Public Affairs Specialist

Summary

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

Duties

• Serves as a Public Affairs Specialist for the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), reporting to the Chief, Public Information Office, and working closely with the Director, and members of the BOP's Executive Staff to ensure a smooth flow of accurate and timely information to and from: the Director's Office; between the various components of the BOP; and with outside agencies, the media, and the public. Assists in coordinating public information activity with Department of Justice Public Affairs staff. Acts as a spokesperson for the Director and that of the BOP, in all matters relating to the agency, its programs, policies, and position on a vast array of topics. Serves as a contact between the BOP and members of the news media and the public.

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements: Education: GS-13 and GS-14:There is no substitution of education for specialized experience for this position. Experience: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level. To be creditable, this experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular qualifications to perform successfully the duties of the position, and must typically be in or related to the position to be filled. Some examples of this qualifying experience are: GS-13: Experience serving as a spokesperson or point of contact with news media and the public on complex, sensitive, or controversial matters, developing and implementing communication strategies to respond to inquiries and preparing press releases, briefing materials, or talking points for senior leadership on organizational policies, programs, and positions. Experience coordinating public information activities across multiple organizational components or facilities to ensure consistent messaging and compliance with organizational policy, maintaining regular contact with field offices to provide guidance on responding to public inquiries, and disseminating information through various communication channels including publications, reports, and electronic media. Experience planning, managing, and directing audio and video production, print layout, graphic design, or social media content for a large organization, exercising independent judgment in conceptualizing videos and event productions and managing integrated procurement and production programs for complex communication missions. Experience monitoring and analyzing news sources, media coverage, and public communications to identify issues affecting the organization, providing daily briefings to senior executives on relevant topics and initiating or developing appropriate responses to selected issues for executive approval and dissemination. GS-14: Experience serving as an authorized spokesperson for an organization's Director or senior executive leadership on all matters relating to agency programs, policies, and positions across a vast array of topics, working directly with executive leadership to ensure accurate and timely dissemination of information and coordinating public information activities with Department-level or other external agency public affairs staff. Experience independently planning, developing, and implementing comprehensive communication strategies to respond to highly controversial, complex, and sensitive inquiries that could significantly impact organizational operations and mission, developing and coordinating strategies designed to obtain public support and effectively communicate leadership positions and serving as liaison with news media representatives developing major news stories about the organization. Experience exercising broad authority and independent judgment in planning, directing, and managing sophisticated visual information activities including audio and video production, print layout, graphic design, and social media content for an entire agency or large organization, establishing priorities and allocating resources for agency-wide communication programs and managing integrated procurement and video production programs for extremely complex missions. Experience serving as a management official with significant authority to make determinations that further program objectives; exercising independent judgment and discretion on a regular basis with primary duties having significant effect on the formulation or execution of management policies or programs and identifying operational or program issues and initiating corrective action or recommending solutions with limited review or revision. AND Selective Factor: GS-13 and GS-14: Applicants applying for this position MUST also possess the following Selective Factor. In the event that you do not possess the Selective Factor, you will be found ineligible for the position. Two (2) years of experience in audio/video productions and post production proficiencies, graphic design, and social media content strategies. If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as number of hours worked per week) spent in the activities. **Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.**

Requirements

Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1. Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2. Be rated well-qualified for the position, scoring at least half of the total possible points for the vacancy KSAs or competencies; and 3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility: A copy of the agency notice (i.e., separation notice or agency RIF letter), Most recent performance appraisal, and Most recent SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location. See USAJOBS' Career Transition Programs for more information. EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: U.S Department of Justice - Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Key Requirements: U.S. Citizenship is Required. See Special Conditions of Employment Section.

Education

ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here. Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

How to apply

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 submit all 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. 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 about two (2) 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 resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. 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: Visit https://help.usajobs.gov/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. This position may require the completion of additional forms and/or supplemental materials as described under the Required Documents section. Please carefully review the complete job announcement and the "How to Apply" instructions. Failure to provide the required information and/or materials will result in your application not being considered for employment. USAJOBS Help Center - How to Add a Resume to Your Profile All required supporting documentation MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on 09/18/2026. If applicable see Notice for Preference Eligible Veterans Applicants How do I Apply for this Position if I am a Military Spouse applying under the Special Hiring Authority? Military Spouses who meet the requirement of Executive Order 13832 must include the vacancy announcement number on all supporting documentation, as well as the appointing authority used. For more information Click Here. To be considered for this Special Hiring Authority, applicants must submit package to [email protected] including: Resume containing all information listed in the Qualifications Section (i.e. transcripts, certification, registration, and/or license, if applicable). A copy of spouse's DD-214 and/or orders verifying the military member's current active-duty status. Documentation confirming marriage to the service member. If applicable, a copy of documentation from either the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense indicating the service member possesses a disability rating of 100 percent due to a service-connected disability. Your completed application packet must be submitted to the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST), on 09/18/2026. You must include the last four digits of your social security number and the vacancy announcement number on your application packet. DO NOT SUBMIT AN APPLICATION ON-LINE. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13058100