Correspondence Specialist
What you'd do
This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), with one vacancy in Silver Spring, MD. This position is also announced under vacancy number NMFS-26-13006602-ST, which is open to Status Candidates. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.
Major duties
As a Correspondence Specialist, you will perform the following duties: Develop and coordinate communications pertaining to difficult or sensitive issues that involve the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), regarding marine fisheries, regulations and ocean sciences. Ensure communication measures are consistent with legislative changes reflecting complex programs to an audience with opposing viewpoints. Resolve misunderstandings or conflicts between offices concerning correspondence, congressional reports, and other official agency materials for senior officials of the agency. Conduct analysis of information to prepare written and electronic correspondence. Review documents for uniformity, logic, clarity of expression, and edit phrases conveying the meaning of program objectives. Recommend changes with authors, verifying that all references are pertinent to the subject and are up to date. Design and maintain guidance for correspondence procedures manual to monitor all action correspondence to ensure its timely execution. Review and comment on proposed changes to correspondence policies and procedures. Maintain historical, current files and other reference materials for use by staff in ensuring continuity, quality and appropriateness.
What you need to qualify
Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/ EDUCATION: There is no positive education requirement for this position. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government. 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. To qualify at the ZA-3 or GS-11 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the ZA-2 or GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Preparing correspondence covering marine conservation issues; and Providing recommendations for the development or management of communication materials, or recommendations for proposed changes to correspondence policies and procedures. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of successfully completed graduate-level education and specialized experience may be used to meet the total experience requirements. Note: Only graduate-level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be combined with experience.
Before you apply
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