STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR.

DFAS; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Moving expenses paid

Comprehensive federal benefits

Job summary

DFAS is seeking a communications professional to draft executive-level briefings, talking points and scripts for senior leaders, ensuring messaging aligns with strategic goals. The role advises the Director on sensitive issues and reputational risk, and supports brand management across the agency.

The position requires coordinating with Defense Agencies and military services to synchronize DoD messaging, plus monitoring federal legislation and budget impacts to inform strategy.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to GS-13.

Responsibilities

• Draft executive-level briefings, talking points, speeches, statements, and visuals for senior leaders.
• Advise Director on emerging issues, political sensitivities, messaging, and reputational risk.
• Support agency communications strategy and brand management, ensuring alignment with Director's goals.

Skills

Executive communications

Briefings and speeches

Job description

• Authors executive-level briefings, talking points, speeches, statements, and accompanying visuals for the highest level senior executives on major initiatives and agency matters, ensuring alignment with the agency's strategic direction.
• Serves as a key communications advisor to the Director, offering guidance on emerging issues and political sensitivities to manage messaging and mitigate reputational risk.
• Supports the comprehensive communications strategy and brand management for the agency, reviewing and refining materials to ensure the Director's goals are conveyed accurately.
• Acts as a representative and liaison on behalf of the Director to other Defense Agencies and military services, ensuring communications are synchronized with broader DoD messaging.
• Monitors changes to federal legislation and budget impacting agency initiatives and advises the Director on the potential implications formulating recommendations on communication strategies.

Duties

• Authors executive-level briefings, talking points, speeches, statements, and accompanying visuals for the highest level senior executives on major initiatives and agency matters, ensuring alignment with the agency's strategic direction.
• Serves as a key communications advisor to the Director, offering guidance on emerging issues and political sensitivities to manage messaging and mitigate reputational risk.
• Supports the comprehensive communications strategy and brand management for the agency, reviewing and refining materials to ensure the Director's goals are conveyed accurately.
• Acts as a representative and liaison on behalf of the Director to other Defense Agencies and military services, ensuring communications are synchronized with broader DoD messaging.
• Monitors changes to federal legislation and budget impacting agency initiatives and advises the Director on the potential implications formulating recommendations on communication strategies.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S Citizen.
• This national security position, which may require access to classified information, requires a favorable suitability review and security clearance as a condition of employment. Failure to maintain security eligibility may result in termination.
• Registered for Selective Service (males born after 12-31-1959).
• Suitable for Federal employment.
• Time after Competitive Appointment: Candidates must have served 3 months after latest competitive appointment in the Federal service.
• New employees to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov.

Qualifications

One year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to that of the next lower grade (GS-13) within the federal service, which demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position, is required.

Specialized experience is defined as:

Drafting executive-level briefings, talking points, and scripts and advising on reputational risk matters, or managing an organization's corporate identity and brand, which includes serving as a liaison to external agencies to synchronize messaging, or analyzing federal legislative and budgetary processes to provide strategic recommendations on communication matters.

You may qualify for consideration if meeting specialized experience, education requirement, 90 days after competitive appointment requirement, and all other qualification requirements within 30 calendar days after the closing date of the announcement, unless otherwise indicated on the announcement.

Education is not substitutable for specialized experience at this grade level.

Additional information

• Moving expenses may be paid.
• The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 makes certain reimbursements/payments taxable. For information on these changes and the Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA), for which some appointees are eligible, click
• For positions where relocation is paid (see Location block of vacancy announcement), you can learn more about
• Telework availability is limited and will only be provided on a rare case-by-case basis during situations where Agency Leadership has determined that telework serves a compelling DoD need.
• We may use this announcement to make a temporary promotion. For some positions, the temporary promotion may be made permanent without further competition.
• Selections are subject to restrictions resulting from the DoD Program for Stability of Civilian Employment.
• We may use this announcement to fill additional vacancies within 120 days of the closing date.
• This position is exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• Travel requirement is seldom.
• This position is not covered by a bargaining unit.
• Retired Civil Service Employee: Employment of retired Federal employees receiving an annuity is subject to the requirements of the Department of Defense (DoD) policy guidance. (See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300,
• The Security Designation will vary and dependent upon position and may require a secret clearance or higher. Employment in this position requires a background investigation which may delay starting date. If you are selected and cannot obtain a favorable security determination within a reasonable period of time due to disclosed/undisclosed background issues, the employment offer may be withdrawn. Individuals selected are required to obtain/maintain a favorable security determination to occupy a sensitive position within the agency as a condition of employment. Failure to maintain eligibility to occupy a sensitive position may result in termination. For more information see the security section of Understanding Vacancy Announcements.
• Criminal History Inquiries- For some positions, criminal history inquiries may not take place before you receive a conditional job offer. Please see

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.

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.