Public Affairs Specialist

Full Time
Boulder, CO
Posted
Job description

Duties

This position is located within the Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), FirstNet Authority, Office of the Chief Executive Officer (OCEO). The incumbent serves as a Public Affairs Specialist, supporting the development and implementation of public affairs programs and communications projects - audio, visual, and written - to enhance awareness among public safety agencies, associations, and organizations and the public about FirstNet Authority programs, activities, policies, and accomplishments.

At the full performance level ZA-4 the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Manages the organization's social media efforts across multiple platforms, including planning, developing, reviewing, and disseminating multimedia content.
2. Writes, edits, and develops communications products - such as articles, blogs, podcasts, videos, guidance documents, fact sheets, reports, talking points, and press releases - to increase awareness and educate stakeholders about FirstNet and the FirstNet Authority.
3. Manages the collection and analysis of social media metrics to inform content development and messaging.
4. Researches new and innovative tools, programs, systems, software, services, and social media industry trends to maintain the FirstNet Authority's relevancy and strategies and better publicize the FirstNet Authority's mission, programs, and initiatives.
5. Works with FirstNet Authority staff and stakeholders to build relationships, conduct interviews, coordinate messaging themes, and develop high-quality materials.
6. Coordinates with contractor staff in planning and executing communications projects and activities. Establishes timelines; identifies and balances different priorities; manages resources and risks; provides feedback and status updates; and ensures that standards are maintained and products are well-documented.

The FirstNet Authority has determined that the duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Salary Information
Boulder, CO
ZA-III: $76,551- $119,280 per annum
ZA-IV: $109,107 - $167,608 per annum

Reston, VA
ZA-III: $78,592 - $122,459 per annum
ZA-IV: $112,015 - $172,075 per annum

This vacancy may be used to fill additional positions as vacancies become available.

This vacancy is also announced as FNA-OCEO-23-OC-021 (MP)for those applicants who wish to apply and be considered under Merit Promotion procedures.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen.
  • You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation/determination.
  • You will be required to have federal payments made by Direct Deposit.
  • You must submit ALL required documents and a completed questionnaire.
  • Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service system, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/.
  • Financial Disclosure: If you are hired, you may be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) within 30 days after appointment.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

ZA-III
To qualify for the ZA-III, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the ZA-II or GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:

1) Developing written communications products such as articles, blogs, or press releases regarding public safety communications.

2) Developing content for social media accounts across multiple platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn with the goal of educating stakeholders on public safety communications topics/issues.

3) Serving as organizational liaison communicating with staff, contractors, or stakeholders to convey feedback, provide status updates, discuss timelines, or coordinate planning or delivery of projects.

Must meet all three

-OR-

Education: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or an LL.M., if related. The education must provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the work of this position.

-OR-

Combination: An appropriate combination of experience and education: Only education in excess of the first two years of progressively higher level graduate education toward a Ph.D. or the equivalent doctorate degree may be used toward this combination (example: 2.5 years in a Ph.D. program (50%) plus 6 months of specialized experience (50%)=100%).

ZA- IV
To qualify for the ZA-IV, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the ZA-III or GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience:

1) Developing written communications products such as articles, blogs, or press releases regarding public safety communications.

2) Managing content for social media accounts across multiple platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn with the goal of educating stakeholders on public safety communications topics/issues.

3) Serving as organizational liaison communicating with staff, contractors, or stakeholders to convey feedback, provide status updates, discuss timelines, or coordinate planning or delivery of communication projects.

4) Collecting and analyzing social media data/metrics to inform content development and messaging.

5) Developing multimedia communications products such as podcasts, videos, or graphics pertaining to public safety communications.

Must meet all five.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

Education

Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.

Foreign Education: Education completed in colleges or universities outside the United States may be used to meet the specific educational requirements as stated above. You must provide acceptable documentation that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4

Additional information

Promotion Potential: When promotion potential is shown, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

The Department of Commerce provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Human Resources Office. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis. TTY users can contact the Human Resources Office via the Federal Relay Service, 1-800-877-8339.

Salary: Commerce Alternative Personnel System (CAPS) pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages. The salary range indicated in this announcement will be adjusted for selected duty location.

The following incentives may be offered to selected candidate(s) at the discretion of the hiring manager: Recruitment and relocation incentives; student loan repayment; and leave credit for non-Federal service.


  • Benefits

    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.

    Review our 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.

Once the application process is complete, we will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume, supporting documentation and responses to the online questionnaire will be made. Your responses to the online assessment will be used to measure the degree to which your background matches the requirements for this position. You are being evaluated under the Category Rating method, which means, if you are determined to be qualified you will be placed in one of three pre-defined categories. These categories are "Gold", "Silver", and "Bronze". Categories: Gold- 90, Silver-80, Bronze- 70. However, your resume must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "Gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. Veterans' preference rules for category rating will be applied.

Your answers to the on-line assessment will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas:

Communications and Media- Knowledge of the production, communication and dissemination of information and ideas to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

If you are a status applicant (current career or career-conditional Federal employee or former permanent Federal employee with reinstatement eligibility in the competitive service), or are eligible under a special appointing authority and you are selected under this vacancy, you may be subject to serving a new one-year probationary period.

To preview the assessment questionnaire click: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11879103

  • Benefits

    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.

    Review our 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.

  • Required Documents

    As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

    To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

    1. Your resume showing a detailed description of your job-related qualifications that includes beginning and ending dates with the month and year and hours worked per week (if less than 40) for each paid and non-paid work experience job title listed.

    2. Other supporting documents (only submit if applicable to you):

    • Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) or a list of coursework with hours completed.
    • Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP/CTAP)? If so, submit:
      • A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate, notice of disability annuity termination, or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
      • A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action'', documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;
      • A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
      • Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
    • Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
      • Position title;
      • Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
      • Agency; and
      • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

    Career Transition Assistance Program: This program applies to Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed, or employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet eligibility criteria for CTAP or ICTAP; 2) will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Well-Qualified includes those applicants whose knowledge, skills, and abilities clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. For information on eligibility criteria and required documentation, go to: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp

    You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application.

    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

    Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 03/28/2023.

    PLEASE NOTE: If your materials are not received by the closing date, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. Also, if you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application. The application process is as follows:

    • To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
    • Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
    • Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
    • Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.

    To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

    To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

    Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the Department of Commerce mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above.

    Note: One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy announcement. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for Department of Commerce and the First Responder Network Authority to share your application with others in DOC/FirstNet for similar positions.

    The following incentives may be offered to selected candidate(s) at the discretion of the hiring manager: Recruitment and relocation incentives; student loan repayment; and leave credit for non-Federal service.

    Agency contact information

    Odisa Carvajal

    Phone

    703-787-1517

    Email

    odisa.carvajal@bsee.gov

    Address

    First Responder Network Authority
    12201 Sunrise Valley Dr.
    Reston, VA 20192
    US

    Next steps

    You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJobs account. You will receive an acknowledgment from USAJobs that your submission was successful, once we have received your on-line assessment questionnaire, resume and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJobs account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background checks, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the FirstNet Human Resources Office.

    A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work with the FirstNet Authority. The preliminary background check consists of a search of Office of Personnel Management and Department of Defense background investigation files and an FBI National Criminal History Fingerprint Check; it may take up to 3 weeks to complete. If selected for this position, you will be extended a tentative offer of employment pending a satisfactory background check. Current Federal employees or individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check; these will be handled on a case-by-case basis in coordination with the personnel security office.

  • Fair and Transparent

    The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

    • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
    • Reasonable accommodation policy
    • Financial suitability
    • Selective Service
    • New employee probationary period
    • Signature and false statements
    • Privacy Act
    • Social security number request

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your resume showing a detailed description of your job-related qualifications that includes beginning and ending dates with the month and year and hours worked per week (if less than 40) for each paid and non-paid work experience job title listed.

2. Other supporting documents (only submit if applicable to you):

  • Are you qualifying based on education? Submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) or a list of coursework with hours completed.
  • Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP/CTAP)? If so, submit:
    • A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate, notice of disability annuity termination, or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
    • A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action'', documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;
    • A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
    • Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
  • Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
    • Position title;
    • Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
    • Agency; and
    • Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

Career Transition Assistance Program: This program applies to Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed, or employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet eligibility criteria for CTAP or ICTAP; 2) will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Well-Qualified includes those applicants whose knowledge, skills, and abilities clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position. For information on eligibility criteria and required documentation, go to: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp

You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application.

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.


Help

This job is open to

  • Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

    Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

  • The public

    U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens

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