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Supervisory Foreign Affairs Specialist

Department of Energy
National Nuclear Security Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The incumbent serves as the Director, Supervisory Foreign Affairs Specialist located in the NNSA Associate Administrator for Management & Budget, International Operations Division (NA-MB-70), whose mission is to provide a corporate perspective and ensure the consistency of the operation and implementation of DOE and NNSA policies, procedures and systems pertaining to the operation of the Department's overseas presence.

Overview

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Job canceled
Open & closing dates
08/28/2024 to 09/09/2024
Salary
$163,964 to - $191,933 per year
Pay scale & grade
NQ 4
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Washington, DC
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
4
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Q Access Authorization
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
24-MB-12528884-03273-Gov
Control number
807085400

Duties

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As a Supervisory Foreign Affairs Specialist, you will:

  • Serve as the Director, of International Operations and oversees the total program of international operations. Participate in the management of all NNSA/DOE's infrastructure requirements for the overseas offices, including the staff selection assignment system that identifies personnel for overseas offices.
  • Manage and direct of the Office, (c) accountability for cost, schedules and performance results, (d) supervising the day to-day Office operations.
  • Conduct analyses of vital foreign affairs policies, programs, and projects that are of national and international interest, scope, and impact to both U.S. and foreign policy makers/officials. These analyses are a basis for decisions regarding a broad range of energy-, science-, and nonproliferation-related issues.
  • Support DOE energy, science, and nonproliferation programs by: a) fostering and maintaining contact with foreign governments, industry, academia, scientific and research institutions, and the non-governmental organization community; b) remaining abreast of current and prospective energy, energy security, climate change mitigation, worldwide science and technology trends, nuclear security, nonproliferation, and other energy-, science-, and nonproliferation-related issues, concerns and developments; c) facilitating coordination and communication with DOE headquarters; and keeping the Chief of Mission and the interagency apprised regarding ongoing projects and programs; and d) working closely in support of DOE's energy, science, and nonproliferation priorities with appropriate diplomatic mission sections - to include Economic Affairs, Political Affairs, and the Foreign Commercial Service - to ensure a consistent approach and message.
  • Brief senior government policymakers, Congressional delegations, and senior business and/or non-governmental organization decision makers on energy-, science-, and nonproliferation-related issues.
  • Explain and advocate DOE positions within the diplomatic mission community; discuss and negotiate USG and DOE positions with senior foreign diplomatic and government officials by addressing energy, environmental, and nuclear security challenges through transformative science and technology solutions; and develop negotiating positions and strategies.
  • Identify opportunities for collaboration between DOE and foreign counterparts and resolves technical, policy, and procedural problems or issues related to energy, science, and nuclear nonproliferation cooperation.
  • Engage U.S. and international energy companies to keep abreast of investment decisions, project progress, and implications of policy or legislative developments. Identify areas of potential technical cooperation/exchanges, identifies areas in the host country's energy sector that could provide business opportunities for U.S. firms, and links U.S. firms with host country energy needs. Conduct coverage, analysis, and advocacy.
  • Perform full supervisory duties; supervise a federal staff of Foreign Affairs Specialists through subordinate supervisors. Serve as both a first level and second level supervisor. Staff is geographically dispersed in various overseas and stateside locations.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Subject to Random Drug Testing
  • Must pass a pre-employment drug test.
  • Favorable suitability determination required.
  • Financial Disclosure is required.
  • Must be able to obtain/maintain a Q level Security Clearance.
  • You must be a United States Citizen.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
  • Compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) governing personal identity which will require that you provide two forms of identification.
  • A one year probationary period may be required.

Qualifications

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level or pay band in the Federal service. To meet basic qualifications for the Foreign Affairs Specialist, NQ-0130-04, experience must have been equivalent to the NQ-03 NNSA pay band or GS-14 grade level in the federal service. Specialized experience for the NQ-04 level for this position is defined as: Experience leading a team and applying foreign affairs practices, policies, and procedures; building relationships with foreign governments and counterparts (e.g., governments, non-governmental organizations [NGOs], or commercial entities) and/or with U.S. entities with foreign interests (e.g., U.S. Federal organizations that work on foreign policy, U.S. corporations working with foreign governments, etc.); implementing and developing foreign policy; and leading in negotiations with foreign counterparts.

Examples of such qualifying experience might include (but certainly not be limited to) the following:

  1. Applying foreign affairs policies to set goals and direct staff in implementation and support of U.S. government goals.
  2. Working closely with working- and high-level contacts and policymakers at Department of State, other Federal agencies with international presence, across an Agency or Department, and/or in U.S. diplomatic missions around the world to support implementation of U.S. government goals and policies.
  3. Implementing Department of State Standardized Regulations, the Federal Travel Regulations, and human resources regulations.
  4. Leading and managing a team of diverse and widely dispersed senior employees who largely work independently.
  5. Negotiating bilateral or multilateral agreements; communicating U.S. Government expectations with regards to a new or existing 123 Agreement for Peaceful Cooperation; developing background and analytical reports on international issues for senior government or industry officials.


Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills; and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section. If you are eligible for career transition assistance plans such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the definition of "well qualified" which is defined as having a score of 85 or better.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Education

0130 Foreign Affairs Series:

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
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
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.
Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants who have completed part or all of their education outside of the U.S. must have their foreign education evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that the foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. A written evaluation of any foreign education must be provided with your application in response to this vacancy announcement or be received by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to provide this evaluation will result in you being found unqualified for the position. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education, see the Department of Education website, and for a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, visit The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

If specific educational requirements are indicated for this vacancy: Documentation verifying your educational claims which can include unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned and final grade. Please see the Education section for more information.

For Professional, Scientific and Engineering Positions: If qualifying on the basis of an alternate method, i.e., professional license, you must submit official documentation to support your claim with your application package.

Additional information

  • The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
  • Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the links at the bottom of this page or visit the FedsHireVets website.
  • If you believe that you are eligible for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), please visit the OPM ICTAP/CTAP website for more information. In order to be considered under the ICTAP program, your application must score within the pre-established "well qualified" category as stated in the Qualifications section.
  • More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.
  • Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year.
  • Many positions require successful completion of a background investigation.
  • All males born after December 31,1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register. If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.
  • A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be authorized for a highly qualified applicant in accordance with Agency policy.
EEO Policy: Click HERE.
Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Click HERE.
Veterans Information: Click HERE.
Telework: Click HERE.
Selective Service Registration: Click HERE.
Information about the NNSA Demonstration project can be found by clicking HERE.

How you will be evaluated

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

The Department of Energy uses an application tracking system to evaluate the responses you provide in the applicant assessment questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications necessary for this position. Then, the HR Office and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will conduct a quality review of your application and supporting documentation to determine if your qualifications meet the criteria for referral to the selecting official.

Merit Promotion & VEOA Procedures: If you are minimally qualified for this job, your responses to the self-assessment questions (True/False, Yes/ No, Multiple Choice questions) will be evaluated to determine if you are a best qualified candidate. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. Due weight will also be given to federal employees, when applicable, for performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR ยง 335.103(b)(3). Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements and current employees must have at least a fully successful or equivalent performance rating to receive consideration.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Communication, International and Domestic Nuclear Laws, Policy and Strategy, Leadership, Project and Program Management, and Technical Competence

Your application and resume shall demonstrate that you possess the following Competencies. Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather, you must describe in your application how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the Competencies identified below. Cite specific examples of employment or experience contained in your resume and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position. DO NOT write "see resume" in your application.

Non-competitive Procedures: If you are applying under a non-competitive or special hiring authority, you will still be required to answer the assessment questions. However, you will not be evaluated against the rating and ranking criteria. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you are minimally qualified for this job. Veterans' Preference will be applied when required by the hiring authority (e.g., VRA, Schedule A).

All qualified Non-competitive applicants and the best qualified Merit Promotion and VEOA applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet the eligibility criteria; and 2) be rated "well-qualified", which is defined as having a score of 85 or better.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the link below.
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12528884

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