Public Affairs Specialist

Full Job Description

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.

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). Major 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.