Director - Communications Division

Summary

This position is located in the Office of Public Affairs and Training's (OPAT), Communications Division and ensures a cohesive, consistent food safety message within the agency, across the Department and to all stakeholders. The Communication Division develops and conducts public information campaigns to inform and educate a variety of offices, including Congress, the media, industry, consumers and employees.

Duties

• Lead the creation and execution of internal and external communication plans—including digital and executive communications—to inform stakeholders of FSIS priorities and initiatives.
• Advise on food safety education campaigns, communications to media, Congress, and key stakeholders, ensuring alignment with agency goals.
• Represent the agency on matters directly supporting the Administrator and Under Secretary for Food Safety, including complex public health and policy issues.
• Plan, coordinate, and supervise FSIS legislative activities, including preparation and analysis of legislative documents, and communication with Congress, committees, and other government agencies.
• Ensure production and clearance of media talking points, social media content, news releases, web content, recall releases, fact sheets, newsletters, testimony, reports to Congress, and other materials.
• Plan and assign work, set priorities, evaluate performance, provide guidance, recommend personnel actions, resolve complaints, and identify training needs for Communications Division staff.
• Maintain close and continuous lines of communication between FSIS, Department, other government agencies, Congress, industry, consumer groups, and the public to coordinate responses and present information.
• Formulate strategies on public health, scientific, and regulatory issues to effectively communicate agency policies and programs to diverse audiences.
• Create materials for FSIS leadership, including reports, briefing papers, special studies, and informational documents related to Congressional and media operations.
• Evaluate staff operations, promote safety, cost reduction, incentive awards, and review work methods and organizational features to optimize efficiency and effectiveness.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Time in Grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet the time in grade requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled. Specialized Experience: 52 weeks work experience at the senior level that demonstrates all of the following: program management; creating internal and external communication plans; coordinating legislative activities such as Congressional communications or clearance processes; maintaining contact and collaborative working relationships with external and internal stakeholders; designing, implementing, and integrating activities of subordinate offices; providing briefings, spokesperson duties, or press engagement; and developing web and social communications along with internal messaging. 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 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 to apply

If claiming eligibility under a special hiring authority or an interchange agreement with another merit system not listed above, see the requirements for that authority and submit the required supporting documentation. Go to USAJOBS Hiring Path for Special Authorities or Special Hiring Authority for more information. Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. Resumes must not exceed two pages. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable. Please ensure your resume does not exceed two pages. Applicants who submit a resume that exceeds two pages will be removed from consideration.