This position provides leadership for a comprehensive public affairs program by communicating the unit's programs and policies to the public. See "Education" section for contact information.

Duties

Responsibilities listed are at the full performance level. Position supervises 20% or less of the time. Provide leadership for planning, designing, and executing a comprehensive public affairs program for communicating the organization?s programs, policies, and activities to the surrounding public. Serve as the sole official spokesperson and primary contact for local and national media that require immediate responsiveness. Direct public affairs support for all natural resource program areas to include community relations, media operations and facilitations, information strategies, and liaison between organizations and government/tribal officials. Maintain knowledge of the most current effective communication methods and techniques to carry out duties of the position and provide training for others as needed. Develop communication plans during emergency events such as road closures, evacuations, fatalities, etc. Respond to media queries, to include issues of a sensitive nature or that may be subject to misunderstanding if not properly explained, or that may draw adverse public attention. Maintain effective working relationships with representatives of government members of Congress, civic organizations, government organizations, and with representatives of the media and special interest groups. Coordinate with appropriate personnel prior to contacting and releasing information to representatives of news media on conditions that might result in favorable or unfavorable public reaction. Identify and analyze communication needs, concerns, and attitudes of various publics as they relate to natural resource and environmental programs and policies. Provide input into the long-range planning, development, and coordination of the overall Public Affairs program for the Unit.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered 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.gov

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-12: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as two or more of the following: Established and maintained effective working relationships at multiple levels within an organization in order to develop and disseminate coordinated messages that accurately address organizational programs; and/or prepared written materials to promote the organization's position on a variety of sensitive, controversial and/or complex issues; and/or designed and tailored meetings and public involvement strategies to audiences that involved a degree of controversy. GS-13: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level. Specialized experience is defined as two or more of the following: Evaluated the effectiveness of a public affairs and/or communications program, contributing to long-range plans and developed new methods and techniques in communicating with an organization's various publics and groups; and/or researched complex natural resource programs and developed communication materials using various tools and techniques, such as press releases, Opinion Editorials, multimedia and social media; and/or researched and analyzed controversial programs, assessed public reaction and developed appropriate communication strategies, information materials, campaigns, and programs. 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. TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENT: If you are a current federal employee in the General Schedule (GS) pay plan and applying for a promotion opportunity, you must meet time-in-grade (TIG) requirements of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. This requirement must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

There is no education requirement for this position.

Location Information

All positions are Target Grade GS-13:

Hot Springs or Russellville, AR - Robin Wall at [email protected]
Golden Pond, KY - James Thweatt, [email protected]
Gainesville, GA - Danielle Monroe at [email protected]
Asheville, NC - Cavan Fitzsimmons at [email protected]

Contacts

• Address USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center DO NOT MAIL IN APPLICATIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT. Albuquerque, NM 87109 US
• Name: HRM Contact Center
• Phone: 1-877-372-7248 X2
• Email: [email protected]