What Is TheCommunications & Liaison (C&L) Division? Communications & Liaison (C&L)touches every aspect of the IRS mission through its information-sharing activities, including communicating with IRS employees, taxpayers, tax professionals, partner groups, social and traditional media as well as Congress and state and local agencies. C&L works closely with business units across the IRS.
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Summary
What Is TheCommunications & Liaison (C&L) Division? Communications & Liaison (C&L)touches every aspect of the IRS mission through its information-sharing activities, including communicating with IRS employees, taxpayers, tax professionals, partner groups, social and traditional media as well as Congress and state and local agencies. C&L works closely with business units across the IRS.
WHAT DOES A PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST DO? IRS Public Affairs/Media Relations Specialists are the designated spokespersons for the agency. Oral and written communication skills are essential for responding to reporters and other members of the media who make official inquiries, consulting with IRS leadership and informing the public (individuals, business and tax-exempt organizations) of key IRS messages regarding federal tax law, filing requirements and procedures. You will develop professional workin relationships with reporters in your assigned area of responsibility. You will research nuances of the tax law, consult with IRS subject matter experts and respond to reporters. You will consult with internal customers; prepare communication plans to meet specific objectives; develop communication vehicles such as news releases, fact sheets, tax tips and web and social media content and then initiate contacts with print, broadcast and social media outlets using those vehicles to publicly place IRS messages. Field (regional) Media Relations Specialists have responsibility for local stories and events as well as crisis and disaster communications within their assigned territory. National Media Relations Specialists play a critical role in consulting, advising and supporting senior IRS executives in representing the agency on a national level with major national media outlets.
As a Public Affairs Specialist you will:
Establish and maintain mutual communication between news media outlets, IRS leadership and the general public.
Identify communication needs, develop informational materials and deliver key organizational messages that inform appropriate external audiences of the agencys policies, programs, services and activities.
Serve as a communications subject matter expert advising on appropriate communication strategies and tactics.
Write news releases, fact sheets, tax tips, FAQs, web and social media content and scripts for both audio and video products. Daily interaction with reporters responding to their inquiries and initiating contacts with them to execute media campaigns.
Explain federal tax law in plain-English to reporters and the general public, based on your research of internal resource materials and information provided from interaction with subject matter experts.
Represent the IRS as the designated official spokesperson in print and broadcast interviews, both live and recorded, on radio and television.
WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OTHER IRS CAREERS? If you want to find out more about IRS careers, visit us on the web at www.jobs.irs.gov
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Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
IRS Employees with Career or Career Conditional Appointments.
BILINGUAL POSITIONS ONLY: This is a bilingual position. Applicants will be required to demonstrate proficiency in Spanish. You must be able to speak, read and write the selected language in order to be considered proficient in that language. If you indicate language proficiency, you may be tested at some point in the hiring process to determine if you possess the required level of proficiency. If you are unable to demonstrate proficiency, you will not be qualified for these positions.
Qualifications
You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement: BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
To qualify for this position you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 which is the next lower grade level of the normal line of progression of this position in the Federal government. Specialized experience is experience that is related to the work of this position and has provided you with the competencies required for successful job performance. Qualifying experience is experience that demonstrates accomplishment of designing, planning, and directing or advising on the public affairs program in an agency or organization that requires a wide range of knowledge of communication requirements and techniques pertinent to the position to be filled. This knowledge is generally demonstrated by assignments where you analyze a number of alternative approaches in the process of advising management concerning major aspects of the public affairs program. You will describe and translate complicated financial or regulatory matters, such as taxes, for reporters and the general public.
- The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or Volunteer Service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-timework is considered on a prorated basis. - To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.
In addition to the above requirements, you must meet the following, if applicable: You must have been at the GS-11 level for 52 weeks (time-in-grade requirement).
Additional information
1 Position is to be filled in Communications & Liaison, Tax Outreach Partnership and Education (TOPE) at 4041 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85012 (AZ7748)
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.
As a current employee, you know the great benefits we offer. Should you have any questions about benefits, please contact the Employee Resource Center (ERC) at 1-866-743-5748 option #1 for ERC.
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.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your application includes your resume, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a “not qualified” determination. Rating: Your application will be evaluated on the competencies of the position to be filled per the IRS Merit Promotion Plan in the following areas: Communications and Media, Interpersonal Skills, Oral Communications/Speaking, Problem Solving, and Writing.
Your application will also be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals and awards relevant to the duties of this position. IRS employees may obtain most recent awards listing at https://persinfo.web.irs.gov/
Your rating may be lowered, if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application. Referral: You will be assigned to one of three quality groups. Each group represents a quality level (i.e., Superior/Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, Qualified). Candidates will be considered in quality group order. If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview (telephonic and/or in person at the discretion of the Selecting Official in accordance with hiring polices). We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site.
If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee eligible for Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), you must receive a score of category HIGHLY QUALIFIED or better to be rated as “well qualified" to receive special selection priority.
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.
As a current employee, you know the great benefits we offer. Should you have any questions about benefits, please contact the Employee Resource Center (ERC) at 1-866-743-5748 option #1 for ERC.
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.
A complete application includes 1. A resume, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you will not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional). To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view Resume Tips
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) DOCUMENTATION If you are a displaced or surplus Treasury employee, click CTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents. IRS CTAP eligibles can apply for jobs within and outside the commuting area. IRS Reassignment Preference Program (RPP) You must meet the requirements in your RPP notice. Submit a copy of your RPP Notice along with a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal. Your performance appraisal must have a fully successful or higher overall rating. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL/AWARDS Submit a copy of your most recent completed performance appraisal. IRS employees: if a revalidated appraisal is used for merit promotion, the supervisor must prepare a narrative for each critical job element that does not have a narrative describing the performance in the appraisal period covered by the rating. Note: If you are a manager or management official, your most recent annual performance appraisal must be used for the overall rating identified. EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. If the position has specific education requirements and you are currently (or have previously been) in the Federal job series to be filled, there is no need to submit a transcript or equivalent at this time. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.
If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date. Treasury believes in a working environment that supports inclusion; please view our reasonable accommodation policies and procedures at https://jobs.irs.gov/seasonal/reasonable-accommodation.html We will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Tanganyikia.M.Johnson@IRS.GOV if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.
To begin, either click the “Create a New Account” button and follow the prompts to register or if you previously registered, click the "Apply Online" button and follow the prompts.
You will be re-directed to Treasury’s CareerConnector system to complete your application process; answer the online questions, and submit all required documents. (To submit supporting documents, click one of the available options; Upload; Fax; or Reuse existing documents. To protect your privacy, we suggest you first remove your SSN). Also, go to “My Account” to view and update your information, as necessary.
To complete, you must click the “Submit Application” button located at the bottom of the “Application Review” page.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete. If you are experiencing system issues with your application, please contact the CareerConnector Help Desk at careerconnectorhelp@treasury.gov and/or the USAJOBS Help Desk.
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
5333 Getwell Road Stop 9417
Memphis, Tennessee 38118
United States
Next steps
You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS “My Account” tab and clicking on “Application Status.” For a more detailed update of your application status, you may click on “more information.”
Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
A complete application includes 1. A resume, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you will not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional). To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view Resume Tips
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) DOCUMENTATION If you are a displaced or surplus Treasury employee, click CTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents. IRS CTAP eligibles can apply for jobs within and outside the commuting area. IRS Reassignment Preference Program (RPP) You must meet the requirements in your RPP notice. Submit a copy of your RPP Notice along with a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal. Your performance appraisal must have a fully successful or higher overall rating. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL/AWARDS Submit a copy of your most recent completed performance appraisal. IRS employees: if a revalidated appraisal is used for merit promotion, the supervisor must prepare a narrative for each critical job element that does not have a narrative describing the performance in the appraisal period covered by the rating. Note: If you are a manager or management official, your most recent annual performance appraisal must be used for the overall rating identified. EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. If the position has specific education requirements and you are currently (or have previously been) in the Federal job series to be filled, there is no need to submit a transcript or equivalent at this time. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.
If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on the announcement's closing date. Treasury believes in a working environment that supports inclusion; please view our reasonable accommodation policies and procedures at https://jobs.irs.gov/seasonal/reasonable-accommodation.html We will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Tanganyikia.M.Johnson@IRS.GOV if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process.
To begin, either click the “Create a New Account” button and follow the prompts to register or if you previously registered, click the "Apply Online" button and follow the prompts.
You will be re-directed to Treasury’s CareerConnector system to complete your application process; answer the online questions, and submit all required documents. (To submit supporting documents, click one of the available options; Upload; Fax; or Reuse existing documents. To protect your privacy, we suggest you first remove your SSN). Also, go to “My Account” to view and update your information, as necessary.
To complete, you must click the “Submit Application” button located at the bottom of the “Application Review” page.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete. If you are experiencing system issues with your application, please contact the CareerConnector Help Desk at careerconnectorhelp@treasury.gov and/or the USAJOBS Help Desk.
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
5333 Getwell Road Stop 9417
Memphis, Tennessee 38118
United States
Next steps
You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS “My Account” tab and clicking on “Application Status.” For a more detailed update of your application status, you may click on “more information.”
Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
