Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Office of the Secretary, Enterprise Services Organization.

This position is also announced under vacancy number ESO-2021-0006, which is open to US Citizens/Nationals. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other Communications Program Specialist, ZA-0301-IV positions within Enterprise Services in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.

As a Communications Program Specialist, you will perform the following duties:

• Constructively respond to, and diplomatically counter, resistance from Organizational colleagues, helping align them to the strategic direction of a shared service provider.
• Routinely respond to customer requests with factually accurate information that is consistent with business unit and departmental guidance and policies, as well as other relevant program or technical documents.
• Assist in development and improvement of an effective education, training, and/or skills upgrading scheme for the organization to ensure adoption and leverage of new service deliveries.
• Develop and circulate effective communications that inform various stakeholders of subject matters pertaining to a shared service provider.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Up to 10% of travel may be required.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
04

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a suitable for Federal employment.
• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• You must be registered for Selective Service if applicable (www.sss.gov).
• Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date .

• A one year probationary period may be required.
• Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.
• Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by the closing date (if applicable) of the announcement unless eligible for special hiring authority, reinstatement eligible, non-current Federal employee applying as a VEOA eligible which do not require time-in-grade/band.

Security Clearance: N/A. However, you must be able to obtain and maintain the appropriate background/ suitability & fitness check for a Non-Sensitive, Low Risk position.

This position will be filled under the DOC Alternative Personnel System (CAPS). This system replaced the Federal GS pay plan and structure. Under CAPS, positions are classified by career, pay plan, and pay band.

The ZA-IV is equivalent to the GS-13/14.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy .

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government.

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.

Specialized Experience: ZA-IV: You must possess one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the ZA-III or GS-12 grade level that has equipped you with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Specialized experience is developing communication tools to monitor and report communication initiatives to customers; create and execute communication strategies, create and maintain a structured process for customer feedback such as: online surveys, suggestions boards, online customer reviews etc.; gather and organize data relating to the organization's operations, such as: human resources, information technology, financial management and acquisition initiatives.

Education

There is no positive education requirement for this position.

Additional information

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: Employee Guide to Career Transition

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

A copy of your specific RIF notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice).

A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade level, and duty location;

A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and

Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

A copy of your RIF separation notice; notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate; notice of disability annuity termination; certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;

A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc;

A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and

Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

The following links provide information on various hiring authorities that you may qualify:

Veterans Recruitment Act (VRA)

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA)

30% or more disabled veterans

Persons with disabilities

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

We will review your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation (transcripts if applicable) to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the vacancy announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the scored occupational questionnaire that you completed as part of the application. However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the occupational questions, or your score will be lowered. The best-qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

• Ability to solve problems and devise effective, innovative solutions to achieve buy-in from staff across a diverse organization.
• Ability to draft and prepare policy, program proposals, reports, memoranda, planning documents, position papers and other materials.
• Ability to conduct detailed research and communicate findings in order to identify and clearly articulate problems, make recommendations, and provide authoritative guidance to leadership.
• Ability to use various methods of communication to inform stakeholders.

If applicable, performance appraisals and/or Incentive award documentation may be submitted and will be forwarded to the selecting official as support in consideration of your application in the evaluation process. To receive due weight, you must submit a recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (do not submit a performance plan) and/or incentive award documentation (i.e. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increases, etc..) Due weight shall be given to performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3), during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional. Your resume must indicate your citizenship and if you are registered for Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/31/59. Your resume must include information about your paid and nonpaid work experience related to this position including: job title, duration of employment (mm/dd/yy - mm/dd/yy), hours per week (if less than 40), duties and accomplishments, salary, and your education. For work in the Federal service, please include the grade level for the position/s. Your resume may be used to validate your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire.

SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action," showing tenure code, position occupied, and highest grade and step.

If applicable, performance appraisals and/or Incentive award documentation may be submitted and will be forwarded to the selecting official as support in consideration of your application in the evaluation process. To receive due weight, you must submit a recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable (do not submit a performance plan) and/or incentive award documentation (i.e. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increases, etc..)

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) documentation, if applicable. For more information, please go to: www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vetguide.asp#6 .

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation if applicable (see other information).

Documentation supporting eligibility for non-competitive appointment, (severely disabled, eligible veterans, certain military spouses, etc.).

You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.

Failure to provide such documents when requested may result in lost consideration.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.