Duties

The major duties of the Public Affairs Specialist position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Developing, writing, and disseminating communications products (e.g., news releases, fact sheets, background materials, advisories and key messages appropriate) to national, regional, and local audiences through channels including web and social media, television, radio, and newspapers.
• Researching and responding, or coordinating responses, to requests for information about National Park Service issues from the public; media; government agencies; federal, state and local officials; and other stakeholders. Research and write speeches and talking points.
• Developing and implementing strategic communication plans in coordination with colleagues at the park/program and regional levels.
• Providing guidance to park staff in drafting press releases and providing comments on drafts.
• Analyzing and summarizing complex data to illustrate and explain issues in compelling ways that are understandable to broad, general audiences.
• Organizing and coordinating media interviews for National Park Service subject matter experts. Evaluate the subject, develop briefing materials, and prepare qualified staff to participate in interviews
• Establish and maintain effective, proactive working relationships with internal and external contacts including members of the media; staff of elected officials; and community members and partners, to implement communications strategies and foster understanding of the National Park Service complex mission and responsibilities.
• Publicly represent high-profile organization.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists. Lastly, you may be required to submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license.
• You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
• You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.
• If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 3 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-10/02/2023-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40+ hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level, you must possess all of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

SPECIALZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience must include all of the following: providing on-the-record information to media, writing and editing news releases and similar products for a public audience, developing and implementing strategic communications plans, and planning media events. You must include hours per week worked.-OR- EDUCATION: Possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or an L.L.M in a field related to the position. You must include transcripts. -OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts. NOTE: Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify (e.g. education in excess of 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree).You must include transcripts.

To qualify for this position at the GS-12 grade level, you must possess all of the following minimum qualifications by close of the announcement:

SPECIALZED EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). This experience must include all of the following: advising local or regional leadership on communications strategies and tactics, serving as a spokesperson by providing on-the-record interviews to media, planning and executing media events, and writing and editing news releases and similar products for a public audience. You must include hours per week worked.

You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies". Experience listed as full-time will be credited at 40 hours per week.

Volunteer Experience: 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

To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

Additional information

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR §575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.

A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another.
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

Physical Demands: This work is usually performed at a desk; however, there are frequent visits to other indoor or outdoor sites for events or media interviews, which may expose the employee to hot, humid, or inclement weather and require movement over rough or uneven terrain. Long or unpredictable hours and stressful situations are common.

Working Conditions: The work environment involves everyday risks typical of office settings and vehicles such as planes, trains, buses, or automobiles and requires normal safety precautions. The regular work area is adequately lighted, heated/cooled, and ventilated. However, the incumbent will be required to work outside in all weather conditions to address emerging issues, support news gathering activities, and to support special events. In addition, the incumbent may be called to work unscheduled hours at all times of the day or night and may be expected to support events that occur on holidays and weekends.

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