Public Affairs Specialist

Public Affairs Specialist

U.S. International Trade Commission

Office of External Relations

Summary

This position is located in the Office of External Relations of the U.S. International Trade Commission. We are seeking a candidate who has a strong public affairs background and is detail-oriented, collaborative and has strong writing skills.

Duties

This position is in the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC or Commission), Office of External Relations. The mission of the Office of External Relations is to develop and maintain an effective liaison program between the USITC and its varied external customers and manage the public information activities for the agency. The office is the focal point for contacts with the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and other executive branch agencies, Congress, foreign governments, international organizations, the public, and the international, national, and local news media.

The incumbent oversees the Commission's public affairs program. Accomplishes wide-ranging and special projects and initiatives related to public affairs and external communications with primary responsibility of researching, planning, executing, and evaluating complex public affairs operations, programs, policies, and strategies of significant importance and which affect functional areas and multiple organizational levels.

Serves as the primary media spokesperson for the Commission.

Prepares news releases, public information/education materials, web content, and other informational materials pertaining to the Commission, Commissioners, personnel (when appropriate), and Commission determinations and activities.

Publicizes Commission public hearings and performs public affairs activities in conjunction with out-of-town hearings, roundtables, and meetings by the Commissioners and senior staff.

Investigates new communication tools and recommends how and whether Commission should use them, including working with attorneys, information technology team, and contracting officials to manage legal, operational, and procurement issues.

Develops new methods for analytical work and leverages media tools to analyze media exposure and coverage trends of Commission proceedings, determinations, and reports.

Monitors news media coverage of Commission activities and personalities and manages the distribution of daily news clips to Commissioners and senior staff.

Manages Commission official portraiture and photography of key events and activities.

Gathers and synthesizes information and produces informational materials concerning departmental policies, programs, and activities for dissemination to the news media, as appropriate.

Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with all media, both foreign and domestic, and develop and disseminate informational materials to pertinent publics through the media.

Provides information to the public and assists them in their understanding of and participation in proceedings before the Commission. Produces Commission materials and public information sheets for publication to the Commission website and manages distribution on request.

Serves as a liaison with and responds to inquiries from news media (international, national, and local), stakeholders, and other U.S. Government agencies' public affairs offices that have an international trade mandate.

Assists public and stakeholders with questions regarding the organization's mission and operations; serves as the Office of External Relations POC/Liaison for various systems, programs and units; and performs the role of quality assurance manager, as needed.

Participates as the Office of External Relations' representative on the Information Technology Committee, as well as other Commission working groups related to information technology and public information platform development.

Counsels and provides training and guidance to Commissioners, senior management, and staff on public and media relations matters.