Public Affairs Specialist

Duties

The individual selected for this position will:

• Cultivate the Census Bureau’s relationships with the media and other stakeholders, including preparing spokespersons for interviews, planning and conducting proactive outreach, responding to queries and managing media events.
• Write and edit technical information about statistics and federal programs into clear, concise text for media, the public and/or internal audiences.
• Work independently and with teams to plan and implement communications outreach.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience: For the GS-09, you must have at least 1 year of specialized experience as a Public Affairs Specialist at the GS-07 level in the Federal Service or one year of equivalent professional work experience. Experience must be reflected in your resume. Examples of such experience include conveying information to an organization’s internal or external audiences; writing news releases, talking points, blog posts or other content for media or the public; using digital communications tools; serving as a spokesperson for an organization to the news media or as a reporter covering an agency.

OR

Two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master’s or equivalent degree.

OR

LL.B. or J.D., if related.

Specialized Experience: For the GS-11, you must have at least 1 year of specialized experience as a Public Affairs Specialist at the GS-09 level in the Federal Service or one year of equivalent professional work experience. Experience must be reflected in your resume. Examples of such experience include planning, executing or evaluating communications campaigns to convey information to an organization’s internal or external audiences; writing news releases, talking points, blog posts or other content for media or the public; planning and executing special events; assisting with providing senior leadership and staff media training; serving as a spokesperson for an organization to the news media or as a reporter covering an agency.

OR

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.

Specialized Experience: For the GS-12, you must have at least 1 year of specialized experience as a Public Affairs Specialist at the GS-11 level in the Federal Service or one year of equivalent professional work experience. Experience must be reflected in your resume. Examples of such experience include planning, executing or evaluating communications campaigns to convey information to an organization’s internal or external audiences; establishing effective working relationships with media, senior managers and subject matter experts to ensure an agency’s mission, goals and activities are clearly communicated; writing news releases, talking points, blog posts or other content for media or the public; planning and executing special events; training senior leadership and staff in working with the media; serving as a spokesperson for an organization to the news media or as a reporter covering an agency.

Education cannot be substituted for experience at this grade level.

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.

Education