Summary Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, Yuma Sector, Strategic Communications, located in Yuma, AZ. Responsibilities This position allows you to use your knowledge and experience developing communication plans and products to improve engagement across diverse stakeholder communities. This position starts at a salary of $72,553.00 (GS-11, Step 1) to $113,047.00 (GS-12, Step 10) with promotion potential to $113,047.00 (GS-12, Step 10). As a Strategic Communication Specialist, you will be providing leadership with advice and assistance in writing and developing communications materials to ensure coordination and communication throughout the organization. Duties and responsibilities include: Preparing talking points and anticipated question and answers for leadership to ensure stakeholder concerns are addressed in a wide variety of engagement forums; Identifying communication barriers and issues, gathering information, and generating possible solutions for recommendations; Carrying out communication requirements needed to support leadership regarding novel, complex, and controversial operational, programmatic, and policy related issues; Developing new strategies, practices, methods, and ways to communicate that are appropriate to specific communication issues and problems that can be controversial or sensitive in nature. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this position Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years (additional details below) You may be required to pass a background investigation CBP follows the DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan for drug testing procedures As an employee of CBP, you will be joining a workforce that is dedicated to accomplishing our mission while maintaining the trust of our Nation by strictly adhering to all government ethics standards. Your conduct will be subject to the ethics rules applicable to all Executive Branch employees, and to CBP employees specifically, as well as the criminal conflict of interest statutes. Once you enter on duty, these rules include obtaining approval for outside employment or business activity, to ensure such employment or business activity is not prohibited and does not interfere or conflict with performance of your official duties. Please review further details via the following link. Qualifications Experience: You qualify for the GS-11 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Planning, writing, and editing internal and external communication products. Providing communication-oriented recommendations regarding technical documents, such as memoranda and policy directives. Developing, implementing, and evaluating the effectiveness of sector communication strategies and materials. Identifying and anticipating communication needs and potential reaction from congressional; media; non-governmental; state, local, and tribal governments; and other communities. You qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Preparing talking points and anticipated questions and answers for sector leadership to ensure stakeholders' concerns are addressed in a wide variety of external engagement forums; Partnering with subject matter experts and USBP communication offices to identify, develop, and recommend effective techniques to communicate operational policies and procedures tailored to unique external audiences; Identifying communication barriers and issues, gathers information, and generates possible solutions for recommendation; Determining the best way to communicate changing policies and laws and their effect on sector and stakeholder initiatives and goals. NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional resume requirements. 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. You must meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process by 04/30/2024. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information, review the following links: Background investigation and the e-QIP process. Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions: Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government Probationary Period: All employees new to the federal government must serve a one year probationary period during the first year of his/her initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment. Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period. Education Please see the Qualifications and Required Documents sections for more information if education is applicable to this position. Additional Information Bargaining Unit: This is a bargaining unit covered position, represented under the National Border Patrol Council - NBPC. For local chapter contact information see https://bpunion.org/#. Positions with known promotion potential do not guarantee promotion, nor is the promise of promotion implied. DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify including your rights and responsibilities. The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.