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Justice, Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System

Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist (Chief, Office of Public Affairs) - CTAP Only

Justice, Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System See More Job Openings by This EmployerArrow
  • Full Time
  • $167,603 - $195,200/year
  • Washington, DC
July 31, 2025

Job Description

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

Duties This position is located in the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs (OCPA), Director’s Office, Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP). Serves as Chief, Office of Public Affairs and works closely with FBOP leadership and employees to maintain a smooth flow of information between OCPA and the Bureau's locations, as well as with outside agencies, the media, and public. Oversees and is responsible for the public affairs program within the FBOP, with responsibility for planning, designing, and executing a program to inform and educate the general and specialized public about the FBOP’s programs, activities and services. Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with members of the news media, specialized groups interested in the organization's programs and field offices. Responds to information requests from the news media and specialized and general public on the organization's program in written and oral form, often requiring detailed explanations of negative comments made on the organization's activities or performance in a particular situation. Salary
  • $167,603 - $195,200/year
Conditions of Employment The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP eligibility, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: Click Here Qualifications To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements: Education: 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 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. 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: Developed a standard operating manual for a federal agency, simplifying complex laws and regulations into easily understandable language for diverse audiences. Prepared and presented agency statements for national news media, effectively conveying organizational positions on critical matters. Successfully handled media interviews and press conferences, addressing challenging questions. Led innovative communication campaigns utilizing digital media platforms to enhance agency visibility and engagement. Conducted comprehensive stakeholder analyses to identify key influencers and inform targeted engagement strategies. Developed communication plans that effectively shaped public opinion and garnered widespread media coverage for organizational initiatives. Leveraged innovative communication strategies, such as social media, to engage target audiences and amplify messaging. 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.** Education See Qualifications Section for education requirements, if applicable. 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. If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty. Other Information This position IS NOT included in the bargaining unit. The representative rate for this position is $184,363 per annum ($88.34 per hour). Special Conditions of Employment Section: Initial appointment to a supervisory/managerial position requires a one-year probationary period. The incumbent is subject to geographic relocation to meet the needs of the agency. Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a urinalysis, physical, and background investigation. All applicants are subject to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit checks. The addresses listed on the USAJOBS account/resume must be the primary residence at the time of application. You may be required to provide proof of residence. Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate. Although competitive and non-competitive applications are being accepted, the selecting official may elect to have only one group reviewed. Current Federal Law Enforcement Employees: This is a non-law enforcement position. Individuals selected for these positions will lose law enforcement coverage and will need to return to a position with "primary" law enforcement coverage to regain coverage. Required Documents Resume showing relevant experience (cover letter optional). Experience that would not normally be part of the Federal employee's position is creditable when documented by satisfactory evidence of qualifying experience (e.g., a memorandum from the manager, Human Resource Manager, SF-52, etc.) To receive credit for experience contained in an application, the experience must be documented in month/year format (MM/YYYY), reflecting starting date and ending date and include the number of hours worked per week. Failure to follow this format may result in disqualification. Current or former Federal employees NOT employed by the Bureau of Prisons MUST submit a copy of their SF-50 Form which shows competitive service appointment, tenure group, and salary. If you have promotion potential in your current position, please provide proof. If you are applying for a higher grade, and your experience was gained at a Federal agency other than the Bureau of Prisons, you MUST provide the SF-50 Form which verifies the length of time you have been in your highest grade and supports your claim for time in grade. Employees applying with an interchange agreement must provide proof of their permanent appointment. Current federal employees NOT employed by the BOP and former federal employees MUST submit a copy of their latest yearly performance appraisal/evaluation. CTAP, Click Here, if applicable. Failure to provide these documents could possibly result in removal from consideration for this vacancy. If uploading documentation, do not identify/save your documents utilizing a special character such as %, #, @, etc. Documentation should be identified/saved as VA Letter, DD214, or Transcripts. We cannot be held responsible for incompatible software, delays in mail service, applicant application errors, etc. How to Apply You must apply through the online application system at www.USAJOBS.gov. Follow the prompts to register, answer a few questions and submit all required documents. NOTE: Submission of a resume alone is not a complete 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. Required supporting documentation must be electronically uploaded or transferred from USAJOBS (uploaded). All required supporting documentation MUST be received by the Consolidated Staffing Unit by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. You MUST include the vacancy announcement number on your supporting documentation. NOTE: Failure to follow these application procedures will result in the applicant losing consideration for this position. Paper applications: If applying online is impossible, please contact the Consolidated Staffing Unit at the telephone number listed below, prior to the closing date of the announcement for the alternate application procedure. Contact for Assistance in Applying On-Line: DOJ, Federal Bureau of Prisons Consolidated Staffing Unit 346 Marine Forces Drive Grand Prairie, TX 75051 E-Mail: BOP-HRM-HRSC-ConsolidatedStaffingUnit-S@bop.gov Phone: 972-352-4200


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