KEY REQUIREMENTS



• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must be able to obtain a Public Trust security clearance.
• You may be required to undergo periodic drug testing.
• This position may require occasional non-emergency travel.
• Direct Deposit is mandatory.
• Males born after 12/31/59 - Selective Service Registration required.

In this position you will report to the Regional External Affair Director. The role of the External Affairs Specialist is to provide professional support toward the accomplishment of the External Affairs mission.  Your duties may typically include:

• Composes event remarks and platform speeches of officials.  Prepares and reviews all correspondence from congressional offices and develops responses for Regional Administrator's signature or coordinates with appropriate division.
• Develops and implements clear, concise and timely communication plans for highly visible agency-wide and regional initiatives related to disaster response and recovery, preparedness, prevention and mitigation.
• Establishes, maintains and enhances functional relationships with Members of Congress, federal, tribal and state/local governments, news media, private sector organizations, and other appropriate organizations and associations.
• Conceives, develops and implements emergency and hazards awareness media campaigns designed to lessen the effects of disasters and other emergencies.
• Coordinates major press conferences and interviews of agency officials and assists leadership in handling both crisis and non-crisis special events, using a style that upholds credibility and audience interest. 
• Creates and produces varied informational products and provides photos/video support for disasters or major agency organizational components, such as the regional office or disaster field office.

You qualify for this position at the GS-12 level if you possess one of the following: One full year of specialized experience. Specialized experience is described as experience developing and applying knowledge of external affairs and crisis communications strategies during disasters and emergencies.

Time-in-Grade Requirements for Federal employees:  Current Federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band in the Federal service. The time-in-grade requirement must be met within 30 calendar days of the closing date of this announcement.

The qualification requirements listed above must be met within 30 calendar days of the closing date of this announcement.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation for Public Trust as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a review of financial issues, such as delinquency, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, your experience, education, and training will be rated using a job questionnaire that is based on the following competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job:

1. Knowledge of emergency management systems as it relates to establishing and maintaining relationships with various stakeholders ad implementing external affairs activities.

2. Skill in analyzing and developing recommendations from a wide array of conflicting and divergent sources.

3. Skill in developing communications plans and products designed to help affected groups understand emergency management issues.

4. Skill in oral communication.

If you are applying under Delegated Examining (All U.S. Citizens), we will use your job questionnaire to place you in one of three categories based on your experience, education, and training. If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories:

1. Best Qualified: Applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a superior level of all evaluation criteria.

2. Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing a background that demonstrates a satisfactory level of the evaluation criteria.

3. Qualified: Applicants possessing the basic qualifications, with general knowledge, skills, and abilities.

If you are applying under Merit Promotion, you will be given the minimum earned rating of 70 points and a maximum of 30 points may be awarded based on your responses to the questionnaire.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview. To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click the following link:  View Assessment Questions 

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. Information about ICTAP or CTAP eligibility can be found by clicking here to access OPM’s Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under CTAP/ ICTAP, you must be placed in the Well Qualified category for this position, as described above. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

Veterans: Veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify. Veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific, professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. This position is not considered scientific/professional. For information on veterans’ preference, please click here.

Certain veterans are eligible to apply as a status candidate under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA). For more information, please click here.

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to www.dhs.gov/careers and select “benefits.”

OTHER INFORMATION:

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

Your application must be received by 11:59PM EST on Friday, April 06, 2012. 

To begin your online application, click the Apply Online button and follow the prompts to register or sign into USAJOBS, take the online questionnaire, and submit the required documents. See Required Documents section for more detail.

We strongly encourage you to apply online. If you cannot apply online, you may FAX your résumé, assessment questionnaire, and supporting documents to (478) 757-3144. You must print a copy of OPM Form 1203-FX, document your responses to the assessment questionnaire View Occupational Questionnaire and use the official FAX coversheet found here.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

1. Your résumé
2. Your responses to the job questionnaire View Assessment Questions
3. Are you a veteran?  Submit Member Copy 4 of your DD 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty). Those applying for 10-point preference must fill out the SF-15 (click here for the form) and provide the required documentation listed on the back of the form. Click here for more veterans’ information.
4. 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 copy of your agency notice, and
• a copy of your most recent performance rating, and
• a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, noting your current position, grade level, and duty location.
5. Are you a current or former Federal employee?  Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, that shows your competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".)
6. Are you a Peace Corps/ VISTA volunteer or a person with a disability?  Click on the link above to view the required supporting documentation to submit with your application.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on “Application Status,” and then click “More Information.” We expect to make a final job offer within 30 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

For more information on applying for Federal employment, please click here