Public Affairs Specialist

Summary By law, this Office of Inspector General has continued oversight responsibility for United States funded foreign assistance activities across multiple agencies, to include the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Inter-American Foundation, the US African Development Foundation, USAID and the Department of State. Responsibilities may additionally include oversight of and/or oversight coordination for foreign assistance programs with other interagency partners throughout the US Governmente. Learn more about this agency Duties As a Public Affairs Specialist at the full performance level, you will: Plan and execute agency-wide public affairs and legislative communications strategies to convey complex oversight activities, programs, and priorities to Congress, the media, and the public. Serve as an advisor to OIG leadership on public affairs, congressional relations, and global engagement strategies, including providing guidance on reputational and policy risks associated with external communications. Develop and delivers strategic communications products, including congressional testimony materials, briefing papers, talking points, Q&A documents, press releases, and official correspondence. Prepare senior executives for congressional hearings, briefings, and high-level engagements by coordinating input, anticipating lines of questioning, and ensuring accuracy, consistency, and alignment with agency priorities. Serve as a primary liaison with congressional committees, staff, and support agencies to facilitate timely, accurate, and coordinated responses to inquiries on OIG programs, operations, and findings. Represent the organization in interactions with media outlets, interest groups, and public forums; manages high-visibility and sensitive media inquiries and provides authoritative responses on complex or controversial issues. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders, including members of Congress, media representatives, federal agencies, and external organizations to advance OIG communication objectives. Lead and coordinate communications and engagement efforts involving international stakeholders, including foreign governments and multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, ensuring messaging is consistent across domestic and global audiences. Advise leadership and supports participation in international meetings, conferences, and global forums by developing briefing materials and communication strategies tailored to multilateral environments. Oversee the development and management of digital communications platforms, including the agency website and social media channels, and provide expert guidance on digital strategy, compliance, and audience engagement. Coordinate with internal stakeholders, including legal counsel, FOIA, and Privacy Act officials, to ensure compliance with statutory, regulatory, and policy requirements when releasing information to Congress or the public. Conduct research and analysis on sensitive, complex, and high-visibility issues and synthesizes findings into clear, actionable communications and recommendations for senior leadership. Requirements Conditions of employment United States Citizenship is required. Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance. Males born after 12/31/1959, must be registered with the Selective Service. You may be required to serve a one-year probationary period. Completion of Financial Disclosure may be required. Qualifications To qualify for the GS-13 grade level, you must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-12 level in the Federal service or equivalent. Specialized experience is defined as: 1) developing and implementing public affairs or communications activities that convey organizational programs, policies, or findings to a variety of audiences (e.g., Congress, media, and the public), including preparing written communication products such as briefing materials, reports, or correspondence; 2) Supporting congressional engagement and legislative affairs activities, such as assisting with preparation of briefing materials or testimony, responding to congressional inquiries, and maintaining working relationships with congressional staff or other government stakeholders. 3) Applying knowledge of multilateral institutions, including the United Nations system or similar international organizations, to support global public affairs or communications efforts, including assisting with messaging, research, or coordination related to international engagement activities. Time in Grade Requirement: Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date. This means that you must have served at least 52 weeks at the next grade level (or equivalent) below the grade advertised on this vacancy announcement. ICTAP/CTAP: If you are requesting special employment consideration under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) or CTAP, you must provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP or CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP or CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified you must meet the following: OPM qualification requirements for the position, all selective factors, where applicable; special OPM approved qualifying conditions for the position; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate, to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and receives a rating of at least "well-qualified" on the questionnaire. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP or CTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information regarding ICTAP or CTAP eligibility is available from Career Transition (opm.gov). Education This position does not have a positive education requirement. Additional information These are Testing Designated Positions (TDPs) under the Agency's approved Drug-Free Work Place Program. All applicants selected for this position will be subject to random drug testing once they begin working for the Agency. SELECTIVE SERVICE: http://www.sss.gov/ EEO Policy Statement: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/EEO_Policy_Statement Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Reasonable_Accommodation_Policy_Statement Veterans Information: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/ Telework: www.telework.gov Disability: www.opm.gov/disability/mngr_3-13.asp Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority: http://www.opm.gov/hr_practitioners/lawsregulations/appointingauthorities/ Selections are made on the basis of merit without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other non-merit-based factor. If needed, additional selections will be made from this announcement. Expand Hide  additional information Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. 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. 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.