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Foreign Affairs Officer

Department of State
Department of State - Agency Wide
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is located in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Office of International Labor Affairs (DRL/ILA). DRL/ILA is responsible for overseeing the development of Department policies and the implementation of programs in the international labor field to ensure consistency with the broader objectives of US foreign policy. 

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Posted 05/05/22
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$89,834 - $138,868 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12 - 13
Promotion potential
13
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-Time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Some domestic and overseas travel may be required.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Top Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Announcement number
HRSC/DRL-2022-0016
Control number
652587800

Duties

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  • At the GS-12 level, the incumbent performs essentially the same duties as outlined; however, the scope and complexity of assignments are of less responsibility and independence and receive closer supervision than at the GS-13 level.
  • Gathers, reviews, and interprets information and data submitted from Department Offices , U.S. embassies/posts, other U.S. government (USG) agencies, international organizations, foreign governments, non-governmental organizations, or other sources.
  • Represents DRL in interagency working groups and meetings and makes recommendations to these bodies and to Department management on new developments, policies or approaches that will assist in achieving DRL/ILA goals.
  • Serves as liaison to government and non-government counterparts to exchange information and to explain U.S. labor policies in the assigned geographical/thematic areas. Explores new areas of mutual benefit, cooperation and exchanges.
  • Initiates and prepares formal and informal memoranda, Daily Action Reports and other communications to keep supervisors promptly informed of new developments and opportunities.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application. 

Applicants must have the required experience or education as described below and meet any selective factors, when specified. BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Have a bachelor's or graduate degree from an accredited college or university in international law, international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law, statistics, or in the humanities; OR Have a bachelor's or graduate degree from an accredited college or university that included a combination of courses, with at least 24 semester hours in international law and international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law, statistics, or in the humanities; OR Have 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines and 12 semester hours in statistics / quantitative methods. OR Have a combination of education and experience where your coursework was equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, (as shown above), PLUS appropriate relevant experience OR additional education. OR Have completed at least 4 years of appropriate experience in one OR more of the fields listed above in work associated with international organizations, problems, or other aspects of foreign affairs.

(NOTE: qualifying work experience may have been gained through residence, study, teaching, business or commercial activities, military service, newspaper work, military or civil government activities, missionary or international relief work, or other experience in foreign countries.)

Note: If you are qualifying based on education, you MUST submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.

IN ADDITION to the basic requirements, this position requires one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: 

  • Experience applying foreign policy goals and objectives with respect to international labor, human rights, and corporate activities.
  • Experience serving as a liaison to government and non-government counterparts to exchange information and to explain U.S. labor policies in assigned geographical/thematic areas.
  • Experience applying U.S. foreign policy toward assigned geographical areas.

IN ADDITION to the basic requirements, this position requires one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

  • Experience applying foreign policy goals and objectives with respect to international labor, human rights, and corporate activities.
  • Experience serving as a liaison to government and non-government counterparts to exchange information and to explain U.S. labor policies in assigned geographical/thematic areas.
  • Experience applying U.S. foreign policy toward assigned geographical areas.
  • Experience with oral and written communications to prepare and present analyses, provide advice and guidance, and to defend and negotiate positions.

Note:  If you are qualifying based on education, you MUST submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement.  If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.

Education

See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements.

Additional information

  • For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or OAA@state.gov.
  • If eligible, telework and remote work agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. Please note that any approved remote work arrangement is subject to the locality pay area of the alternative telework worksite.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.  If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days.  Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions. 

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume will be conducted and compared against your responses to the assessment questions to determine if you are qualified for this job.  Note:  Responses to questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating. 

Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, will be assigned to one of three quality categories:

  1. Qualified - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate a basic level of the required competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) for the position.
  2. Well Qualified - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate proficiency in some but not all of the required competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) for the position.
  3. Highly Qualified - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must fully demonstrate proficiency in all of the required competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) for the position.

Highly Qualified applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview.  The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:

  • Ability to plan, initiate, organize, and coordinate activities within and outside the government.
  • Ability to write analyses and evaluate information derived from a variety of sources.
  • Knowledge of developing or overseeing foreign programs related to human rights or labor rights.
  • Knowledge of democracy governance and human rights policy.
  • Ability to communicate orally.
  • Ability to set priorities.

Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the Highly Qualified category [,except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. This position is considered scientific/professional. REMOVE THIS TEXT IF THE POSITION IS NOT SCIENTIFIC OR PROFESSIONAL].  Other 10-point preference eligible and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligible applicants within the category in which they qualify.  View information on veterans' preference on OPM’s Fed Hire Vets website.

Agency and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never been a Federal employee, you are not CTAP or ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category for this position and submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job announcement to receive consideration for selection priority. 


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Department of State - Agency Wide

The U.S. Department of State, our country’s lead foreign policy agency, provides employees with a dynamic international career whether at home or abroad and unique professional development opportunities.  Each day, our employees make a difference as they advance the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity, through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance.  We embrace diversity and inclusion and our talented workforce reflects the personal, professional, and educational strengths and diversity of our country.

Named one of America’s Best Employers by Forbes, we offer a workplace that values and rewards leadership, collaboration, innovation, and personal and professional development. Visit careers.state.gov to learn more about what it's like to work at the U.S. Department of State, what the agency does, the wide range of careers this agency offers, and the benefits available to employees.

Agency contact information

Mattie Mitchell
Phone
843-952-0052
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
mitchellm2@state.gov
Address
U.S. Department of State
1999 Dyess Avenue
Building E
Charleston, South Carolina 29405
United States

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