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Senior Foreign Affairs Specialist

Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
Office of Airports/Deputy Director, Safety and Standards, AAS-2
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The incumbent serves as the liaison between the offices of AAS-1 and the ARP Office of Policy and Programming (APP), the ARP Office of Compliance (ACO), the ARP Field Directors (ARP-600) and the ARP Office of Technical Research (ATR), and the international focal points and representatives in the Office of International Affairs, (API) to efficiently coordinate the development of policy, recommendations, strategic goals and objectives.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
07/11/2024 to 07/15/2024
This job will close when we have received 75 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$109,313 to - $169,378 per year

The salary listed above does not include locality. Locality will be determined based on the duty location of the selectee.

Pay scale & grade
FV K
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
FAA Location Negotiable Upon Request - See Additional Info
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - The job may require up to 25% travel.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes— - Fixed Rate PCS - Permanent Change of Station for Certain Locations Only and Subject to Fund Availability (U.S. Citizens) - In accordance with applicable FAA Travel regulations, a fixed relocation payment of $10,000 will be paid to new hires to Federal service, former Federal employees (reinstatements), and student trainees. A fixed relocation payment of $25,000 will be paid to current Federal employees. Relocation expenses paid are subject to applicable taxes.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
NA
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Announcement number
AWA-ARP-24-0521BR-87553
Control number
799155300

Duties

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Provides expert technical and analytical support and advice on highly complex and challenging international matters to ARP and ensures that positions have been fully coordinated with ARP Directors prior to presentation to ARP;

Serves as the focal point for strategic discussions with the Office of International Affairs (API), other FAA international staff/elements including the Air Traffic Organization, all other FAA LOB's, and external stakeholders. Applies knowledge of FAA's policies and objectives to identify, define, and organize work for multiple work activities.

Develops and applies an ARP perspective on international matters, and continually works to integrate international efforts with broader initiatives by providing expert analysis on those major policies/programs related to ARP;

Provides senior-level guidance and advice to the Director, AAS-1, on key international activities and emerging or complex issues that require immediate and executive-level attention.

Manages the oversight, coordination, and integration of international issues and activities as well as the participation/attendance of ARP staff at international meetings, conferences, or committees. Provides expert guidance and instruction, both internally and externally, to address diverse, complex issues which often cross multiple projects/programs or functional/technical areas. Develop plans, techniques, and policies to address current or anticipated problems and issues. Works with senior management to identify and jointly solve problems.

Provides coordination of all strategic decision-making in close collaboration with ARP/AAS-1 policy and programmatic experts related to international activities. Contacts are internal and external. Often represents FAA as the primary technical authority for major projects, programs, and other areas of FAA responsibility. Formulates and recommends organizational positions on major projects/policies/issues to senior management. Develop briefings to convey strategic vision or policies to internal and external audiences.

Provides ARP 1/2 and AAS-1 visibility into ARP's involvement in and support of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) activities.

Manages coordination of ARP's position and closure of actions in close collaboration with Inter-agency groups on International Aviation Coordination (IGIA) clearance offices/staff.

Provides advice and recommendations to the Director AAS-1, on items related to ARP ICAO/IGIA.

Recommends enhancements to training initiatives for ARP ICAO panel members/advisors. Coordinates with all ARP Directors on the development, implementation, and execution of these training initiatives ARP wide.

Identifies, evaluates, and determines significance and disposition on a variety of issues, to include any classified and sensitive items. Alerts and/or provides information on those issues to appropriate senior ARP officials. Broad policies and objectives provide general guidance for addressing issues, but almost always require the development of new and innovative approaches.

Chairs meetings with ARP/AAS-1 and other stakeholders on international activities, ICAO matters, and ancillary processes to facilitate early communication and resolution of issues.

Prepares responses to Department of Transportation, other government agencies, and the public on ARP matters and other international safety-related matters.

Works mainly independently and has broad discretion to ensure alignment with organizational objectives and policies. As employee is a technical expert, final work typically is reviewed for success in achieving planned results, not technical merits. However, submitted material is expected to be grammatically correct and free of errors at all times.

Work alongside and in partnership with the current ARP foreign affairs specialist(s).

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship is required.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Designated or Random Drug Testing required.
  • This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.
  • Travel Required: 25% (Domestic and International)
  • This Level 3 (Critical-Sensitive; Top Secret) position requires favorable adjudication of a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) background investigation prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position you must demonstrate in your application that you possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the FV-J, FG/GS-14 level. This experience is typically related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been at least equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

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SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE IS DEFINED AS:

Experience researching and evaluating emerging issues to assess their impact on strategic and/or business level goals.

AND;

Leading teams and influencing others on matters related to foreign international affairs.

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In addition, this experience must have included either (a) responsibility for the direction and coordination of research, analysis, or other professional work in one or more of the fields listed in (1) below under the Education Section; or (b) specialized professional work of a high level of difficulty and responsibility in one or more of these fields. This high-level experience must have been in such specialized activities as: (1) formulation of instructions and policy guidance for United States representatives in international organizations; (2) transport and communication involving knowledge of economic, political, and technical aspects of international aviation, shipping, inland transport, or radio, telephone, and telegraph, etc.; (3) cultural affairs involving formulation and operation of policy on large-scale international cultural exchange programs; (4) occupied area affairs involving problems of occupation of conquered or liberated countries, regions, or zones; or (5) other specialized international affairs such as analyzing public opinion and attitudes, evaluating specific conditions, trends, or forces of a foreign country, formulating policy on problems of petroleum resources or fisheries, etc.

You should include relevant examples of the specialized experience in your work history. Errors or omissions may impact your rating or may result in you not being considered.

Answer all questions to the best of your ability. DO NOT ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU HOLD, OR HAVE HELD THIS POSITION, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE FOUND ELIGIBLE. You may be asked to provide evidence or documentation that you have this type of experience later in the selection process. Your responses are subject to verification through job interviews, or any other information obtained during the application process. Any exaggeration of your experience or any attempt to conceal information can result in disqualification.

*Applicants who fail to demonstrate possession of any of the above criteria AND who do not provide the required documentation will receive no further consideration for this position.*

Applicants may be asked to verify information on your application for employment with the FAA.

**All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.**

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and/or selective placement factor(s) (SPF) may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) and/or Quality Ranking Factor (QRF) listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, applicants will be placed in one of the following categories: (1) score order; (2) category grouping; (3) alphabetical; or (4) priority grouping, and referred to the selecting official for selection consideration.

As a part of the Federal-Wide Hiring Reform Initiative (streamlining the hiring process), the FAA is committed to eliminating the use of Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA) narratives from the initial application in the hiring process for all announcements. Therefore, as an applicant, you are NOT required to provide a narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA.

In lieu of providing a KSA narrative response in the text box listed below each KSA section, in your work history, please include information that provides specific examples of how you meet the response level or answer you chose for each KSA. Your work history examples should be specific and clearly reflect the highest level of ability. Your KSA answers will be evaluated further to validate whether the level that you selected is appropriate based on the work history and experience you provided. Your answers may be adjusted by a human resource specialist as appropriate.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/accreditation.

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

Basic Requirements

  1. Degree: major or equivalent, or a combination of courses totaling 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 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines and 12 semester hours in statistics/quantitative methods.

    or

  2. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

    or

  3. Experience: four 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.

If you are a current or former Federal employee, and you currently hold or previously held a position classified in the 0130 occupational series, you are not required to submit a college transcript provided you upload a copy of the SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, verifying your classification in the 0130 occupational series.

Applicants, who are not currently in the 0130 occupational series in the Federal Government and fail to provide a copy of an unofficial or official transcript will not receive further consideration for this vacancy. Upon selection, if not currently employed in the 0130 occupational series, you will be required to submit an official transcript prior to appointment. If you do not have an official transcript (original, with the raised seal), you should contact your school immediately to request it.

Foreign Education: For additional information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Preview job questionnaire

Make sure your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications and answers to the job questionnaire.

Additional information

We may use this vacancy to fill other similar vacant positions.
Position may be subject to a background investigation.
A one-year probationary period may be required.

The person selected for this position may be required to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of entry on duty. FAA policy limits certain outside employment and financial investments in aviation-related companies. www.faa.gov/jobs/workinghere/financial-disclosure-requirements

The U.S. Department of Transportation strives to ensure that equity, transparency, accountability, collaboration, and communication permeate all that we do for the betterment of the Department, the traveling public, and our nation. As such, DOT values a highly diverse workforce of persons who promote a culture of belonging by respecting the personal dignity and worth of each individual and fostering a positive environment where all feel safe and welcome. If these commitments coincide with your personal ideals and professional aspirations, please consider joining the DOT family.

Leave Enhancement: FAA organizations may offer enhanced annual leave accrual to newly appointed or reappointed employees. In order to receive consideration for such a benefit, applicants' prior non-Federal service or active duty uniformed service must directly relate to the duties of the position to which appointed. Granting enhanced annual leave is at the sole discretion of the hiring organization, and granting such benefit is not an entitlement nor guaranteed to any newly hired employee.

This position is covered by the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be subject to pre-employment or pre-appointment drug screening. Persons occupying a "testing designated position (TDP)" will be subject to random drug and/or alcohol testing.

NOTES:

1. This position is covered by the FAA Core Compensation plan. Additional information about Core Compensation is available at: https://www.faa.gov/jobs/working_here/benefits.

2. The available FAA locations that we offer: Anchorage, AK; Des Plaines, IL; Jamaica, NY; Washington, DC; Atlantic City, NJ; Kansas City, MO; Burlington, MA; Des Moines, WA; College Park, GA; Fort Worth, TX; El Segundo, CA.

3. Some, all, or none of the applicants may be interviewed.

4. This announcement is also being advertised under VA #AWA-ARP-24-0521BR-87775. Please review both vacancy announcements before making application to determine your eligibility to apply.

5. This announcement is limited for the receipt of applications. Once at least 75 applications are received, it will close at 11:59p EST on that date, or on the initial closing date, whichever occurs first.



This is a bargaining unit position. This position is represented by AFSCME Local 1653.

Links to Important Information: Locality Pay , COLA

How you will be evaluated

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



IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

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