Duties

Summary

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

This position is also announced under vacancy number ESO-2021-0008, which is open to Status Candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

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

• Drafts, designs and develops customer guidance and training material.
  
• Develops and monitors customer service standards and provides timely, reliable and accurate information.
  
• Designs and develops communication projects/programs and provides customer guidance.
  
• Provides recommendations and implements processes and procedures.
  

These duties are described at the FPL ZA-III, the ZA-II is developmental leading to such performance.

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

Travel Required

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

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
03

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be suitable for Federal employment.
• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• You must be registered for Selective Service if applicable (www.sss.gov).

• A one year probationary period may be required.
• Payment of relocation expenses is not authorized.

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-II is equivalent to the GS-7/9 grade levels, however is only being advertised equivalent to the GS-9 grade level. The ZA-III is equivalent to the GS-11/12.

Time-after-competitive-appointment restrictions apply.

College Transcript: If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., Bio 101, Math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution is equivalent to U.S. education standards with your resume. You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process. If course content cannot be easily identified from the title of the course as listed on your transcript, you must submit an official course description from the college/university that reflects the content at the time the course was taken.

Note: Your college transcript is used to verify successful completion of degree, or college course work. An official college transcript will be required before you can report to duty.

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-II: You must possess one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the ZA-II or GS-07 grade level that has equipped you with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Specialized experience is researching and writing documents for employee or organizational communications; assisting with developing web-based documents and website content in a corporate, government or organizational environment; preparing various communication materials such as: publication articles, fact sheet, position papers, and information on websites.

OR

EDUCATION: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related

OR

COMBINATION: Combination of education and experience as indicated above.

Specialized Experience: ZA-III: You must possess one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the ZA-II or GS-09 grade level that has equipped you with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Specialized experience is providing advice and guidance on an organization's communications to both external and internal customers; assisting in developing and implementing communication strategies; assisting in facilitating stakeholder meetings; creating and presenting briefing materials; developing various communication materials such as: fact sheets, training material, and information on websites.

OR

EDUCATION: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related

OR

COMBINATION: Combination of education and experience as indicated above.

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 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.

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 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 (True/False, Yes/No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of the three pre-defined categories. The categories are "gold", "silver" and "bronze". However, your resume or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed. Preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold) depending on the position and grade level of the job. For more information on Category Rating, please go to Category Rating .

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

• Ability to analyze, design, develop, implement and evaluate projects/programs.
  
• Ability to work with clients and customers to provide information or assistance.
  
• Knowledge of program principles, concepts, policies and objectives.
  
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
  
• Ability to carry out routine administrative assignments.

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.
• If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service or other valid proof of eligibility (i.e., statement of service that shows service dates AND character of service). If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans' preference see http://www.opm.gov/staffingPortal/Vetguide.asp#VeteransEmploymentAct1998 .
• Active Duty Service Members-- You must submit a statement of discharge/certification of release or an official written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions no later than 120 days from the date the announcement closes. Enlisted Record Briefs and military identification do NOT qualify as official documentation. If the appropriate information is not submitted to confirm the discharge status, dates of service, etc., you will not be considered for this job opportunity under Veteran Preference procedures. To gain access to your DD-214 online please visit http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records
• Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) documentation if applicable (see other information).
• Education. If this position requires proof of higher education, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website. You MUST provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation by the closing date of the announcement will result in lost consideration.

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.