Public Affairs Specialist

Summary

Announcement may be used to fill similar positions within 90 days of the closing date.

About this agency

This job is open to

• Internal to an agency
  
  Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

Export-Import Bank Employees Only (Current Competitive Service, Career/Career-Conditional Employees)

Duties

Please Note: Employees will be required to report to their assigned office location at least 2 day per week for non-supervisory positions and 3 days per week for supervisory/managerial positions unless the position advertised is designated as a remote-only position.

This position is in the Office of Communications. The position is responsible for crafting and executing EXIM's communications strategies. The role supports EXIM's public affairs across a number of functions, including creating owned content and written materials; drafting press releases and talking points; working with reporters; and other communications activities, including managing social media channels in accordance with best practices. The position demonstrates effectiveness in storytelling and managing public affairs campaigns, especially involving small business advocacy, economic policy and/or financial services.

At the full performance level, duties include, but are not limited to:

- Develops messaging on a range of EXIM policy matters and advises on public affairs and communications activities.

- Responds to media inquiries and researches, writes, and distributes agency press releases on EXIM policies and programs.

- Researches and writes various written materials on agency matters to internal and external audiences.

- Develops original content for EXIM's external website and contributes ideas for digital features, videos, and social media content.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship
• Background and Security/Suitability Investigation
• Specialized experience MUST be documented on your resume
• Current or Former Political Appointees: If you are, or have been employed in the last 5 years, you must disclose this information. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience (Credit for Specialized Experience on resume must reflect 40 hours/Full-time per week for each period of work):

GS-12: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal Government or other equivalent pay systems. Specialized experience includes:

• Experience establishing and maintaining effective working relationships at multiple levels within an organization in order to develop and disseminate coordinated messages that accurately address organizational programs.
• Experience with outreach to members of the media, providing communications and/or marketing support for a government agency, elected official, business group, trade association, or media organization; and
• Experience planning and implementing external and internal communications efforts to inform and educate specific constituencies and the general public about an organization's core mission and programs, including creating strategies for social and digital content.

GS-13: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Government or other equivalent pay systems. Specialized experience includes:

• Experience in managing digital engagement projects, including coordinating with internal teams and external partners to ensure timely and successful execution of digital campaigns and initiatives.
• Experience establishing and maintaining effective working relationships at multiple levels within an organization in order to develop and disseminate coordinated messages that accurately address organizational programs.
• Experience with outreach to members of the media, providing communications and/or marketing support for a government agency, elected official, business group, trade association, or media organization; and
• Experience planning and implementing external and internal communications efforts to inform and educate specific constituencies and the general public about an organization's core mission and programs, including creating strategies for social and digital content.

Education cannot be substituted for experience at the GS-12 or GS-13 grade level.

For qualification determinations, your resume must contain the following for each work experience listed:

• Organization/Agency's Name
• Title
• Salary (series and grade, if applicable)
• Start and end dates (including the month and year)
• Number of hours you worked per week
• Relevant experience that supports your response to the specialized experience that is stated in the job announcement

If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you will not receive consideration for this position.

NOTE: Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications and your application may be marked as incomplete/ineligible and you will not receive consideration for this position.

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.

Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.

Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. Please visit the following links for more information:

• http://www.naces.org
• http://www.fceatlanta.com

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.

Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined here.

Time-in-grade requirements must be met by 09/09/2024, the closing date of the announcement.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

Current or Former Political Appointees: Pursuant to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) oversight authority under section 1104(b)(2) of title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.) and section 5.2 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, OPM requires agencies to seek their approval prior to appointing any current or former political appointee to a permanent position (without time limits) in the civil service. A former or recent political appointee is someone who held a political appointment covered by OPM's policy within the previous 5-year period. OPM's oversight in this area safeguards merit system principles as well as fair and open competition free from political influence. If you are currently employed, or have been employed within the last 5 years, you must disclose this information. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.

Please visit the following link for the types of political appointments.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority:

• Career Transition (ICTAP/CTAP)
• Primary Appointing Authorities for Career and Career-Conditional Appointments
• Hiring Authorities for Veterans
• People with Disabilities

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Ethical Standards/Financial Disclosure:

EXIM is committed to the highest ethical standards. As an employee, you will be covered by the criminal conflict of interest statutes and the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch. You will be required to complete new employee ethics training within 3 months of your appointment.

If this position is subject to financial disclosure requirements (either public or confidential depending upon your position), you will be required to complete a new entrant financial disclosure report within 30 days of your appointment.

Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 80 or above based on the competencies listed above; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information, please click here.

• Benefits
  
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  Review our benefits
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and the responses you provide on the application questionnaire.

If you are found qualified for this position and meet or exceed a predefined rating threshold from your questionnaire responses, a Subject Matter Expert (SME) will review your resume to determine if your technical competencies meet the proficiency requirements established for this position.

You will be notified by email if your application is forwarded to the hiring official for further consideration.

If you do not meet the rating threshold to move forward to the next evaluation stage or it is determined that your technical competencies do not meet the proficiency requirements for this position, you will be notified by email.

• Benefits
  
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  Review our benefits
  
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
• Required Documents
  
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  
  Your application package should include the following documents:
  
  • Your Resume (applicants are required to submit a resume with job title, series/grade (if federal employee), duties and accomplishments, employer's name, starting and ending dates of employment, number of hours worked per week, and annual salary). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you will not receive consideration for this position.
  • Copy of your most recent SF-50 which shows your position title, series, grade, step, salary, position occupied, and tenure to verify Time-in-Grade/competitive status. If you have previously held a higher grade and are applying based on that grade you must provide a copy of the SF-50 showing you held the higher grade and/or have promotion potential to the grade being advertised. Examples of appropriate SF50s include: Appointments, Reassignments, Within-grade/range increases or Promotion actions. NOTE: Pay adjustments and award SF-50s do not include the length of time in your current position, therefore, they are NOT acceptable SF-50's on their own. You may need to provide more than one SF-50.
  • Unofficial Transcripts, if the position has an education requirement or if you are using education to qualify. If selected for the position, you must provide an official transcript before appointment.
  • Proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study, if applicable.
  • Special Priority Selection rights under CTAP or ICTAP:
    
    • Copy of your agency notice (RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc);
    • Copy of your most recent performance appraisal (with at least a satisfactory rating),
    • Most current SF-50 showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, position title, grade level, and duty location.
  • Proof of Veteran's Preference - DD-214 (Member 4 Copy), if you are a veteran. Additionally, applicants claiming 10-point preference must complete Standard Form (SF)15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, as well as additional documentation required by the SF-15, such as a VA letter, if applicable. If a DD-214 (Member Copy 4) is not available, other documentation listing the beginning and ending dates of active service and the type of discharge must be submitted to verify eligibility.
  • Submission of any required documents listed in vacancy announcement, if applicable.
  
  Please note that if you do not provide all required information/documents, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
• How to Apply
  
  Applications will only be accepted online; however if you are unable to apply online, please contact the Agency Contact Person listed below.
  
  To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
  
  The following is a link to preview the occupational questionnaire:
  
  https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12531942
  
  The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/09/2024 to receive consideration.
  
  • To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
  • Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
  • To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account here, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  
  To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
  
  Agency contact information
  
  Courtney Harris
  
  Phone
  
  2025653300
  
  Email
  
  courtney.harris.ctr@exim.gov
  
  Address
  
  Export-Import Bank of the United States
  
  811 Vermont Avenue, NW
  
  Washington, DC 20571
  
  US
  
  Next steps
  
  After all application packages have been received, we will review your application to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information in the Occupational Questionnaire.
  
  You will be notified by email if your application is forwarded to the hiring official for further consideration.
  
  If you do not meet the rating threshold to move forward to the next evaluation stage or it is determined that your technical competencies do not meet the proficiency requirements for this position, you will be notified by email.
• Fair and Transparent
  
  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
  
  
  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

Your application package should include the following documents:

• Your Resume (applicants are required to submit a resume with job title, series/grade (if federal employee), duties and accomplishments, employer's name, starting and ending dates of employment, number of hours worked per week, and annual salary). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you will not receive consideration for this position.
• Copy of your most recent SF-50 which shows your position title, series, grade, step, salary, position occupied, and tenure to verify Time-in-Grade/competitive status. If you have previously held a higher grade and are applying based on that grade you must provide a copy of the SF-50 showing you held the higher grade and/or have promotion potential to the grade being advertised. Examples of appropriate SF50s include: Appointments, Reassignments, Within-grade/range increases or Promotion actions. NOTE: Pay adjustments and award SF-50s do not include the length of time in your current position, therefore, they are NOT acceptable SF-50's on their own. You may need to provide more than one SF-50.
• Unofficial Transcripts, if the position has an education requirement or if you are using education to qualify. If selected for the position, you must provide an official transcript before appointment.
• Proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study, if applicable.
• Special Priority Selection rights under CTAP or ICTAP:
  
  • Copy of your agency notice (RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc);
  • Copy of your most recent performance appraisal (with at least a satisfactory rating),
  • Most current SF-50 showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, position title, grade level, and duty location.
• Proof of Veteran's Preference - DD-214 (Member 4 Copy), if you are a veteran. Additionally, applicants claiming 10-point preference must complete Standard Form (SF)15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, as well as additional documentation required by the SF-15, such as a VA letter, if applicable. If a DD-214 (Member Copy 4) is not available, other documentation listing the beginning and ending dates of active service and the type of discharge must be submitted to verify eligibility.
• Submission of any required documents listed in vacancy announcement, if applicable.

Please note that if you do not provide all required information/documents, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).

How to Apply

Applications will only be accepted online; however if you are unable to apply online, please contact the Agency Contact Person listed below.

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.

The following is a link to preview the occupational questionnaire:

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12531942

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/09/2024 to receive consideration.

• To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
• Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
• It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
• To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account here, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

Courtney Harris

Phone

2025653300

Email

courtney.harris.ctr@exim.gov

Address

Export-Import Bank of the United States

811 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20571

US

Next steps

After all application packages have been received, we will review your application to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information in the Occupational Questionnaire.

You will be notified by email if your application is forwarded to the hiring official for further consideration.

If you do not meet the rating threshold to move forward to the next evaluation stage or it is determined that your technical competencies do not meet the proficiency requirements for this position, you will be notified by email.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Criminal history inquiries
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Financial suitability
• New employee probationary period
• Privacy Act
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Selective Service
• Signature and false statements
• Social security number request