This position is located in the Office of External Relations of the U.S. International Trade Commission. We are seeking a candidate who has a strong public affairs background and is detail-oriented, collaborative and has strong writing skills.

Duties

This position is in the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC or Commission), Office of External Relations. The mission of the Office of External Relations is to develop and maintain an effective liaison program between the USITC and its varied external customers and manage the public information activities for the agency. The office is the focal point for contacts with the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and other executive branch agencies, Congress, foreign governments, international organizations, the public, and the international, national, and local news media. The incumbent oversees the Commission's public affairs program. Accomplishes wide-ranging and special projects and initiatives related to public affairs and external communications with primary responsibility of researching, planning, executing, and evaluating complex public affairs operations, programs, policies, and strategies of significant importance and which affect functional areas and multiple organizational levels. Serves as the primary media spokesperson for the Commission. Prepares news releases, public information/education materials, web content, and other informational materials pertaining to the Commission, Commissioners, personnel (when appropriate), and Commission determinations and activities. Publicizes Commission public hearings and performs public affairs activities in conjunction with out-of-town hearings, roundtables, and meetings by the Commissioners and senior staff. Investigates new communication tools and recommends how and whether Commission should use them, including working with attorneys, information technology team, and contracting officials to manage legal, operational, and procurement issues. Develops new methods for analytical work and leverages media tools to analyze media exposure and coverage trends of Commission proceedings, determinations, and reports. Monitors news media coverage of Commission activities and personalities and manages the distribution of daily news clips to Commissioners and senior staff. Manages Commission official portraiture and photography of key events and activities. Gathers and synthesizes information and produces informational materials concerning departmental policies, programs, and activities for dissemination to the news media, as appropriate. Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with all media, both foreign and domestic, and develop and disseminate informational materials to pertinent publics through the media. Provides information to the public and assists them in their understanding of and participation in proceedings before the Commission. Produces Commission materials and public information sheets for publication to the Commission website and manages distribution on request. Serves as a liaison with and responds to inquiries from news media (international, national, and local), stakeholders, and other U.S. Government agencies' public affairs offices that have an international trade mandate. Assists public and stakeholders with questions regarding the organization's mission and operations; serves as the Office of External Relations POC/Liaison for various systems, programs and units; and performs the role of quality assurance manager, as needed. Participates as the Office of External Relations' representative on the Information Technology Committee, as well as other Commission working groups related to information technology and public information platform development. Counsels and provides training and guidance to Commissioners, senior management, and staff on public and media relations matters.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen or national.
• You will be required to successfully complete a background investigation.
• You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
• You are required to register for Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/03/1959.
• You may be required to submit a Financial Disclosure Statement.
• You must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.

Qualifications

You must meet all the requirements below by the closing date of the announcement and they must be clearly identified in your application, resume, or supporting documents. This includes any general and specialized experience, education, and/or selective placement factors mentioned. These are used to determine if you possess the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities to successfully perform in this position. To qualify at the GS-14 level, you must have one-year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 obtained in the federal or private sector which demonstrates all of the following: Assisting in the implementation of communications strategies and outreach initiatives to effectively convey complex information on critical issues; AND Establishing and maintaining productive relationships with national or international media representatives; AND Assisting in development of innovative methods and plans to disseminate information about agency programs, while evaluating the effectiveness of various communication methods (i.e., web, social media, streaming/video, etc.); AND Independently preparing press materials and informational materials for distribution to news media and to the public, including news releases, publications, web and digital content, reports, brochures, presentations, announcements, speeches, visual data products and other informational content on matters specific to an organizations mission. To qualify at the GS-15 level, you must have one-year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 obtained in the federal or private sector which demonstrates all of the following: Providing leadership in the development and implementation of communications strategies and outreach initiatives to effectively convey complex information on critical significant issues; AND Establish and maintaining productive relationships with national or international media representatives; AND Developing innovative methods and plans to disseminate information about agency programs, while evaluating the effectiveness of various communication methods (i.e., web, social media, streaming/video, etc.); AND Managing the preparation of and independently preparing press materials and informational content for distribution to news media and to the public, including news releases, publications, web and digital content, reports, brochures, presentations, announcements, speeches, visual data products and other informational materials on matters of international trade and competitiveness. 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.

Education

There is no education requirement for this position.

Contacts

• Address Office of External Relations 500 E St SW Washington, DC 20436 US
• Name: Melanie West
• Email: [email protected]