Public Affairs Specialist

DLA Careers; Fort Belvoir (VA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

DLA Careers seeks a Public Affairs professional to draft, edit, and publish engaging content for internal and external audiences. You will translate complex technical material into clear public-facing content and oversee the full lifecycle of information products to support agency goals.

You will publish content using AFPIMS, manage visual assets, and coordinate social media campaigns and media at agency events, ensuring metadata accuracy and effective communication.

Qualifications

• Drafting, editing, and publishing informational materials tailored to internal or external audiences.
• Formatting, uploading, and managing digital content and visual assets using CMS or digital archiving platforms.
• Creating and distributing targeted content across organizational social media platforms, including basic photo/video materials.
• Gathering and clarifying complex information from SMEs to support broader communication plans.

Responsibilities

• Draft, edit, and publish news articles, features, and summaries for internal and external audiences.
• Convert complex technical briefings into accessible content for the general public.
• Direct full lifecycle of information products to align with agency goals.
• Publish and tag digital content on the agency website using AFPIMS.
• Organize and archive visual media with accurate metadata.
• Conceive social media campaigns and capture media at events.
• Manage email distributions and track performance metrics.

Skills

Drafting

Editing

CMS usage

Content publishing

Digital archiving

Social media content

Audience targeting

Tools

AFPIMS

CMS platforms

Digital archiving systems

Job description

Summary

See below for important information regarding this job.

Duties

• Drafting and editing news articles, features, and summaries to engage both internal and external audiences.
• Converting complex technical briefings and white papers into clear, accessible content for the general public.
• Directing the full lifecycle of command information products to ensure alignment with strategic agency goals.
• Publishing, formatting, and tagging digital content and articles on the agency website using systems like the Armed Forces Public Information Management System (AFPIMS).
• Organizing, uploading, and safely archiving visual media (photos/videos) with accurate metadata into relevant systems.
• Conceptualizing social media campaigns and capturing photo and video media at agency events.
• Managing workforce email distributions, preparing senior leader slides, and tracking overall performance metrics.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Tour of Duty: Flexible (https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Join-Our-Team/Benefits/#Work)
• Security Requirements: Non-Critical Sensitive with Secret Access
• Appointment is subject to the completion of a favorable suitability or fitness determination, where reciprocity cannot be applied; unfavorably adjudicated background checks will be grounds for removal.
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt
• Selective Service Requirement: Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service.
• Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Bargaining Unit Status: No
• Selectees are required to have a REAL ID or other acceptable identification documents to access certain federal facilities. See https://www.tsa.gov/real-id for more information.

Qualifications

To qualify for a Public Affairs Specialist, your resume and supporting documentation must support:

• Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position and is directly in or related to this position. To qualify at the GS-11 level, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military, or private sector. Creditable specialized experience must have been acquired in a federal, military, or law enforcement environment requiring formal credentialing or graduation from an accredited federal or military counterintelligence academy. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements including time-in-grade (General Schedule (GS) positions only), time-after-competitive appointment, minimum qualifications, and any other regulatory requirements by the cut-off/closing date of the announcement. Creditable specialized experience includes:
• Drafting, editing, and publishing informational materials - such as news articles, feature stories, or newsletters - tailored for specific internal or external audiences.
• Formatting, uploading, and managing digital content and visual assets using content management systems (CMS) or digital archiving platforms.
• Creating and distributing targeted content across organizational social media platforms, including the collection of basic photo or video materials at events.
• Gathering and clarifying complex information from subject matter experts to assist in the execution of broader communication plans or campaigns.
• Education Substitution: Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. Education must be from a college or university accredited by an organization approved by the U.S. Department of Education. See http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx. If using education to meet basic qualifications, YOU MUST SUBMIT A TRANSCRIPT as supplemental documentation. To qualify based on education in lieu of specialized experience, you must possess: a 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.
• Combination: Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for grade levels GS-11and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grade GS-11.

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.

Education

Substitution of education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience for this grade level.

Additional information

As required by 5 C.F.R.

• 302.106, DLA will provide Section 508 conformant ICT to employees with disabilities. All ICT interfaces with the public related to vacancy announcements and career transition opportunities must conform to the applicable requirements in the current ICT Standards and Guidelines (36 C.F.R. 1194).

For Important General Applicant Information and Definitions go to

http://www.dla.mil/portals/104/documents/careers/GenAppInfoDef.pdf

Reemployed Annuitants

This position does not meet criteria for appointment of Reemployed Annuitants. The DoD criteria for hiring Reemployed Annuitants can be found at: https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/140025_vol300.PDF

Information for Veterans

is available at: https://www.dla.mil/Careers/Programs/. As of 23 December 2016, Military retirees seeking to enter federal service in the Department of Defense now require a waiver if they would be appointed within 180 days following their official date of retirement.

Drug-Free Workplace Policy

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is committed to maintaining a safe, drug-free workplace. All DLA employees are required to refrain from illegal drug use on and off duty. DLA conducts pre-employment, reasonable suspicion, post-accident, and random drug testing. Applicants tentatively selected for employment in testing designated positions will undergo a urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Refusal to undergo testing or testing positive for illegal drugs will result in withdrawal of the tentative job offer and a six-month denial of employment with DLA from the date of the drug test. Employees in drug testing designated positions are subject to random drug testing. A negative drug test result must be received by HR within 30 calendar days after the EOD (i.e., start date). The selectee's inability to successfully pass; or refusal to conduct the test may result in: 1) the tentative or FJO being withdrawn during the recruitment process; or 2) subsequently being removed from Federal service for failure to meet a condition of employment. You may be required to sign a "Drug Test Statement of Understanding" if you are selected for this position.

The DLA drug testing panel tests for the following substances: marijuana, cocaine, opiates, heroin, phencyclidine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, fentanyl, norfentanyl, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and opioids.

ADVISORY: Use of cannabidiol (CBD) products may result in a positive drug test for marijuana. DLA employees are subject to Federal law and under Federal law, Marijuana is illegal

Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job? The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.