Writer-Editor

Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff•Arlington, VA

About The Position

This position is part of the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The incumbent manages and coordinates the Chairman’s correspondence and tasking requirements for Joint Staff action officers; provides senior editorial, administrative, and advisory support to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS); and coordinates policy efforts related to Chairman’s correspondence with the actions division. The Writer-Editor develops and prepares standard correspondence on behalf of the Joint Staff in coordination with senior Department of War and non-Department of War leaders, support staffs, action officers, executive assistants, military secretariats, and other offices. The role writes, rewrites, reviews, edits, formats, processes, designs, and prepares clear, complete, logical, error-free executive-level correspondence, sometimes with little or no advance notice. It analyzes information from multiple sources, including the Enterprise Task Management Software Solutions (ETMS2) task-management and records-retention system, and advises Joint Staff directorates and action officers on supporting the CJCS’s role as the principal military advisor to the nation’s leaders. The position establishes and publishes rules for preparing, reviewing, and signing materials processed by the Joint Staff, instructs staff on those rules, and enforces them. It also assists in developing training materials, exercises, and curricula on effective, responsive, and plain writing and communications. The incumbent researches, writes, edits, and coordinates prose for informational materials communicating the positions of the Secretary of War, CJCS, VCJCS, DJS, VDJS, and other defense leaders on national security topics.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship.
For GS-11 qualification through experience: one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-09, including managing, controlling, and coordinating routine documents and correspondence; ensuring documents are grammatically correct and clearly communicate intended information; and providing administrative support for editing and preparing memorandums, letters, or messages. Alternatively, qualifying graduate education or a combination of experience and education may meet GS-11 requirements.
For GS-12 qualification: one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-11, including managing, controlling, and coordinating correspondence and tasking requirements for action officers, and providing editorial support to agency leadership by editing sensitive memorandums, letters, or messages before signature.
For GS-13 qualification: one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12, including managing, controlling, and coordinating senior agency leadership correspondence and tasking requirements; providing senior editorial support by editing highly sensitive memorandums, letters, or messages before signature; and providing administrative and advisory support to senior agency leadership.
Education may not substitute for specialized experience for GS-12 or GS-13 qualification.
Must obtain and maintain a Special Sensitive (Top Secret/SCI) security clearance.
Must successfully complete the required initial drug screening; the position is designated for drug testing, including random testing thereafter.
Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
Must submit a resume and supporting documents; candidates using education to qualify for GS-11 must provide transcripts or other supporting documentation.
May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
Status candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements: 52 weeks at the next lower grade level.

Responsibilities

Manage, control, and coordinate Chairman’s correspondence and tasking requirements for Joint Staff action officers.
Interact with senior Department of War and non-Department of War leaders to develop written, standard correspondence on behalf of the Joint Staff.
Collaborate with support staffs, action officers, executive assistants, military secretariats, and other offices to develop, write, edit, format, process, design, and prepare correspondence.
Write, rewrite, review, and process clear, complete, logical, error-free executive-level correspondence, sometimes with little or no advance notice.
Analyze and select facts from multiple sources, including the ETMS2 task-management and records-retention system, to produce clear, concise, complete communications.
Provide Joint Staff directorates and action officers with technical advice and assistance supporting the CJCS’s role as principal military advisor to the nation’s leaders.
Establish and publish rules governing preparation, review, and signature of materials processed by the Joint Staff; instruct staff on and enforce those rules.
Assist in developing formal training materials, exercises, and curricula on effective writing, responsive writing, plain writing, and communications for Joint Staff personnel.
Research, write, edit, and coordinate prose for informational materials communicating defense leaders’ positions on national security topics.
Provide administrative and advisory support to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.