Green & Gold Congressional Aide Program

This position is limited to Veterans, Gold Star Families, and Active-Duty Spouses desiring to serve as a paid Congressional Aide for two-years in the U.S. House of Representatives Green & Gold Congressional Aide Program. Selected candidates will work directly for a Member of Congress as part of their office staff. Positions are located in Congressional District Offices around the country.

The Green & Gold Congressional Aide Program (G&G CAP) was established to create employment opportunities for Veterans, Gold Star families, and Active-Duty Spouses within the U.S. House of Representatives. These positions provide Aides with the experience and exposure necessary to broaden their career opportunities. G&G CAP Aides may be assigned to Members, Committees, or House Officers and will serve in Washington, DC or Member district offices across the country. These are two-year, paid, full-time employment opportunities.

Duties will vary depending upon the specific requirements for each office. Said duties may include but are not limited to:

• Working as a constituent services representative;
  
• Helping local constituents resolve issues with federal agencies;
  
• Serving as liaison to local Veterans Service Organizations;
  
• Attending local events and meetings on behalf of the Member of Congress; and
  
• Performing legislative work.
  

SPECIFIC DUTIES FOR EACH OFFICE WILL BE DISCUSSED DURING THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.

IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE YOU MUST BE A VETERAN, GOLD STAR FAMILY MEMBER, OR ACTIVE-DUTY SPOUSE AND MEET ALL THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS. NO WAIVERS WILL BE GRANTED:

Veterans:

1. Honorably discharged;

2. Released from active duty within the last six years;

3. Pay grades at or below E-5/O-3/W-2;

• Veterans promoted to the pay grades of E-6/O-4/W-3 WITHIN 6-MONTHS OF SEPARATION from active duty may be eligible if they meet ALL other requirements.
  

4. Veterans who are in receipt of a 20-year or Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA) retirement are not eligible for the program.

Gold Star Families:

• A surviving spouse, child/step-child, parent/step-parent, or sibling/step-sibling of a veteran who died:
  
• In the line of duty while serving in the Armed Forces; or
  
• from a service-connected disability.
  

Active-Duty Spouses:

• Must be the spouse of an Active-Duty service member. Active-Duty service members work for the military full-time and are subject to permanent change of station or permanent change of assignment orders upon completion of each tour of duty.
  
• Those subject to Title X mobilization are not eligible
  

Description:

Reporting to the District Director, the Outreach Coordinator is responsible for driving and staffing Congressman Himes during his time in Connecticut. This role works closely with district office colleagues and the DC-based Scheduler and Communications team to build high-visibility events and geographically-efficient meetings during district work periods to effectively connect with constituents and maintain strong ties to the community.

Responsibilities include planning successful press conferences, office programs like the Congressional Art Challenge, App Challenge and Service Academy events, Town Halls, small business tours, and other public events. The staffer may also represent the Congressman and speak on his behalf at district events. Finally, the staffer is responsible for drafting personalized notes to constituents as well as letters and certificates requested by local organizations.

Key Job Functions:

· Assists in the coordination of the Congressman's calendar, building high-visibility events and geographically-efficient meetings;

· Drives the Congressman to events during District Work Periods;

· Serves as a liaison to key organizations and relevant advocacy groups to form effective relationships for the member;

· Keeps the Member and District Director up to date on local and state issues by screening Connecticut media;

· Plans and implements outreach strategies, working with legislative staff to highlight Congressional accomplishments;

· Drafts correspondence to be reviewed by the district director and signed by the Congressman;

· Works with communications staff and district colleagues to plan press conferences and coordinate local media coverage, including documenting through photo and video

· Prepares memos for the Member and District Director regarding local issues and upcoming events;

· Maintains a flexible schedule, including evening and weekends, with frequent driving;

· Works well under pressure

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $55,000.00 - $66,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
  
• Dental insurance
  
• Flexible schedule
  
• Health insurance
  
• Paid time off
  
• Vision insurance
  

Application Question(s):

• This position is limited to Veterans, Gold Star family members and Active-duty spouses. Do you meet the requirements? If no, please do not apply.
  

Ability to Commute:

• Bridgeport, CT 06601 (Required)
  

Work Location: In person