Duties

Summary

As our nation navigates the COVID-19 pandemic, CBP is committed to delivering our mission to safeguard America's borders and enable legitimate trade and travel. Staffing mission critical positions remains a high priority. Be reassured that CBP is still hiring, despite potential hiring process step delays due to restrictions to in-person activities.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters, Strategic Communications Directorate (STRATCOM), Washington, District of Columbia.

This position will allow you to develop and produce communication plans and products to improve engagement across diverse stakeholder communities. Apply for this exciting opportunity to strengthen Homeland Security by providing leadership with advice and assistance in writing and developing communication materials and vehicles to ensure coordination and communication throughout the organization. This position starts at a salary of $103,690.00 (GS-13, Step 1) to $134,798.00 (GS-13, Step 10) with promotion potential to $134,798.00 (GS-13 Step 10).

In this Strategic Communications Specialist position, you will become a key team member of Homeland Security professionals by serving as a liaison for the Office of Congressional Affairs, Office of Public Affairs, and Office of Intergovernmental Public Liaison. Typical work assignments include:

• Planning, researching, writing and editing internal and external communications products to keep stakeholders informed about USBP operations, programs, priorities, and initiatives
• Preparing talking points and anticipated questions and answers for senior leadership to ensure stakeholders' concerns are addressed in a wide variety of external engagement forums
• Conducting quantitative and qualitative analysis of policy and program issues to ensure that issues and concerns are addressed accurately and tactfully in both internal and external correspondence developed by USBP
• Developing, implementing and evaluating the effectiveness of USBP communications strategies, materials and programs that support and promote enhanced engagement with USBP stakeholder communities
• Analyzing organizational-specific policy issues to identify and to anticipate communication needs and potential reaction from stakeholders, including congressional; media; non-governmental; state, local and tribal; and other USBP stakeholder communities

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service
• Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below)
• You may be required to pass a background investigation
• CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures
• As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link.

Qualifications

Experience: You qualify for the GS-13 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as:

• Analyzing programs and policies that focus on long and short range plans
• Conducting studies to provide solutions and recommendations to complex communications issues
• Applying qualitative and quantitative analytical techniques to provide detailed analyses and communication products for target audiences
• Assisting in the design and implementation of planning and controls for the submission and tracking of communication processes, services, and metrics
• Developing new or modified work methods, communication strategies, materials, and programs that support and promote agency, organizational, program goals, information systems, public and congressional liaison work

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.

You must:

• Meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process; and
• Meet all applicable Time in Grade requirements (current federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band in the federal service) by 01/14/2021.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. . For more information visit this link .

Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency wavier by meeting one or more of the following conditions:

• Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military
• A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government
• Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university
• Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government

Probationary Period: All employees new to the federal government must serve a one year probationary period during the first year of his/her initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment. Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

This position is not covered under the bargaining unit.

Telework may be available on a regular recurring or situational basis.

DHS uses E-Verify, an internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities.

Follow U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Twitter @CustomsBorder

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans , Peace Corps / VISTA volunteers , and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Applicants will only be considered for the Eligibilities for which they claim in the job questionnaire AND must provide the supporting documentation. Applicants will not be considered for Eligibilities for which they did not claim, regardless of the documentation submitted with the application. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10969485

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education, and training will be rated using an assessment questionnaire.

The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:

• Skill in applying such mastery in developing and applying new approaches to the most difficult and complex external communications problems
• Knowledge of a wide-range of mission-related laws, policies, regulations and precedents applicable to the administration of public programs, policies and practices
• Skill to analyze stakeholder reactions to agency programs and policies in developing communications recommendations regarding significant modifications to the agency's major programs or policies
• Skill in writing and oral communication, as well as extensive skill in fostering collaborative working relationships
• Ability to analyze conflicting data and summarizing recommendations or program changes giving consideration to various points of view and specifying the reasons for acceptance or rejection of the input

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. Preview the job questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10969485

Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this announcement.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

• Your resume : A resume describing your job-related qualifications is required and will be used for the purpose of reviewing your qualifications and determining what training, if any, would be required when placed. A resume in English is required. It must contain your full legal name, address, phone number, complete work history including a detailed description of your duties, the dates you performed those duties (MM/DD/YY), your hours worked per week, job title, as well as series, grade, and salary (if applicable). For additional required items, see the link.
• Your responses to the job questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10969485
• Are you a current or former federal employee? ALL CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES MUST SUBMIT THE MOST RECENT COPY OF THEIR SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing competitive status: Tenure 1 or 2 in Block 24 and Position Occupied 1 in Block 34. Additionally, applicants should also submit a SF-50 reflecting the highest grade held on a permanent basis in the competitive service or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher, AND a SF-50 to support having met the time-in-grade requirement of having served 52 weeks at the grade level (or equivalent) below the grade level(s) for this position. Current CBP Employees are encouraged, but not required, to submit an SF-50(s) for CBP experience; however, additional SF-50(s) are required when using federal experience outside of CBP to receive credit towards the requirements above. Examples of appropriate Sf-50s include promotions, within-grade increases and accessions.
• Are you claiming special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)? You must submit a separation notice; your most recent SF-50 (noting your current position, grade level and duty location); a copy of your recent performance rating; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; or a Military Department of National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456.
• Are you a veteran? If you are applying under a veteran appointing authority, you must submit documentation to support eligibility such as a DD-214 listing the character of service and either qualifying medal(s) or service period, a VA Disability Award letter dated 1991 or later, and/or supporting documentation as listed on the Standard Form 15 . If you are currently serving on active duty, you must submit a written statement from the armed forces certifying your dates of service, your rank, expected character of service and anticipated date of separation. If you apply with a written statement at this stage, your preference will be verified by a DD-214 upon separation from the military. To learn more click here .
• Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
  • Position title
  • Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee)
  • Agency
  • Beginning and ending dates of appointment
• You may be asked to provide a copy of your recent performance appraisal and/or incentive awards.