Summary This position is in Region 8, Immediate Office Division, Public Affairs Branch, Community Involvement Section. About Region 8. This is an office-centered position*--you must physically report to the duty station stated in this announcement on a regular basis. *EPA offers work-from-home and work schedule flexibilities as described in the Benefits section. Responsibilities You will: Serve as regional expert for coordinating community relations programs, and developing and implementing outreach activities designed to inform and involve the public. Evaluate problems encountered in communicating the region's programs and advise program staff on specific information activities designed to meet those problems which may be critical in nature. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with EPA programmatic and technical staff and impacted communities to ensure that communities’ attitudes towards the program initiatives reflect an accurate understanding of established goals. One or more positions may be filled (in the organization advertised and/or in other organizations), if appropriate to the position. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must submit a resume and required documents--see How to Apply section. You must be a U.S. citizen. This position is designated as Moderate Risk and requires a background investigation. Unless an appropriate background investigation is already on record with the Office of Personnel Management, you must undergo a background investigation. All conditions of the pre-employment security process must be met before an official letter of employment can be issued with a report for duty date. You must meet time in grade requirements no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement. If you are selected, you may be required to complete a one-year probationary period if appointed as Competitive Service or a two-year trial period if appointed as Excepted Service. #LI-Onsite Qualifications NOTE: You must meet qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. We are looking for at least one year of specialized experience related to this position as described below: To qualify for the GS-13 level, you need to have at least one year of full-time experience equivalent to the GS-12 level defined as developing and implementing communication and outreach strategies; collaborating with or creating partnerships with federal, state, local officials and/or media representatives to facilitate joint communication related to environmental protection programs; and developing written materials to include press releases, news stories and fact sheets. Your application package will be used to evaluate your competencies in the following areas: Skill in analyzing the impact of program activities on the public. Skill in developing outreach strategies to disseminate information to the public. Ability to identify appropriate social media communication channels, techniques, and strategies to solicit public input. Skill in written communication. Skill in oral communication. Knowledge of environmental regulations. Skill in developing relationships with media representatives, managers, and staff. 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. *If you have part-time work experience, read this: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. Education Additional Information Except in special circumstances, those new to the federal government will be hired at the starting salary (step 1) of the applicable grade range listed in the Overview section. EPA participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that enables participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. For additional information: EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures. Although the Service type indicated in the Overview section is Competitive, you may be appointed as Excepted Service based on your eligibility to be hired under certain appointing authorities. Are you a Displaced Federal Employee? If so, please read the Required Documents section and visit the EPA website for additional information on the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): EPA Announcement Policies and Procedures NOTE: To be entitled to selection priority, you must be rated well-qualified (i.e., you must have a score of 87 or higher--see the How You Will Be Evaluated section). Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at EPA. Our excellence can only be fully realized by staff who share our commitment to these values. Successful candidates are committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the Agency’s workplace and mission. We encourage applications from candidates with a variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstance. At EPA, diversity is a vital element in bringing a balance of perspectives to bear on every challenge we face. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce because we know that the individual strengths and abilities of our employees make us a stronger organization. The more inclusive our employee base is, the greater the variety of ideas that are generated, and the more representative we are of the nation we serve. To learn more about how EPA values and supports our diverse workforce, visit Equal Opportunity Employment at EPA. If you are selected, travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid by EPA. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expenses associated with reporting to work in this position will be your responsibility. This position is in the bargaining unit.