Public Affairs Specialist

Position description

This is an Excepted Service position and does not confer eligibility to be converted to the Competitive Service.

This is a Term Appointment Not-to-Exceed 5 Years.

This announcement may be used to fill one or more vacancies.  

If selected, you must work within a commuting area of the location stated in this announcement.

Summary

This position is located in the United States Mission to the United Nations (USUN), Press and Public Affairs Section.  

This Section is functionally responsible for Mission related with the news media, the general public, and the UN community.  The incumbent is primarily responsible for implementing media and communications assistance and advice in support of the U.S. Representative to the United Nations, a cabinet-level official, and other high-level officers at USUN.  These activities strategically promote the U.S. Government policies and inform the public about U.S. foreign policy goals, primarily through the media.  The Public Affairs Specialist also collects, assembles, prepares, and disseminates information concerning the full range of programs and diplomacy of USUN.

If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other positions in other offices in the Mission.

Responsibilities

• Drafts and clears Mission statements, press releases, website content and social media messages as needed; produces transcripts of public statements and documents; and coordinates with Section and Mission staff to develop, write, and edit social and digital media content. 
• Coordinates the multi-pronged publication, posting and distribution of statements and messages via electronic and social media, including supervising website content for regular updates, accuracy and proper grammar; developing and analyzing meaningful metrics of the Mission’s social media; and implementing courses of action to improve usage and usability among target audiences. 
• Assists and advises the Representative, the Mission Ambassadors and officers on matters dealing with the news media and the public, including assembling and distributing daily press guidance and drafting statements or talking points for public speaking events.
• Conducts briefings for the news media and public groups, contacts media representatives, and set up rooms and equipment for media-related events. 
• Supports USUN outreach and engagement events such as UN side events and youth and student outreach. Drafts, clears, and keeps updated USUN topline briefing materials for use by Mission briefers on USUN policy priorities and activities. Drafts statements, talking points, and remarks for public speaking events for the Deputy Representative, Alternate Representative, and ambassadors for Management Reform, and ECOSOC.
• Identifies USUN social media needs and develops tools to better inform the public of USUN programs, policies, and positions and including special initiatives of interest to the public.

Conditions of Employment

• Security clearance: Top Secret
• Drug test required: Yes
• Trust determination process: National Security

Application instructions

Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. 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). 

Your resume should include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week. Section 8 of the UN Participation Act (22 U.S.C. § 287e) authorizes USUN to hire individuals "without regards to the civil service laws." The U.S. Mission will consider all completed applications and refer the best qualified candidates. Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements and submit any supporting documentation by the closing date of this announcement. Your application package must contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the basic/specialized experience requirements as stated in this job opportunity announcement for each grade level(s) for which you are applying.

Required Documents

All required documents listed below by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

1. Resume and Cover letter - your resume or any other written format you choose should contain the required information as specified in the “How You Will Be Evaluated” section. Insufficient information will result in an ineligible rating.
2. Current and recent eligible DOS employees (per 3 FAM 2313.4(a)(5)), including current employees applying under a non-competitive hiring authority, must submit a SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) that shows: effective date, position title, series, grade, salary, tenure, position occupied, full promotion potential, and name of agency to the following mailbox with your application: [email protected]. 
3. Current and recent eligible DOS employees are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of their most recent (i.e., usually within the last 18 months) final (i.e., not a mid-year review) official (i.e., signed by the rating official and in original format) annual performance appraisal for the hiring manager’s consideration. If a performance appraisal is not available, you may provide a statement and/or a statement from your supervisor explaining the reason one is not available and your servicing HR Office contact information (name, email address, phone number).  Please send to the following mailbox with your application: [email protected].

Note 1: You may be requested to provide an appraisal to the hiring official if one was not provided with your application.

Note 2: To receive a promotion, the employee’s most recent performance rating must be “fully successful” or an equivalent level or higher. Employees who are tentatively selected to receive a promotion will be required to provide performance documentation within two business days of request. Servicing HR Offices may be contacted to verify performance ratings.

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

Additional information

For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or [email protected]. 

If you have prior government experience, please email your most recent SF-50 and Performance Evaluation to [email protected] after submitting your materials on Idealist.