This position is located in the Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (OATSD(PA)). The Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (ATSD(PA)) is the principal staff assistant and advisor to the Secretary of Defense on Department of Defense (DoD) public affairs and on internal information and related activities of the Defense Media Activity.

Duties

Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following: Developing and coordinating high-level and high-impact, cross-organizational and cross-DoD communication planning to align capabilities, messaging and actions to achieve desired outcomes in support of the National Defense Strategy. Engages with OATSD(PA), the Joint Staff, Combatant Commands, Services, and interagency and allied organizations to ensure communication efforts are appropriately aligned, de-conflicted, and amplified. Assists in assessing and analyzing information environment atmospherics to include intel, public sentiment, social media trends, allied messaging and adversary propaganda. Assists in evaluating public attitudes and responses regarding DoD activities and policy decisions based on an understanding of the information environment. Conducts audience analysis, establishes measurable communication objectives, determines audience trends and conditions, and builds and implements appropriate strategies. Assists in identifying and recommending innovative communication solutions for DoD senior leaders and policies, synchronizing DoD engagements with information environment atmospherics.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
• Must be determined suitable for federal employment
• Required to participate in the direct deposit program
• This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
• This position requires a TS/SCI (Special Sensitive) clearance
• This position may require up to 20% occasional travel away from your normal duty station for official business on military or commercial aircraft.
• This position requires you to work other than normal hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime.

Qualifications

For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the length of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration. Read more about what should I include in my federal resume? at https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include/ You may qualify at the GS-1035-11 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of experience in the same or similar work equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) requiring application of the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the position being filled. Candidates for this position must clearly demonstrate in their resume that they possess specialized experience in: 1) support in the planning, designing, or evaluating national campaigns and programs for a public affairs program; 2) developing communication strategies for the publics understanding of outreach events in the community; 3) advising management on community outreach engagements; and 4) analyzing relevant media and public interest issues that may impact the organizations objectives. OR Education: 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 OR Combination of Experience and Education: A combination of graduate education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. The first 2 years of graduate study are not qualifying for GS-11. 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. ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act Chapter 21 of Title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 2108a, requires Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, at the time they apply for a Federal job, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, assuming the service member is otherwise eligible. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. The service member's military service dates are necessary in order to determine whether he or she meets the definition of "veteran" under 5 U.S.C. 2108(1). The "certification" must reflect the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date of submission. The "certification" must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters and must indicate when your terminal leave will begin (if applicable), your rank, dates of active duty service, the type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable). Further, under paragraph (h) of the rule, agencies are required to verify a qualifying separation from military service prior to appointment, through the DD-214 or other appropriate documentation. Your preference and/or appointment eligibility will be verified prior to appointment. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible." Military members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if member is on terminal leave. Current or Former Political Appointees: Beginning January 1, 2010, agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level under the provisions of title 5, United States Code. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title; Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee); Agency; and, Beginning and ending dates of appointment. All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume. Additional Information (Cont'd) Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technicians Receiving Disability Retirement PPP Eligible: MR and NG technicians receiving disability retirement PPP applicants must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist to verify your eligibility for Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Military Reserve and National Guard Technician Disability PPP Self-Certification Checklist.7. Retained Grade PPP Eligible: Retained Grade PPP applicants, must be selected and placed at the full performance level if determined well qualified. You must include a completed copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist to verify your eligibility for Retained Grade preference. Click here to obtain a copy of the Retained Grade PPP Self-Certification Checklist Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

Education

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Contacts

• Address Office of the ATSD for Public Affairs Human Resources Directorate 4800 Mark Center Drive Alexandria, VA 22350 US
• Name: Washington HQ Services
• Phone: 000-000-0000
• Email: [email protected]