Coast Guard Community Relations Job

Are you looking  for a job as a community organizer but don’t like politics?  Did you like Kevin Costner in “The Guardian”?  The Coast Guard has a job for you!

New USCG headquarters construction site. (USCG photo)

In preparation for its move to its new headquarters on the grounds of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, the Coast Guard is hiring a liaison to the District of Columbia, Ward 8 Community leaders, affinity groups, and external constituents to help build relationships and resolve problems before they mushroom.  The 18-month position is a GS-13 and pays between $89,000 and $115,000.  The position closes Wednesday, October 24.

The Coast Guard is expected to be the first agency of the Department of Homeland Security to move to St. E's.  According to Federal Times, the building should be done in the spring.  With 4,000 headquarters employees, the Coast Guard will have a big impact on the neighborhood, with the staff of 4,000 starting to move in next summer. In anticipation,

I have a bias in favor of the Coast Guard ever since serving a developmental detail helping to organize its Acquisitions Directorate communications shop in 2007.  I worked down the street from the Coast Guard's current headquarters at Buzzards Point, and the neighborhood was "interesting," to say the least.

This 18-month position is a great example of why the Coast Guard’s understanding of public relations.  The Coast Guard will be the first Federal agency to locate at St. E's.  The person hired for the job will work to "enhance the understanding and support of groups or individuals of significance to the Coast Guard Headquarters relocation."

 

The position description also is a good example of  the duties of a community outreach specialist for a government agency does.  According to the vacancy announcement, the incumbent will:

•  "Serve as the primary point of contact with external stakeholders on matters pertaining to the Coast Guard participation in Ward 8 resident, non-governmental organizations as well as community engagement, business meetings and special events.

• Integrate community relations role within broader Coast Guard external affairs goals and communities priorities, working with appropriate governmental and public affairs specialists at the Coast Guard HQ to incorporate community relations approaches and activities into broader communication plans, campaigns and outreach initiatives.

• Serve as liaison to inform, educate and ensure the effective relocation of Coast Guard Headquarters into the local community.

• Attend relevant meetings addressing issues relating to the neighborhood, Ward 8, the city and the region as necessary on external affairs issues;

• Advise and assist Coast Guard points of contact with protocol functions and event or engagement request as required.

• Draw on personal knowledge of and experience within the community, local organizations and leaders to brief and advise senior leadership on community attitudes."

 What does it take to qualify for this job?  Applicants must know how to:

• Develop new methods and processes for information exchange with the community, aimed at enhancing the understanding and support of groups or individuals or significance to the Coast Guard relocation;
• Evaluate the effectiveness of communication programs that convey core information about a program to various constituents; and,
• Integrate community relations activities into the broader Coast Guard external affairs goals and communication plans, campaigns and outreach initiatives.