Public Affairs Specialist

• Serves as liaison between the Agency and the media on significant and sensitive matters involving the IRS.

• Works with senior agency officials in the formulation of policies and programs. Provides counsel and advice to senior officials on media implications and external interpretation of policies and decisions under agency consideration. Acts as spokesperson for the IRS, responding to or coordinating a spokesperson to respond to sensitive media inquiries concerning complex tax law and IRS activities, policies, and procedures.
• Works in coordination with IRS executives and managers, operational tax administration experts, and Media Relations counterparts to provide accurate and comprehensive answers to complex media inquiries. Determines the need for public information campaigns to ensure a high degree of voluntary compliance with Federal tax laws. Arranges and attends media interviews for Service officials and, in some instances, prepares the Service officials for the interview; prepares talking points and/or briefing papers, and/or acts as interviewee.
• Builds effective working relationships with OD/FD/SS executives, management, and communication personnel by providing counsel and advice during the development and implementation of agency policies and procedures. Interprets, on behalf of agency management, tax law, regulations and IRS policies, procedures, and programs for the media.

• Builds effective working relationships with members of the media to develop effective ways to communicate the tax law, regulations, and IRS policies, procedures, and programs and reach broad sections of the public. Tests and implements Media Relations strategies, policies, and procedures for effectively communicating various tax issues.

Federal experience is not required. The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or Volunteer Service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-timework is considered on a prorated basis.
To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE GS-12 Level: To qualify for this position you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: experience that is related to the work of this position and provides you with the competencies required for successful job performance. Examples of specialized experience include experience implementing a public affairs program that involved media relations and community relations communication strategies for audiences that required a wide range of knowledge of communication requirements.

GS-13 Level: To qualify for this position you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: experience developing and implementing of all aspects of a public affairs program that involved media relations communication strategies for audiences that required knowledge of communication and media relations principles, practice and techniques; and experience analyzing a number of alternative approaches in the process of advising management concerning major aspects of the public affairs program including exploring the target audience and creating messages to reach them using the appropriate media vehicles.

AND

MEET TIME IN GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT: You must meet applicable TIG requirements to be considered eligible. To meet TIG for positions above the GS-05 grade level, you must have served at least one year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade (or equivalent) in the normal line of progression for the position you are applying to. Advancement to positions up to GS-05 is permitted if the position to be filled is no more than two grades above the lowest grade held within the preceding 52 weeks.

AND
TIME AFTER COMPETITIVE APPOINTMENT: By the closing date (or if this is an open continuous announcement, by the cut-off date) specified in this job announcement, current civilian employees must have completed at least 90 days of federal civilian service since their latest non-temporary appointment from a competitive referral certificate, known as time after competitive appointment. For this requirement, a competitive appointment is one where you applied to and were appointed from an announcement open to "All US Citizens".


For more information on qualifications please refer to OPM's Qualifications Standards.