Communication Specialist (Digital Engagement)
What you'd do
Organizational Location: his position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Human Resources Management (HRM), Strategic Partnerships and Communications Division (SP&C), located in Washington DC. Additional selections may be made for other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty location(s) listed above.
Major duties
In this position you will be responsible for executing the Office of Human Resources Management's (HRM's) external engagement strategy and requirements to include researching, developing, posting and maintaining digital media products to make agency information accessible to CBP's workforce and external consumers. HRM's external engagement program includes digital content management (e.g. web and social media content) and engagement with external stakeholders to champion the CBP workforce through strong and trusted partnerships. This position starts at a salary of $102,415.00 (GS-12, Step 1) to $133,142.00 (GS-12, Step 10) GS Salary: Visit this link to view the locality pay tables by geographic area. If you do not see your geographic area listed, select the "Rest of United States" pay table. Some positions fall under a special pay rate depending on the series, grade level and location of the position. Please visit this link to view special pay rate charts. In this Digital Communications Specialist position, you will become a key team member of Homeland Security professionals involved in providing extensive knowledge of current CBP-wide and HRM missions and priorities. Typical work assignments include: Researching, analyzing, and producing reports on consumers, industry trends, and digital engagement activities to inform future strategies for HRM's web pages, social media, and mobile application platforms. Curating, drafting, designing, and posts engaging content for web and mobile application platforms, ensuring professionalism, continuity, and organizational integrity across HRM-managed digital channels. Collaborating with internal and external stakeholders-including the HRM social media team, Office of Public Affairs, Office of Information and Technology, and other components-to conceptualize and implement effective digital engagement programs. Analyzing, reviewing, and reporting on the impact of digital engagement programs, providing regular updates on trends, best practices, and recommendations to maximize effectiveness. Selecting, drafting, and editing text, HTML, and graphics for HRM web pages and digital platforms, ensuring products are easy to find, well-designed, compelling, and accessible to intended audiences
What you need to qualify
Experience: You qualify for the GS-12 grade level if you possess 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, performing duties such as: Developing, executing, and evaluating digital engagement strategies and products to enhance organizational communication with diverse audiences. Researching, analyzing, and reporting on digital engagement activities, industry trends, and audience behaviors to inform future strategies and maximize product adoption. Maintaining and enforcing web content standards, ensuring content is accurate, professional, and aligned with organizational objectives. Coordinating with multiple stakeholders to produce and maintain compelling, accessible, and shareable digital products for web and mobile platforms. Preparing reports and recommendations on digital engagement effectiveness and best practices, and represents the organization in working groups to advise on communication strategies. NOTE: Your resume must explicitly indicate how you meet this requirement, otherwise you will be found ineligible. Please see the "Required Documents" section below for additional resume requirements. 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. You must meet all qualification requirements, including education if applicable to this position, subject to verification at any stage of the application process by 08/07/2026. In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Background Investigation: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information on the preemployment process, review the following link: Applicant Resources | CBP Careers Residency: There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions: Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government Probationary Period: All employees new to the federal government must serve a one year probationary period during the first year of his/her initial permanent federal appointment to determine fitness for continued employment. Current and former federal employees may be required to serve or complete a probationary period. Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not CTAP/ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered eligible under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be placed in the Well-Qualified category for this position, as described within this announcement. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the Required Documents section of this job announcement. Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.
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