Protect our Land, Ascend with Us!

Ascension is seeking a Communication Specialist – Communications, Outreach & Section 508 Lead to help HHS/ACF’s Office of Community Services communicate the impact, requirements, opportunities, and results of its discretionary and demonstration grant programs to grant recipients, prospective applicants, Federal leadership, stakeholders, Congress, and the public.

This position is important because DCDDP operates a diverse portfolio of Federal discretionary and demonstration programs serving communities across the United States. The effectiveness of these programs depends not only on sound grant administration, but also on the Government’s ability to communicate complex program information clearly, consistently, accurately, accessibly, and in formats that diverse audiences can understand and use.

The successful candidate will combine exceptional writing and editing, public-sector communications, digital content development, stakeholder outreach, visual communications, and Section 508 accessibility expertise. The individual should be able to transform complex grants, program, policy, performance, and technical information into compelling and understandable communications while maintaining Federal editorial, accessibility, quality, and approval standards.

We are particularly interested in candidates who understand that Federal communications require more than creative writing. The successful candidate must be comfortable operating within structured review and clearance processes, coordinating with program managers and subject matter experts, maintaining version control, addressing accessibility requirements before publication, and managing multiple communications products with overlapping deadlines.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Communication Specialist will serve as the primary communications and accessibility resource supporting DCDDP’s communications, grant competition outreach, capacity-building activities, and related program-support initiatives.

The specialist will develop, coordinate, edit, format, and quality-check a broad portfolio of internal and external communications, including awardee profiles, one-pagers, press releases, social media content, stakeholder outreach packets, website content, marketing materials, blogs, reports, case studies, white papers, briefing materials, webinars, graphics, presentations, and other multimedia products.

The position will also support communications associated with annual Federal grant competitions. This may include developing reviewer recruitment communications, competition announcements, educational webinars, applicant-support materials, public-facing guidance, and outreach resources designed to improve awareness of DCDDP funding opportunities among prospective applicants, including underserved, rural, Indigenous, and economically disadvantaged communities.

A critical responsibility of this role is ensuring that communications and applicable information and communications technology products meet Section 508 accessibility requirements. The specialist will work with content owners and technical resources to identify accessibility issues early, remediate documents and digital products, maintain accessibility documentation, and support the development or validation of applicable VPAT/Accessibility Conformance Report documentation.

The successful candidate should be a highly organized, detail-oriented communications professional who can work independently while collaborating closely with program specialists, technical advisors, analysts, data professionals, leadership, and other stakeholders. The candidate should demonstrate sound editorial judgment, strong customer-service instincts, and the ability to anticipate communications or accessibility problems rather than waiting for them to become publication or compliance issues.

The individual should be comfortable working in an environment where priorities may shift in response to grant competitions, new awards, leadership requests, emerging program requirements, congressional reporting, national observances, or stakeholder needs.

Day-to-Day and Recurring Responsibilities

• DEVELOP clear, concise, audience-appropriate communications describing DCDDP programs, grant opportunities, recipient accomplishments, program outcomes, and emerging initiatives.
• CREATE one-pagers, press releases, social media content, outreach packets, fact sheets, newsletters, graphics, presentations, blogs, case studies, briefing materials, and related communications products.
• DRAFT and EDIT website content for Government review and publication on ACF and OCS websites.
• PREPARE polished written materials such as congressional reports, white papers, brief reports, program summaries, success stories, and executive briefing documents.
• TRANSLATE complex grant, program, policy, analytical, and technical information into plain-language communications appropriate for recipients, prospective applicants, stakeholders, leadership, and the public.
• DEVELOP communications supporting annual grant competitions, including competition announcements, reviewer recruitment materials, applicant outreach communications, educational resources, and public-facing guidance.
• SUPPORT outreach efforts intended to improve access to DCDDP grant opportunities among rural, Indigenous, historically underserved, and economically disadvantaged communities.
• DEVELOP applicant-support resources such as webinars, presentation decks, videos, frequently asked questions, guides, job aids, and other educational communications.
• PLAN and COORDINATE communications supporting webinars, workshops, roundtables, peer-learning sessions, capacity-building events, and stakeholder engagements.
• CREATE or COORDINATE visual storytelling products, including infographics, program graphics, data visualizations, public-facing dashboards, story maps, and other interactive or multimedia products.
• COLLABORATE with analysts and program staff to convert performance data, program accomplishments, and evaluation findings into accurate and understandable narratives and visual communications.
• MAINTAIN current grant-recipient, stakeholder, outreach, and other communications contact lists as directed.
• APPLY the ACF Editorial Style Guide and appropriate Federal plain-language, editorial, branding, and publication standards.
• REVIEW communications for grammar, clarity, consistency, factual accuracy, readability, visual quality, and alignment with approved messaging.
• PERFORM Section 508 accessibility reviews of Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, PDFs, graphics, web content, and other applicable electronic communications.
• REMEDIATE accessibility deficiencies involving document structure, headings, reading order, alternative text, tables, hyperlinks, color contrast, document properties, and other applicable accessibility requirements.
• COORDINATE with content owners, designers, technical staff, and project leadership to resolve accessibility issues before Government submission or publication.
• SUPPORT development, review, documentation, or validation of VPAT/Accessibility Conformance Report requirements when applicable.
• MAINTAIN version control, review comments, approval status, source files, and final communications products within approved collaboration and records-management environments.
• MANAGE multiple concurrent communications assignments while meeting Government review, approval, accessibility, and publication deadlines.
• ANTICIPATE communications, stakeholder, accessibility, or schedule risks and recommend practical solutions before those risks affect deliverables.
• PARTICIPATE in project, communications, outreach, and program meetings and provide communications recommendations, status information, and follow-up actions.
• PROTECT sensitive Government, grant-recipient, program, and personally identifiable information encountered while performing contract responsibilities.