Summary

As a global leader in public health & health promotion, CDC is the agency Americans trust with their lives. In addition to our everyday work, each CDC employee has a role in supporting public health emergency management, whether through temporary assignments to emergency responses or sustaining other CDC programs and activities while colleagues respond. Join our team to use your talent, training, & passion to help CDC continue as the world's premier public health organization. Visit

Duties

As a Public Affairs Specialist, you will:

• Lead the collaboration and development of strategic media plans to support the agency's programs, policies, and activities.
• Plan, design, and execute a comprehensive, nationwide media relations campaigns.
• Actively pitch and secure media placements in national, multicultural, trade, scientific, and/or local/regional media outlets.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with representatives of national print and broadcast media and other media organizations interested in the aspects of the agency's programs.
• Conduct media trainings with program staff, agency leaders and executives as necessary.
• Provide consultation to agency directors in developing direction in media outreach activities to support the total management effort.
• Evaluate media outreach efforts to identify any gaps and information problems encountered.
• Make an appropriate determination for which media materials to develop for any media outreach endeavor, which may include the development of fact sheets, news releases, feature articles for magazines and trade papers, radio and television scripts, motion pictures and other materials to support storytelling.
• Perform above duties in support of media during a public health emergency response and/or preparedness activities.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Due to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) process enhancement to use Shared Certificates throughout the Agency, some of the requirements below may differ:

• US Citizenship required.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service ().
• May be subject to a Background/Security Investigation. Security clearance level may differ from the position announced when certificates are shared.
• CDC participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (). If selected, CDC will determine your employment eligibility using your social security number.
• Direct deposit is required.
• One-year probationary period may be required.
• This position may be subject to a Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Qualifications

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Minimum Qualifications:

To qualify at the GS-14 grade level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level, which must include the following experience: developing, executing and managing strategic media relations plans in support of an organization and/or health and science media outlets.

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.

The utilization of shared certificates for additional selections within the same geographical area can be made from multiple Centers of the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

The category assignment is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the competencies required for this position. Qualified candidates will be ranked into one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified or Qualified. The Category Rating Process does not add veterans' preference points but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher).

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

• Foundations in Health Communication and Marketing
• News Media Information Dissemination
• Public Affairs Science and Decision Making

Once the application process is complete, a review of the resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. Category rating procedures will be used to rate and rank candidates.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you MUST submit a complete Application Package which includes the following. Note: All documents must be in English.

1. Resume - Must reflect name, work schedule, hours worked per week, dates (month/year) of employment and duties performed.

Current/former Federal employee:

• Must reflect pay plan, series and grade, i.e., GS-0301-9.

Dos and Don'ts:

Cover Letter is optional.

2. Transcripts (if applicable) - You may submit an unofficial transcript. An official transcript from an accredited educational institution is required if you are selected.

3. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/ Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP):

• Supporting documentation i.e., Reduction in Force (RIF) notice or Certificate of Expected Separation (CES), AND most recent:
  • Current annual performance appraisal
  • SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action)

4. Veteran:

• DD-214 (Member 4 copy) or other Armed Forces/Department of Veterans Affairs official documentation reflecting dates of service and type of discharge, AND if applicable:
• 10-point preference eligible:
  • , AND
  • Any required documentation listed on the SF-15 - Veterans Affairs/Armed Forces certification must include the total percentage of the service-connected disability(s)
• Serving under Active Duty:
  • Certification from Armed Forces reflecting rank, dates of service, and discharge/release will be within 120 days from date of certification under honorable conditions
• Visit

Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

For Resume and Application Tips visit:

PDN-9cf119c2-0515-40a8-adb3-42bf17f8ff7f