Public Affairs Specialist

Title:  Public Affairs Specialist

Location:  Washington, DC (on site)

Min Education Requirement:  BA in political science, international affairs, communications, or related field

Clearance Required:  Active Secret Clearance preferred; must be able to obtain Secret

About the Opportunity

Inalab has an immediate opening for a Public Affairs Specialist on our contract with the Department of State supporting the mission of press and public affairs offices in the R family of bureaus, in the regional bureaus, and in other functional bureaus.

Essential Responsibilities:

Duties include:

• Drafts, coordinates, and implements strategic messaging and media engagements to help build public understanding of U.S. foreign policy in assigned area of responsibility.
• Works with posts, the Department, and the interagency to produce unified public messaging on the U.S. government's policies.
• Translates complex policy information into press guidance.
• Drafts press products including press guidance, statements, and media notices related to the assigned area of responsibility and manages the clearance process for these products.
• Drafts remarks, talking points, statements, scripts, and other content for Department Principals.
• Coordinates and staffs press engagements by senior leadership.· Drafts and implements press plans for high level diplomatic engagements with countries in assigned area of responsibility.
• Briefs senior leadership on breaking news.
• Serves as primary point of contact with the Bureau of Global Public Affairs (GPA), interagency public affairs representatives, and spokespersons at embassies within assigned area of responsibility.
• Briefs the Department Spokesperson multiple times per week Coordinates with digital engagement teams on social media strategies. 
• Liaises directly with journalists.
• Responds to press inquiries.
• Responds to inquiries from U.S. missions overseas to support their messaging efforts Monitors Department Press Briefing for questions related to area of responsibility.
• Monitors media coverage of assigned area and reactions to U.S. messaging.
• Compiles USG statements and messaging resources into easily digestible formats for daily, weekly, and ad hoc dissemination.

 Required Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communications
• Excellent organization and time-management skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• An understanding of current world affairs (desired)
• Ability to receive and maintain a Secret security clearance
• Willingness to travel, if required
• Flexible scheduling dependent on the needs of the Bureau

Education and Experience:

• BA in political science, international affairs, communications, or related field
• 2-3 years of work experience managing messaging and communications for a large organization
• Prefer candidates with previous Department of State experience and knowledge of the South Central Asia.