STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Summary

Organizational Location : This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, Tucson Sector Headquarters, Law Enforcement Operational Programs.

Duties

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This position allows you to use your knowledge and experience developing communication plans and products to improve engagement across diverse stakeholder communities.

This position starts at a salary of $90,302.00 (GS-12, Step 1) to $117,398.00 (GS-12, Step 10).

The Strategic Communication Specialist provides leadership with advice and assistance in writing and developing communications materials to ensure coordination and communication throughout the organization. Duties and responsibilities include :

• Planning, writing, and editing internal and external communication products to keep stakeholders informed of operations, programs, priorities, and initiatives; preparing talking points and anticipated question and answers for leadership to ensure stakeholder concerns are addressed in a wide variety of engagement forums;
• Developing, implementing, and evaluating the effectiveness of communication strategies, materials, and programs that support and promote engagement with stakeholder communities; identifying communication barriers and issues, gathering information, and generating possible solutions for recommendations;
• Identifying and anticipating communication needs and potential reactions form stakeholders including congressional, media, non-governmental, state, local, tribunal governmental and other stakeholder communities; carrying out communication requirements needed to support leadership regarding novel, complex, and controversial operational, programmatic, and policy related issues.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Qualifications

You qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as :

NOTE : Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional resume requirements.

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.

You must :

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Background Investigation : U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and / or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information on the preemployment process, review the following link : Applicant Resources | CBP Careers

Residency : There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions :

Probationary Period : All employees new to the federal government must serve a one year probationary period during the first year of his / her initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment. Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period.

Education

Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position.

Additional information

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and / or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps / VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

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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

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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.

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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.