What are the responsibilities and job description for the Public Affairs Specialist position at DHS Headquarters?

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of the Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO), Strategic Programs Division (SPD), Communications and Industry Liaison Branch (CILB).

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a Communications and Industry Liaison Specialist and provide accurate, complete, and timely communication and industry engagement for legislative and procurement matters in support of OCPO.

Non-BU : This is a non-bargaining unit position.

This job is open to

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

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

Veterans

Individuals with disabilities

Military spouses

Land and base management

Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.

Clarification from the agency

Status candidates (current or former Federal employees with career or career-conditional tenure in the competitive service), CTAP / ICTAP, VEOA, 30% Disabled Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities, Military Spouses, Land Management, and Interchange Agreement eligibles.

Duties

As a Public Affairs Specialist, GS-1035-13, your typical work assignments may include the following :

Conduct outreach and training sessions with both internal and external audiences to better understand stakeholders' needs as they relate to DHS Procurement or to communicate OCPO priorities, policies, and procedures.

Meet with industry to advise and explain the process of doing business with the Department and serve as a sounding board on matters between industry and DHS acquisition professionals.

Participate in the development, implementation and assessment of the OCPO internal communication and industry engagement strategies, targeting both internal and external audiences. This includes providing oversight, leading implementation, and executing plans that ensures consistency with OCPO's strategic goals, initiatives, procurement policies, and Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) and DHS branding guidelines.

Manage all forms of communication and industry engagement activities (e.g., Website content, Blogs,Vlogs, press releases, resource guides, training materials and sessions, in-person, and hybrid events, etc.). Track, measure, and evaluate the benefit, impact, and effectiveness of those communication methods and maintain the OCPO DHS.gov and DHS Connect webpages.

Prepare and present high-level briefings. Prepare and analyze reports, responses to queries, justifications, and background papers on the technical aspects of areas of expertise and assignment.

All DHS-HQ announcements have a 5 business day open period due to the number of applications received. This announcement will be open for 5 business days OR until the first 100 applications have been received, whichever happens first.

View common definitions of terms found in this announcement : Common Definitions.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.

Males born after 12 / 31 / 1959 must be registered for Selective Service.

You must successfully pass a background investigation.

Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required.

You must submit to a pre-employment drug test.

Current federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements.

You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

You will be required to complete an OGE 450, Confidential Financial Disclosure Form.

Work may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station on commercial aircraft.

Qualifications

APPLICANTS MUST DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY MEET THE SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AS NOTED BELOW.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE

You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in Federal service or equivalent private / public sector experience.

For this position, specialized experience is defined as :

Develop and apply strategic approaches to challenging communications or industry engagement problems of the organization.

Represent an agency on multi-agency task forces or industry-related events involving broadprocurement or organizational issues or initiatives.

Review procurement or contract related documents and ensure compliance with regulatory and procedural guidelines.

Communicate effectively and diplomatically to defend an agency's position in meetings with industry officials or other agencies and organizations.

NOTE : Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

All qualifications and eligibility requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Time-in-grade : Current General Schedule (GS) federal employees, and those that have served in GS positions within the last 52 weeks, must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade, or a combination of the next lower grade level and an equivalent band in the federal service by the closing of this announcement.

Note : Current or former Federal employees MUST submit a copy of their SF-50 Form which shows competitive service appointment ("position occupied" block 34 on the SF-50 should show a "1"), tenure group (block 24 should show a 1 or 2), grade, and salary. If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 Form which shows the length of time you have been in your current / highest grade ( examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, With-in Grade / Range Increases, and SF-50s dated a year apart within the same grade / job ). If you have promotion potential in your current position, please provide proof. Employees applying with an interchange agreement must provide proof of their permanent appointment. IF YOU DO NOT SUBMIT ALL OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE CONSIDERATION AS A STATUS CANDIDATE.

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.

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.

If selection is made at the GS-13 level, promotion to the GS-14 level may occur without further competition.

Education

Not Applicable

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests : If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here :

https : / / help.usastaffing.gov / Apply / index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS 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 or contact the servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Pursuant to Executive Order 12564 and DHS policy, DHS is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and, therefore, conducts random and other drug testing of its employees in order to ensure a safe and healthy work environment. Headquarters personnel in safety- or security-sensitive positions are subject to random drug testing and all applicants tentatively selected for employment at DHS Headquarters are subject to drug testing resulting in a negative test result.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration of Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Background Investigation : To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation for a Moderate Risk Public Trust as a condition of placement in this Non-Sensitive position. This review may include financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and / or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics) : Attention to Detail, Communications and Media, Customer Service, Flexibility, Influencing / Negotiating, Integrity / Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, Self-Management, Strategic Thinking, Stress Tolerance, Teamwork, and Written / Oral Communication

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

If you are the best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. To preview the application questionnaire, click : https : / / apply.usastaffing.gov / ViewQuestionnaire / 12684559

Interviews are required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) : To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must be 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. (Note : Veteran's preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures. View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets.)

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles : If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

Due weight will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards in merit promotion selection decisions in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3).

Overstating your qualifications and / or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Benefits

Review our benefits

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.

Your resume (click the link for information on what to include). If you are a current or former Federal employee, your resume must indicate the GS or pay band level for each position held. Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility / qualifications.

Your responses to the job questionnaire. https : / / apply.usastaffing.gov / ViewQuestionnaire / 12684559

Are you a current or former Federal employee? Submit your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action that demonstrates your eligibility for consideration, e.g., length of time you have been in your current grade; your highest grade held; your current promotion potential and proof of permanent appointment if applying based on an interchange agreement. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include promotions, within-grade increases or accessions.

Are you a veteran? You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility. The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable. If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference." If applying based on eligibility under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. This must indicate your dates of service, your rank, and confirm that you will be separated under honorable conditions. View more veterans' information.

Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)? Submit the following :

A copy of your agency notice,

A copy of your most recent performance rating, and

A copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.

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,

Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

Are you applying under special hiring authorities as a military spouse? Provide a copy of your :

Marriage certificate, and

Your spouse's PCS orders or a completed SF-15 with supporting documentation.

Are you applying under Schedule A hiring authority for persons with severe disabilities? Provide evidence of your intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any Federal agency, state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefit. Information on documentation can be found here.

If you are referred, you may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and / or incentive awards.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11 : 59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows :

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 : 59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.

If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.

Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.

Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.

Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.

Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

To update your application, including supporting documentation : During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application . This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status : Click on this : https : / / www.usajobs.gov / Help / how-to / application / status / . Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English.

Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. The address below is for inquiries only. You may apply more than once, but the most recent application is the only one that will be used.

It is your responsibility to verify that any information entered or uploaded is received and is accurate. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Determining your eligibility and qualifications is dependent on the supporting documentation and information provided, which may impact your referral for further consideration. If a document is not legible, you will not be able to view it in your application.

Applicants must submit all required documentation to properly qualify for this position.

Agency contact information

Tiana Bryant

tiana.bryant@hq.dhs.gov

Address

Department of Homeland Security Headquarters

OCHCO / HRMS / MS #0170

6595 Springfield Center Drive

Springfield, VA 20598-0170

Next steps

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.

To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications.

Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. We expect to make a job offer with 60 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability / security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.

Note : If you receive a final job offer to onboard, please complete the onboarding forms and submit them electronically in an expeditious manner. Your start date may be delayed if the action above is not completed.

DHS uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about e-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Any Offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Personnel Management guidance and U.S. Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

Multiple selections may be made from this announcement.

Fair and Transparent

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

Criminal history inquiries

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability

New employee probationary period

Privacy Act

Reasonable accommodation policy

Selective Service

Signature and false statements

Social security number request

Required Documents