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Public Affairs Specialist

US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Washington, DC

Job Details

Full-time $68,405 - $88,926 a year

Qualifications

Social media management
Writing skills
English
Mid-level
Supervising experience
Content creation
Presentation skills
Securities law
Grammar Experience
Communication skills

Full Job Description

Duties

As a Public Affairs Specialist, some of your typical work assignments may include:

Managing Office's social media accounts and engagement with online communities to build positive relationships and dissemination of key messages. Demonstrating knowledge of the production, consumption, and distribution of information and ideas to inform various audiences (specialists and non-specialists) via written, oral, and visual media.
Applying theories, principles, methods, tools, and techniques in using or applying technology to create traditional and digital deliverables that incorporate text, audio, graphics and images, videos and animations, or other media related to the Office's communication needs.
Identifying distinct audiences and crafts communications materials appropriately to effectively convey Office news and information. Recognizing or using correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; understanding and implementing writing style principles—such as concision, cohesion, coherence, and clarity—to communicate information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in the appropriate genre and in a brief, clear, and organized manner; producing written information, which may include complex and technical content, that is appropriate for the intended audiences.
Collaborating with internal teams to ensure consistent messaging across all communications channels. Demonstrating knowledge of procedures to ensure production or delivery of high quality products and services.
Monitoring media coverage and analyzing public sentiment to gauge the effectiveness of communications efforts. Understanding and keeping up to date on the economic, political, and social trends affecting the organization and is aware of the organization's impact on the external environment.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
A one-year probationary period may be required.
A background investigation is required.
**This is a bargaining unit position.
Generally, male applicants must be registered with the Selective Service.
**If using education to qualify, you must submit transcripts.
Relocation expenses will not be paid.
You may be required to divest certain energy-related securities.

You must meet all eligibility and qualification (experience and/or education) requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

To view the eligibility and qualification requirements of a Public Affairs Specialist, GS-1035, please visit: Public Affairs Specialist, 1035.

You can qualify based on your education OR one full year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-07 level, OR have a combination education and experience. Specialized experience is defined as: experience and skills specifically related to developing content for communication platforms, including social media, and demonstrate experience using applicable tools public affairs and communications content creation.

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 any volunteer experience.

Please do not cut and paste the position description, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume, as this will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

Education

If you are using your education to qualify for this position, transcripts are required. Failure to submit a copy of your transcripts at the time of application will result in your application being marked incomplete and you will not receive further consideration.

Additional information

Our employees ranked FERC as a top 5 mid-size agency in both Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) and Effective Leadership according to the Partnership for Public Service’s Best Places to Work in the Federal Government! In addition, FERC was also ranked #1 in Work-Life Balance and we are proud to offer telework and workplace flexibilities in accordance with agency policy.

The duty location of this position is Washington, DC. Agency employees are eligible for telework and other workplace flexibilities. Telework days and waiting periods for eligibility are determined when an employee enters on duty.

Relocation expenses will not be paid.

If selected for this position, you will be required to:

Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) to determine your suitability for Federal employment.
Have your Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choice.
Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. FERC also participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify). For more information about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify.
Attend a mandatory ethics training. We are governed by the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Standards of Conduct, the criminal conflict of interest statutes, and FERC’s supplemental ethics regulation, which specifically prohibits FERC employees from holding certain energy-related securities. To comply with these regulations and statutes, divestiture of these securities may be required after you begin employment. See 5 C.F.R. 2634-41; 18 U.S.C. 201-208; 5 C.F.R. 3401. If selected, you may also be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of appointment.
Receive authorization from OPM on any job offer you receive, if you are or were (within the last 5 years) a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch.

Benefits

For more information regarding Federal benefits programs, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/benefits

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Once the vacancy announcement closes, we will review your resume and any supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements for the position. Your resume must address the following competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities, and other characteristics):
Communications and Media

Multimedia Technologies

Writing

Customer Service and Operations Support
External Awareness

The online assessment is used to evaluate your relevant education and experience in relation to the required competencies for this position.

If you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements, your application will be further evaluated based on your answers to the vacancy questionnaire, using the Category Rating Method. This means you will be placed into one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified, depending on your responses. Your rating may be lowered if your responses are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your resume. Veterans’ preference is applied by listing preference eligibles ahead of non-preference eligibles within the same category in which they are placed. Qualified preference eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent (CPS and CP) will be placed at the top of the highest quality category (Best Qualified), ahead of all other preference and non-preference eligibles, regardless of the quality category in which they are placed as a result of the assessment of their qualifications (excepted for scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level and above). A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Qualified), provided no preference eligibles in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible.

You may be required to participate in a selection interview. Please note - only your resume and cover letter will be forwarded to the selecting official.

You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Benefits

For more information regarding Federal benefits programs, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/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.

If you do not provide all required documents by the closing date of this vacancy announcement, you will not be considered for this position or receive special consideration/hiring preference (e.g. veterans’ preference, ICTAP/CTAP eligibility, etc.).

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR ALL CANDIDATES:
- RESUME: Your resume should describe your specialized experience and support your answers to the vacancy announcement questionnaire. You must ensure it contains the following information for each experience/position:
  - Position title
  - Name of employer
  - Beginning and ending dates of employment (Month/Day/Year format)
  - Hours worked per week
  - Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
  - Series and grade or equivalent (for federal positions)
  - If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying based on your education, you must list your education history, including the type of degree and your major of study.
- VACANCY QUESTIONNAIRE: You must submit and complete the online eligibility and vacancy questions.
- TRANSCRIPTS (only required when the position has an education requirement, or you are qualifying for the position based on your education): You MUST submit copies of your college transcripts to verify your education. Unofficial copies are acceptable; however, if selected you will be required to provide official transcripts before your effective date.
OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS TO SUPPORT PREFERENCE OR ELIGIBILITY CLAIMS:
- VETERANS’PREFERENCE (DD-214, VA Disability Letter, etc.): If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an “Application for 10-point Veteran Preference” (SF-15), along with official VA letter and the required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form. For more information about veterans' preference, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Veterans.
- CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CTAP)/INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated “Well Qualified” for the position; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information about CTAP/ICTAP, visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. The following documents are required:
  - Reduction in Force or RIF notice – written notice of your expected separation, or other documentation of priority consideration status;
  - Latest SF-50 noting your current position, grade level, and duty location;
  - Last performance appraisal, including your rating; and
  - Any documentation from your agency showing your current promotion potential.

How to Apply
The FERC Careers site provides detailed instructions on how to apply to our vacancies. For more information visit: https://www.ferc.gov/about/careers/job-searchapply

Here are a few additional tips:
- When applying to a FERC vacancy announcement, please remember you must complete and submit your entire application (including your resume, vacancy questionnaire, and any applicable supporting documentation) no later than 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET) on the vacancy closing date. Please note, it may take you longer to apply to some vacancy announcements than others. Starting your application late on the evening the vacancy closes is not recommended because you might not have enough time to ensure your application is successfully submitted and received.
- When the specialized experience statement in the vacancy announcement requires experience presenting information to a large audience, your resume should include speeches or presentations you've given.
- Make sure you verify that your resume clearly indicates possession of the competencies and specialized experience listed under the “Qualifications and Evaluations” and “How You Will Be Evaluated” sections of this announcement.
- Remember to submit all required and supporting documentation listed under the “Required Documents” section of this announcement.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
FERC provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact [email protected] no later than 11:59 pm ET on the vacancy closing date. The decision to grant a reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

For more information on telework, click the following link: USAJOBS Help Center | What is telework?

For more information on remote work, click the following link: USAJOBS Help Center | What is a remote job?
Agency contact information

Anita Collier
Phone

202-502-6709
Fax

000-000-0000

Email

[email protected]
Address

FERC
888 First Street, NE
Washington, District of Columbia 20426
United States

Next steps

Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your ranking. You will be notified of the status of your application up to four times throughout the application process, via your USAJOBS dashboard. To verify the status of your application, both during and after the announcement open period, log on to your USAJOBS account. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an option to “Track this application.” Your “Applicant status” will also appear along with the dates you applied to this position and when your application was last updated. To learn more about your specific job status and how this helps you track jobs and applications visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status

Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement.

More than one selection for similar positions may be made from this announcement and the program office for that selection may vary. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s).

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

If you do not provide all required documents by the closing date of this vacancy announcement, you will not be considered for this position or receive special consideration/hiring preference (e.g. veterans’ preference, ICTAP/CTAP eligibility, etc.).

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR ALL CANDIDATES:

RESUME: Your resume should describe your specialized experience and support your answers to the vacancy announcement questionnaire. You must ensure it contains the following information for each experience/position:
- Position title
- Name of employer
- Beginning and ending dates of employment (Month/Day/Year format)
- Hours worked per week
- Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
- Series and grade or equivalent (for federal positions)
- If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying based on your education, you must list your education history, including the type of degree and your major of study.

VACANCY QUESTIONNAIRE: You must submit and complete the online eligibility and vacancy questions.

TRANSCRIPTS (only required when the position has an education requirement, or you are qualifying for the position based on your education): You MUST submit copies of your college transcripts to verify your education. Unofficial copies are acceptable; however, if selected you will be required to provide official transcripts before your effective date.

OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS TO SUPPORT PREFERENCE OR ELIGIBILITY CLAIMS:

VETERANS’PREFERENCE (DD-214, VA Disability Letter, etc.): If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an “Application for 10-point Veteran Preference” (SF-15), along with official VA letter and the required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form. For more information about veterans' preference, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Veterans.

CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CTAP)/INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated “Well Qualified” for the position; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information about CTAP/ICTAP, visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. The following documents are required:
- Reduction in Force or RIF notice – written notice of your expected separation, or other documentation of priority consideration status;
- Latest SF-50 noting your current position, grade level, and duty location;
- Last performance appraisal, including your rating; and
- Any documentation from your agency showing your current promotion potential.

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Duties

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Qualifications

Education

Additional information

How You Will Be Evaluated

Agency contact information

Next steps

Required Documents

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