Summary This is a U.S. Public Health Service position is located within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Office of the Chief of Staff, IHSC Communications Unit (ICU). This is a non-supervisory position. This position is only open to current USPHS officers. USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position. Responsibilities DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Uses communications tools and platforms to enhance communications across the organization through broadcast messages, magazines, newsletters, communication workgroups, and live Town Hall meetings. Uses excellent customer service to contact staff throughout the agency to coordinate information needs, review messages prior to dissemination, and respond to service requests. Coordinates planning, review, and development of the agency's Communicator magazine. Disseminates the magazine to field facilities once the team publishes the magazine each quarter. Provides professional writing, editing, and oral presentations that convey complex information about IHSC. Manages workgroups with representatives from across the organization to achieve objectives that support the agency's strategic plan. Uses Adobe design programs and Microsoft Office products to write, edit, format, and maintain content in appropriate style for both print and online mediums. Uses digital platforms to send messages, communications products, and announcements across the organization. Works closely with teams to produce content that is timely, accurate, and consistent with agency policy and standards for style, format, and accessibility. Edits, writes, and publishes pamphlets, handbooks, training materials, manuals, regulations, guidebooks, standard operating procedures, and a wide variety of other written communications. Manages assigned projects and tasks in a timely and efficient manner consistent with priorities of IHSC and the Office of the Chief of Staff. Manages workload to ensure sometimes inflexible deadlines are met. Deploys for up to 30 days a year to internal facilities as needed through IHSC's TDY On-Call Schedule (ITOS) Program. Fulfills additional duties as assigned. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Sitting or standing for extended periods of time (6-8 hours). Performing repeated bending motion. Average manual dexterity for computer operation. Phone use for extended periods of time. Education REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Qualifying degree for the officer's category and an advanced degree (e.g., M.A. or M.S.) from an accredited institution plus a minimum of five years of professional experience relevant to the officer's category. Of the total professional experience, officer must possess at least four years direct experience related to public affairs (e.g., public relations or journalism). Expert writing skills to draft announcements, magazine articles, and consolidate information for dissemination across the organization. Experience using desktop publisher programs to create professional communications documents such as newsletters, postcards, flyers, invitations, or brochures. Ability to review documents and edit for plain language and the appropriate audience using correct grammar and punctuation. Demonstrated knowledge of program policies and guidelines, and operating procedures relating to communications. Knowledge of organizations and responsibilities of all levels of government operations for communications. Flexibility and ability to adapt to sudden changes in schedules and work-related requirements. High degree of independence, initiative, and follow-through on a wide range of sensitive, complex, and program issues. Ability to use photography equipment to provide coverage for an event for magazine articles or historical archive. Knowledge and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and GovDelivery. Additional Information IHSC has a multi-sector, multidisciplinary workforce of more than 1,670 employees, including U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) commissioned officers, federal civil servants, and contract staff. IHSC provides on-site direct patient care to detained noncitizens at 18 detention facilities throughout the country. It manages the provision of off-site medical care for noncitizens housed in approximately 128 additional non-IHSC-staffed facilities. In Fiscal Year 2023, IHSC delivered health care to approximately 131,000 detained noncitizens from 180 different countries. IHSC also provides medical support during ICE enforcement operations in the air, on the ground, and at sea. ICU coordinates with ICE to facilitate official communications with internal and external audiences and maintain IHSC's websites. ICU supports IHSC's operations, staff, and priorities by delivering effective communications through research, planning, and collaboration. ICU includes three teams who support agencywide and strategic communications, and technical writing/editing. The Communications Team disseminates internal broadcast messages about events, policies, and trainings to IHSC staff. Each quarter, the team publishes the Communicator, IHSC's official magazine, which highlights staff across the organization. The team announces staff accomplishments in the monthly Positive News, and new staff in the Hails and Farewells newsletter. They facilitate IHSC Town Hall meetings throughout the year. SUPERVISORY CONTROLS: The communications specialist works under the supervision of the writer/editor and IHSC Communications Unit chief. Assignments are usually of a long-term, recurring or broadly defined nature. Officer plans, and organizes own work, determines sequence of assignments, selects and develops methods and seeks assistance from experts only rarely. Work is reviewed for attainment of objectives. Guidelines may apply to some but not all parts of assignment and may contain some inconsistencies and be partially unconfirmed. Selection and adaptation from available possibilities involving a moderate amount of modification and innovation is required. The officer uses judgment in interpreting and adapting guidelines such as PHS policies, regulations, precedents and work direction for application to specific cases. The officer analyzes results and recommends changes in guidelines and program policies. Innovations and modifications to accepted procedures must be approved and clearly documented.