementing a comprehensive public affairs program.

Applications will expire in 90 days. To remain in consideration, you must resubmit your application.

Overview

Help
Job canceled
Open & closing dates
08/31/2023 to 02/29/2024
Salary
$69,107 to - $82,830 per year

Salary wage as shown is for Rest of the U.S. For more information, refer to the Office of Personnel Management, Salary and Wages web page.

Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Location
Many vacancies in the following location:
Location Negotiable After Selection,
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position for meetings, trainings, and/or site visits.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—Relocation expenses may be reimbursed at the discretion of management in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
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
23-R4OCR-1035-11-12-DP
Control number
746367100

Videos

Duties

Help
  • The responsibilities below are listed at the full performance level.
  • Develop and/or implement the public affairs communication plans and program strategies in order to address critical and complex public issues.
  • Represent the agency in meetings and discussions involving groups and organizations that oppose agency policies.
  • Develop new ways of gathering input from groups with conflicting views in order to initiate new approaches in communicating the agency?s objectives.
  • Provide input into the long-range planning and/or coordination of the overall Public Affairs program for the organization.
  • Coordinate the communications campaigns needed to address critical public affairs issues.
  • Narrate agency policies and/or programs with the region regarding social, economic and political trends.
  • Create written Public Affairs Campaigns for elected officials in order to explain agency service programs.
  • Monitor and/or evaluate how effectively information has been communicated to employees in order to improve employee productivity and morale.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, visit the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards.

Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary

Specialized Experience Requirement:
GS-11: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is two or more of the following: Responding in oral and written form, to requests for information by determining the nature of the data required and collecting and assembling the material using the appropriate format and style based on needs and organization practices; assisting in evaluation and analysis of public comments on management issues; identifying areas to be addressed, characteristics and needs of the target audience, and communication techniques most appropriate; developing recommended approaches and drafting material for supervisor's approval; and developing and presenting informational audio-visual material using new technologies and social media.
OR
Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree
OR
3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree
OR
LL.M., if related

GS-12:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is two or more of the following: Established and maintained effective working relationships at multiple levels within an organization to develop and disseminate coordinated messages that accurately address organizational programs; Prepared written materials to promote the organizational position on a variety of sensitive, controversial and/or complex issues; Designed and tailored meetings and public involvement strategies to audiences that involved a degree of controversy.

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.

Education

See "Qualification" section above for education that may be qualifying.

Additional information

Duty Location: LOCATION NEGOTIABLE AFTER SELECTION: Multiple positions (or one) will be filled across the Region at a Forest Service Office. Final determination of duty locations will be determined by the selecting officials at the time of the job offer. To see where these Forest Service Offices are located click Region 4 - Forest & Grassland Offices (usda.gov). We encourage applicants to select Forest Service Locations if willing to consider multiple geographical locations, in addition to selecting specific duty locations they wish to be considered for.

The USDA Forest Service has legislative authority to recruit and fill Permanent (Career/Career-Conditional), Temporary, and Term Appointments under the USDA Demonstration Project. Under this authority, any U.S. citizen may apply.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must meet the agency's definition for a quality candidate as provided in the How You Will Be Evaluated section of this announcement to be considered.

If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is not guaranteed.

This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.

The Forest Service may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities, currently offered by the Federal government, to attract highly qualified candidates. Additional information is available at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-and-leave-flexibilities-for-recruitment-and-retention/

This is a non-bargaining unit position.
THIS IS AN OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. This type of announcement provides the Forest Service with a readily available source of applicants when vacancies occur. Eligibility and qualifications will be verified when there is a vacancy for the location and grade for which you applied. Information on specific locations where jobs are being filled and the dates when applications are due for these locations can be found at https://fsoutreach.gdcii.com/Outreach.

Selectee will be responsible for tax obligations related to payments for moving expenses - 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act, Public Law 115-97. Questions should be directed to the Travel Help Desk, 877-372-7248, Option 1, or email SM.FS.asc_tos@usda.gov

We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.

How you will be evaluated

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

You will be evaluated in accordance with the category rating procedure as defined in the USDA Demonstration Project Plan. Applicants who meet the basic minimum qualification requirements established for the position will be placed in the Eligible category. You will be further evaluated against criteria for placement in the Quality category. This evaluation is based on the level of your experience, education, and/or training as determined by your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire. Individuals with veterans' preference are listed ahead of applicants who do not have veterans' preference within each category.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12109101

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.