Public Affairs Specialist

Public Affairs Specialist

Department: Other Agencies and Independent Organizations

Location(s): Washington, District of Columbia

Salary Range: $143913 - $187093 Per Year

Job Summary: This position is located in the Office of Public Affairs (OPA). OPA is charged with devising and implementing diverse public affairs and communication campaigns that promote the FTC's mission of ensuring robust competition across the U.S. economy, as well as protecting consumers. As a Senior Public Affairs specialist responsible for planning, designing and executing comprehensive, nationwide campaigns to communicate the FTC's programs and cases in consumer protection and antitrust law.

Major Duties:

• If you are selected for this position, as a Public Affairs Specialist, you will perform the following duties: Coordinates all components of national media campaigns to convey complex information concerning FTC decisions, cases, programs, research, and services; Works on deadlines and in consultation with the OPA Director, Deputy Director and bureau staff, creates multi-faceted press plans that include key messages, strategies, and tactics. Also, develops and writes materials designed to reach FTC audiences; Possesses the ability to talk about a range of consumer protection and FTC enforcement and policy issues using social media and cutting edge public relations' tools; Responsible for developing effective relationships with news media covering a variety of consumer protection and FTC's enforcement topics; Advises management on ways to improve communications between organizations and various FTC audiences; Responsible for handling requests from the media and outside entities and providing counsel to the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection and other bureaus and regional offices about the media and the audiences of the FTC: the general public, specialized groups, as well as community and governmental entities; Responsible for directing special events, ceremonies and other activities intended to develop interest in FTC programs; As a public affairs expert, takes complex legal issues, and translates them into readable, engaging materials, including but not limited to: news releases, media advisories, fact sheets, media plans, statements and/or speeches; Responsible for communicating the FTC's mission, accomplishments, policies, and rules, particularly in the area of consumer protection; and Utilizes public relations tools including media research and database services, and all modes of social media.

Qualifications: To qualify for the Public Affairs Specialist position at the GS-14 level, you must meet the following requirements: You must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of qualifying experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: designing, planning and directing a comprehensive public affairs program for a large organization or federal government agency specifically for the issue areas encompassing national consumer protection and/or domestic law enforcement; devised and executed a public relations program explicitly related to commerce or economic policy, and/or written news releases explicitly related to commerce or economic policy for a large (national in scope) organization or U.S. federal agency, or worked as a professional journalist writing about commerce or economic policy for a national news outlet. 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.

How to Apply: To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12933825.

Application Deadline: 2026-05-20