Public Affairs Specialist

at  US Bureau of Reclamation

QUALIFICATIONS

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, the HR Office must be able to determine that you meet the education and/or specialized experience requirement - this information must be clearly supported in the resume.
To qualify at the GS-11, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-09 level in federal service having demonstrated experience but not limited to: Responsible for internal and external communications; community engagement, roll out/updates; planning, orchestrating, facilitating, developing and communicating programs, policies, activities of interest to various outlets; print and broadcast media, digital, social media, business; draft news releases, public notices, social media ideas; leadership speeches, digital and print outreach projects; system administrator for or CISION, newsroom and contact information email system; knowledge of concepts, principles, and practices of a public affairs program and written and oral communication principles, techniques, and analytical methods to perform a wide range of public affairs assignments to develop intercommunication between the agency and a variety of publics.
OR
You could otherwise qualify on the basis of Education having a 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.
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 second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.
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.
You must meet all Eligibility and Qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors if applicable, by 06/20/2023.

EDUCATION

This vacancy announcement allows substituting education for experience at the GS-09 grade level. You must submit a copy of college transcript(s) (unofficial copy is acceptable) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not-qualified for the position.
You will be required to provide official college transcripts to verify educational qualifications, if selected. An official transcript must be sent directly from the University’s Registrar’s office and must be provided from the institution awarding the degree. Academic transcripts certified by notary publics are NOT official. Official transcripts must be submitted prior to reporting to work as a condition of employment. Failure to submit official transcripts may be grounds for dismissal or rescission of the job offer.
Accreditation: Only education from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education is acceptable to meet education requirements or to substitute for experience, if applicable. For additional info, refer to the Office of Personnel Management and U.S. Department of Education.
Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For additional info, refer to the U.S. Network for Education Information.

IF YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR EDUCATION TO MEET QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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.

• How to Apply

Applications (resume, assessment questionnaire, and supporting documentation) for this vacancy MUST be received online BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, DC time) on 06/20/2023. To apply, click the blue APPLY ONLINE button at the top of the page.
Do not submit photographs with the application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - applicant must remove any images from badges, licenses, etc.

IF YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR EDUCATION TO MEET QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
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.
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DUTIES

• Assisting with internal and external communications, community engagement, project, or event amplification, and roll out/updates, as well as internal employee messaging.
• Supports a broad range of public affairs Reclamation work tasks and projects, including those originating within all CGB divisions and area/program offices, by taking on the responsibilities of planning, orchestrating, facilitating, developing, and communicating the organization’s programs, policies, and activities of interest to the public, states and local governments, Native American Tribes, Reclamation contractors, etc.
• Designs, writes drafts and proposes edits on materials meet Reclamation objectives.
• Uses a variety of methods and techniques in achieving communication goals by developing (draft for review) news releases, public notices, social media ideas, leadership speeches, digital and print outreach products, etc.
• Working with Audiovisual Production/Visual Information specialists to provide draft content for video, photos, and animation, feature articles, design exhibits for CGB webpages, conferences, workshops, and community engagement events and/or initiatives.
• Develops, in coordination with management and independently or as part of a team, draft communications plans, talking points, run of shows, agendas, response to media inquiries, and campaigns that clearly highlight and explain Reclamation CGB programs, priorities, and initiatives or special events.
• Plans and coordinates media events, commemorations, and other public occasions.
• Uses a variety of communication tools for notification and to encourage stakeholders and the public to participate.
• Serves as system administrator for the CISION and newsroom and the contact information email system. Assists in developing and maintaining on a regular basis information on the Internet relative to specific area and/or program offices.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide to the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Communications and Media
• Creativity and Innovation
• Technology Management
• Writin