PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST WITH SECURITY CLEARANCE

Duties As the state's Public Affairs Officer (PAO), the incumbent is responsible for all Army and Air National Guard public, community and media relations within the state and for providing supervision and direction to the staff of the Joint Force Headquarters - State (JFHQ-State), Public Affairs Office, as well as field and unit public affairs specialists and Mobile Public Affairs Detachments (MPADs) personnel covering the region. b. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Serves as the JFHQ-State Public Affairs Officer, directly reporting to the Adjutant General (TAG). Responsible for planning, budgeting, designing, and executing public affairs communications strategies to inform and educate the public, both general and specialized, about the Army and Air National Guard programs, activities, and services and the vital role they play as components of the U.S. armed forces as well as being an invaluable asset for homeland defense and homeland security. The state National Guard's various organizations range upward in size from several hundreds to thousands of Soldiers and Airmen, comprised of state and federal employees. Each state includes a large number of National Guard armories, along with flight facilities, maintenance facilities, air installations, training sites and ranges. Geographical area encompasses the state along with any areas the MPADs are assigned which include regional, CONUS (national) and OCONUS (international); each with varied audiences. In any case, with the potential impacts of public affairs actions, the PAO's responsibilities and duties are as encompassing as the Guard as a whole. The JFHQ-State PAO must provide the full range of effective public information, command/internal information, and community relations services to support the National Guard's large and complex organization statewide. The JFHQ-State PAO plans, directs, and executes command/internal information, media and community relations campaigns to convey sensitive and complex information concerning the National Guard's state and federal programs, responsibilities, and activities. The PAO exhibits a mastery of communication principals and techniques along with continuously developing and applying new approaches to the most difficult and complex issues by developing or evaluating information programs that enhance understanding among publics opposed to or indifferent to National Guard mission or programs. The PAO analyzes public reaction to NG programs and policies then adjusts accordingly by developing recommendations that may impact or significantly modify NG major programs or policies. The JFHQ-State PAO must include diverse points of view in communications plan that establish and maintain mutual understanding with various publics in local communities, in the state, the region, and which may impact the NG nationally. The scope, effect and implications of the JFHQ-State PAO's duties are wide; affecting the NG locally, state-wide, nationally and internationally. Throughout the communications process the JFHQ-State PAO analyzes and re-analyzes the clarity and effectiveness of public affairs initiatives and adjusts them as needed. The JFHQ-State PAO is guided by general policies that cannot encompass the huge variety of specifics that apply to public affairs. Frequently, there are no precedents applicable to unusual or sensitive public issues or problems encountered by the PAO and the PAO exercises considerable professional judgment in interpreting and adapting existing guidelines and precedents and using them as a basis for developing new approaches that coordinate and integrate various aspects of the mission to help create a unified public affairs strategy or plan. The public affairs specialist serves as an NG authority in the development and interpretation of guidelines in the public affairs arena. The PAO is responsible for interpreting applicable general policy and statutory mandates (state, NG, DA, DAF and DOD) and applying these to unusual or sensitive public affairs issues or problems found at the agency level. 2. Serves as the official spokesperson for the Adjutant General on controversial and complex issues before the representatives of the print and broadcast media and national organizations (i.e., Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Army (DA), Department of Air Force DAF), etc - and national organizations, such as Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy, NGAUS, etc.), the general public and special interest groups. PAO regularly conducts Deterrence Media Operations, fully and truthfully informing the public of NG programs, positions and actions that demonstrate that the Guard is continuously ready to respond rapidly to the GWOT at home and abroad. **REFER TO PD FOR FULL LIST OF DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES** Requirements Conditions of Employment * The incumbent will be required to obtain and maintain a secret security clearance. * Ability to establish effective professional working relationships with coworkers and customers, contributing to a cooperative working environment and successful accomplishment of the mission. * May require travel in military and/or commercial aircraft to perform temporary duty assignments. * May occasionally be required to work other than normal duty hours. * Federal employment suitability as determined by a background investigation. * Males born after 31 December 1959 must be registered for Selective Service. * May be required to successfully complete a probationary period. * This is an Indefinite tenure appointment not to exceed a maximum of 4 years from the start date. Qualifications OPEN AREAS OF CONSIDERATION: AREA 1, 2, 3, 4 Area I: Current On-board Title 5 or Title 32 Dual Status Technicians (Tenure: 1-Career, 2-Conditional, 3-Indefinite or 4-Term ) - Only those current Vermont National Guard employees who are in permanent, indefinite, or term technician status as result of being competitively hired by the Vermont National Guard. Area II: All current Federal Employees from any agency. Area III: All current and former members of the VTNG. Area IV: United States citizens. * Veterans' Preference Rules are mandated by law and some applicants may receive priority consideration before other applicants without veterans' preference. Minimum Qualification Requirements: Experience, education or training in administrative, professional, investigative and/or technical work. Experience evaluating information and/or using analytical skills to disseminate effective communication. Experience in compiling reports, letters, memoranda, etc., and required person-to-person contacts to convey information. Experience using computers and automation systems. Specialized Experience: 1-year experience, education, or training equivalent to at least next lower grade level. At least 36 Months Experience, education, or training involving a thorough knowledge of writing and communication principles, methods and techniques that relate to public affairs of the military. Experience developing new information materials including news releases, fact sheets, brochures, booklets, broadcast spots, etc., that increase communication with the agency's audiences. Experience making on-the-spot presentations to audiences with opposing points of view or erroneous understanding of agency positions. Experience responding timely and appropriately to requests for information concerning agency programs and services. Length of time is not of itself qualifying. Candidates' experience should be evaluated on the basis of duties performed rather than strictly on the rank of the individual; however, established compatibility criteria/assignments must be followed. The applicant's record of experience, training, and education must show possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to fully perform the duties of the position to be filled. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics): - Comprehensive knowledge of the principals, methods, practices and techniques of communication to function as the JFHQ-State technical authority on all public affairs and community relations programs, problems and issues. - Knowledge of the missions, goals, policies and issues impacting the Department of Defense, U.S. Army, Air Force, and the National Guard Bureau (NGB), and how these will influence the state's NG. Knowledge must be extensive on the many controversial and complex issues that regularly affect the National Guard. - Skill in conveying complex information on Army and Air National Guard activities that affect state and national interests and may have international involvement and implications. - Knowledge and skill to analyze public reaction and perceptions to National Guard programs and policies and provides recommendations to the TAG or the NGB that may significantly modify major programs or policies. - Skill in integrating diverse points of view in communications plan which establish and maintain mutual understanding with various publics and state and federal agencies. - Skill in analyzing public reaction to NG program and policies and in developing recommendations that may significantly modify major programs or policies - Skill in developing and applying new approaches to the most difficult and complex public affairs problems by developing or evaluating information programs to enhance understanding among publics opposed to or indifferent to the NG's mission or programs; - Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with individuals and groups interested in or affected by programs, creating meaningful, constructive communication interchanges. - Skill in developing written materials to convey information concerning complex programs and functions to publics having diverse levels of understanding of the National Guard's programs and activities. - Skill in responding orally to criticism of the Na