Public Affairs Specialist

You will serve as a Public Affairs Specialist with Office of the Secretary of Interior. The Department of the Interior is devoted to protecting and preserving the natural resources of this great nation, including National Parks, Landmarks, and the well-being of communities, including those of Native American, Alaska Natives and affiliated Islanders.

Salary is based on RUS pay table, actual salary will be set to the location negotiated. Selectee will be required to report to a federal facility. Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Serves as a principal National Park Service (NPS) spokesperson and primary point of contact for national news media.

Manages media inquiries, develops official statements and responses, coordinates interviews, and maintains relationships with national reporters and news organizations. Leads media response planning for high-profile incidents, emergencies, controversial issues, and emerging reputational risks affecting NPS. Develops and executes timely media responses in coordination with appropriate officials and subject-matter experts.

Anticipates media scrutiny and recommends appropriate communications responses. Develops and implements proactive communications strategies to inform the public about NPS programs, policies, initiatives, and accomplishments. Identifies opportunities for national media coverage, develops key messages and talking points, and supports national announcements and proactive media outreach.

Serves as a key liaison between NPS leadership, the DOI Office of Communications, other bureaus, regional public affairs officers, and park communications staff. Coordinates national announcements, sensitive media responses, and leadership messaging to ensure consistency and appropriate review and clearance. Monitors national news coverage and emerging issues affecting NPS.

Analyzes media trends, identifies potential communications challenges, and provides recommendations to senior leadership. Prepares or coordinates media briefings, background materials, anticipated questions, and other communications products to support informed decision-making.

Requirements

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Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 11/11/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted.

An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience . For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience.

Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Specialized Experience : To qualify for this position at the GS-12, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).

Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Responding to news media inquiries; Coordinating the review and clearance of media responses; and Monitoring and analyzing news media coverage. Must meet all. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website: https://www.

opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp