Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist

• Plans organizes and directs the activities of the United States Special Operations Command Communication Office (SOCO) ensuring that public affairs and strategic communication activity complies with legal and regulatory requirements and meets customer needs.
• Exercises supervisory personnel management responsibilities.
• Represents HQ USSOCOM and SOCO with a variety of installation and functional area organizations. Establishes develops and maintains effective working relationships with the USSOCOM Commander Deputy Commander Vice Commander Senior Enlisted Leader Chief of Staff and fellow staff directorates; the component commands Theater Special Operations Commands (TSOCs) and Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC); and lateral headquarters the Services the Department of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• At the direction of Director of Communication oversees all media public relations and community relations programs for USSOCOM.
• In the absence of the Director serves in all respects as the USSOCOM Director of Communication with full authority and responsibility.
• Along with the Director of Communication serves as one of two official command spokespersons. Establishes and maintains effective and harmonious working relationship with members of local national and international news media; specialized audiences interested in USSOCOM; and component commands TSOCs and JSOC.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• Males must be registered for Selective Service see
• If authorized PCS will be paid IAW JTR and AF Regulations. If receiving an authorized PCS you may be subject to completing/signing a CONUS agreement. More information on PCS requirements may be found at: posn is subject to provisions of the DoD Priority Placement Program
• Disclosure of Political Appointments
• Recruitment Incentive is authorized for this position
• Relocation Incentive is authorized for this position
• Depending on the type of position (competitive/excepted) you are selected for you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period.
• Upon completion of your probationary/trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.
• Work may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft.
• Employee may be required to work extended or other normal duty hours to include evenings and weekends and may be subject to recall.
• Employee may be required to periodically be the 24 hour public affairs representative on-call to answer news media and other inquiries after hours.
• In event of hostilities and/or deployment may be the USSOCOM Public Affairs point of contact for news media representatives in a forward operating location.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI clearance position has recurring access to classified information.
• This position has been designated by the Air Force as a Testing Designated Position (TDP) under the Air Force Civilian Drug Demand Reduction Program.
• Employee must pass initial and periodic short notice drug testing. Illegal drug use by employees in sensitive positions presents a clear threat to the mission of the Air Force national security and public safety.

Qualifications

In order to qualify you must meet the SPECIALIZED experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions Administrative and Management Positions Public Affairs Series 1035.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-13 or equivalent in other pay systems. Examples of specialized experience includes; Possess an expert knowledge of all facets of public affairs and external relations including public affairs policies principles concepts guidance procedures techniques and methodologies set forth by USSOCOM Military Services Joint Staff and DOD as they apply to representing a joint military organization and the component services for developing coordinating and implementing Public Affairs and public communication requirements and plans; Knowledge of safety and security regulations practices and procedures; Possess the ability to plan organize and direct the functions and staff of a small to medium sized organization; Possess the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; Skill in dealing with civilian media organizations and their operations; with social media platforms and the best tactics techniques and procedures to optimize their use and reach of content for desired audiences; and in community relations activities and best practices designed to build support for the organization and its goals; and Skill in identifying trends opportunities and challenges as they pertain to public affairs and attainment of a desired public image through the interpretation statistical data of media representation of events organizations and individuals as it relates to public opinion.

FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-13 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-14 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks. NOTE: Applicants applying as VEOA candidates who are current GS civil service employees or are prior GS civil service employees within the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge skills abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

1. Expert knowledge of all facets of public affairs and external relations including public affairs policies principles concepts guidance procedures techniques and methodologies set forth by USSOCOM Military Services Joint Staff and DOD as they apply to representing a joint military organization and the component services for developing coordinating and implementing Public Affairs and public communication requirements and plans.
2. Knowledge of safety and security regulations practices and procedures.
3. Ability to plan organize and direct the functions and staff of a small to medium sized organization.
4. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
5. Skill in dealing with civilian media organizations and their operations; with social media platforms and the best tactics techniques and procedures to optimize their use and reach of content for desired audiences; and in community relations activities and best practices designed to build support for the organization and its goals.
6. Skill in identifying trends opportunities and challenges as they pertain to public affairs and attainment of a desired public image through the interpretation statistical data of media representation of events organizations and individuals as it relates to public opinion.