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Foreign Affairs Officer

Department of State
Department of State - Agency Wide

Summary

This position is located within the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), specifically on the Haiti Team within the Office of Western Hemisphere Programs (INL/WHP). INL advances U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives by combating transnational crime, illicit narcotics trafficking, and instability abroad, thereby enhancing the safety and security of the American public. 

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted yesterday · Apply by 07/14/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 14, 2026
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$143,913 - $187,093 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 14
Promotion potential
14
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Occasional travel required.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Announcement number
T/INL-MPI-2026-0011
Control number
875586800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

U.S. Department of State employees within the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and CTAP employees only.

Duties

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  • Provides recommendations on policy and program implementation to leaders in the office and Department.
  • Develops program implementation goals and milestones.
  • Advises on foreign assistance program issues and problems; develops and proposes resolutions of program policy and procedural issues and coordinates implementation of management decisions on assigned program.
  • Serves as a subject matter expert responsible for providing guidance regarding program and policy matters on relevant topics encountered by INL Program Officers in the Western hemisphere and other INL sections.
  • Monitors developing political, security, and economic situations and synthesizes information from a wide variety of sources, including U.S. Embassies, the intelligence community, and nongovernmental organizations.

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.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required 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.   

NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.

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. 

IN ADDITION to the basic requirements, this position requires one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 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 leading and coordinating foreign affairs programs and policy initiatives, analyzing international political, economic, and security issues; providing strategic recommendations to senior leadership.

Experience collaborating with U.S. government agencies, foreign governments, and international organizations to advance U.S. foreign policy objectives.

Experience developing, evaluating, or implementing foreign policy, diplomatic, security, economic, humanitarian, or international development programs.

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 OAA@state.gov.
  • If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. 
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.  If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in this Bureau for up to 240 days and may require a higher or lower security clearance.  Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.
  • Agency & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP & ICTAP): View OPM’s  CTAP & ICTAP eligibility website for more information. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category and submit supporting documents under the required documents section of this announcement to receive selection priority consideration. To be considered Well-Qualified applicants must: score an 85 or above, meet Minimum Qualifications, and demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all major aspects of the position. 

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

The evaluation process consists of the ApplyGov Competency Based Assessments and a crediting plan for which applicants will be assigned a score between 70 and 100. A resume review will be conducted for minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, of the top qualified candidates based on combined total score.  Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further.  Responses to questions that are not fully supported by your resume may result in a rating adjustment. 

You will be assessed on the following job-related competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):   

Non-Supervisory: Oral Communication, Writing, Interpersonal Skills, Problem Solving, Teamwork, Technology Orientation, Customer Service, Attention to Detail and Self-Management. 

Set aside at least 2 hours to take the external assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. There are timed sections that must be completed within the allotted timeframe.

Your score from the external assessment Non-supervisory will remain on file for 180 days, allowing you to apply for multiple DOS-announced positions without needing to retake the assessments.

Top applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. The assessment is used to measure the degree in which your background matches the competencies and KSAs required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies: 

Knowledge of, and experience in, the realm of foreign policy / international affairs.

Skill in providing program direction for bilateral narcotics and anticrime assistance.

Knowledge of international anticorruption programs, organizations, and institutions. 

Knowledge of cyber issues. 

Knowledge of human rights and humanitarian issues.

Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.  Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. 

In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We do not make assumptions regarding your experience. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application may result in your removal from consideration. 


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Department of State - Agency Wide

Agency contact information

Steven Woodruff
Phone
771 205-9490
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
woodruffsa@state.gov
Address
U.S. Department of State
Not accepting applications by Mail
Charleston, South Carolina 29405
United States

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