FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPECIALIST

Duties

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as Branch Chief providing, planning, directing, organizing, and exercising control over supervisory and nonsupervisory employees assigned to Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe & Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA), Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) Plans, Programs, and Analyses Branch. Additionally, member provides direction, integration, management, and supervision of international programs and activities affiliated with regional/international organizations. Also serves as Senior Political-Military Affairs Specialist and provides analysis and advice to Commander in Chief, United States Air Force in Europe (COMUSAFE), 3rd Air Force, and other senior leaders on the political, military, economic, and security assistance aspects of the USAF relations with, and interests in, Europe and Africa.

Duties

• Plans, organizes, and directs the activities of the HQ USAFE-AFAFRICA/A5IX Branch.
• Develops USAFE policy and procedures.
• Analyzes, develops and evaluates detailed plans, goals, and objectives for long-range implementation of assigned MAJCOM programs.
• Exercises supervisory personnel management responsibilities.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov
• If authorized, PCS will be paid IAW JTR and AF Regulations. If receiving an authorized PCS, you may be subject to completing/signing a CONUS agreement. More information on PCS requirements, may be found at: https://afciviliancareers.com/regulatory/
• This position is subject to provisions of the DoD Priority Placement Program
• Disclosure of Political Appointments
• Depending on the type of position (competitive/excepted) you are selected for, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period.
• Upon completion of your probationary/trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
• Work requires travel away from the normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft to countries throughout the European and African AORs. Overtime and/or emergency overtime may be required.
• Detailed current knowledge of USAF and Department of Defense (DoD) Programming processes is highly desired.

Qualifications

Conditions of Employments: (cont'd)

1. Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI). A non-disclosure agreement must be signed. Knowledge of security practices for ensuring the safeguarding of classified information is required.

2. This position has been designated by the Air Force as a Testing Designated Position (TDP) under the Air Force Civilian Drug Demand Reduction Program. Employee must pass initial and periodic short notice drug testing. Illegal drug use by employees in sensitive positions presents a clear threat to the mission of the Air Force, national security, and public safety.

3. This position is Emergency-Essential. In the event of a crisis situation, the incumbent, or designated alternate, must continue to perform the Emergency-Essential duties until relieved by proper authority. The incumbent or the designated alternate may be required to take part in readiness exercises. This position cannot be vacated during national emergency or mobilization without seriously impairing the capability of the organization to function effectively. This meets the criteria of an Emergency-Essential position and requires that the incumbent, or the designated alternate, be removed from any military recall status. Employee must sign DD Form 2365 as a condition of employment.

In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Professional and Scientific Positions, Foreign Affairs Series, 0130.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPECIALIST 0130 SERIES: A Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) or a degree with a 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. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts.

OR
COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. Courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, as shown above. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts.

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. Evaluation of Experience: Qualifying experience may have been 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.

AND
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-13, or equivalent in other pay systems. Examples of specialized experience includes expert knowledge of national security, strategic policy, international relations, foreign affairs, foreign assistance programs, security sector assistance, security cooperation, and related fields; Extensive, in-depth knowledge of USAFE-AFAFRICA and HHQ engagement and security cooperation directives and guidance, to include USAFE-AFAFRICA's Campaign Support Plans, USAFRICOM's and USEUCOM's Theater Campaign Plan, USAF Global Partnership Strategy, USAF Security Cooperation Engagement Strategies, USAF Campaign Support Plan, and USAF Building Partnerships Core Function Master Plan; Expert knowledge of USAF security assistance and foreign military training programs, U.S. defense alliances, personnel exchange programs, intelligence sharing programs, U.S. government and commercial international cooperative research, development and acquisition (ICD & DA) programs, U.S. country and regional defense policies, combined exercise programs and current Security Cooperation Enterprise and activities, including the players, processes, and challenges as they relate to the USAF, Security Sector Assistance, Security Cooperation Portfolio, and the Building Partnership Joint Capability Area.

FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-13 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-14 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks. NOTE: Applicants applying as VEOA candidates who are current GS civil service employees or are prior GS civil service employees within the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:

1. Expert knowledge of U.S. Security Cooperation laws and regulations and U.S. military Adaptive Planning and Execution system to determine appropriate planning requirements, develop new techniques to advance Security Cooperation programs and recommend and implement changes to U.S. laws, plans, and programs.

2. Broad knowledge of geopolitics, international law, international relations, U.S. foreign policy, and international protocol, laws, customs, culture and processes necessary to establish fundamental working relationships and the maintenance of long-term relationships to enable development of partner nation professional development programs in partner nations. Knowledge of the relationship between stationing state and host state parties in regard to the implementation of agreements.

3. Skill in interpreting international agreements, U.S. policy and plans, and in-depth understanding of U.S. military organizational and personnel policy and the ability to translate them into programs and curricula.

4. Ability to interact and influence senior leaders and foreign senior military personnel and to understand values, positions, issues, military organizations and policies of foreign nations.

5. Ability to plan, organize, direct, and manage the functions of a small staff and carry out all phases of personnel management responsibilities to supervise, mentor, motivate, and appraise the staff.

6. Ability to analyze, plan, and adjust work operations in concert with parallel organizational segments to meet program requirements and objectives within available resources and ability to lead ad-hoc teams and work effectively with a diverse group of USAF. Other Service, and Joint organizations, and to lead, when necessary, inter and intra-Command working groups. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally, and in writing presenting both written an oral information to non-technical, expert, analysts, and senior level officials in clear, concise, and persuasive manner.

Education

IF USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY: If position has a positive degree requirement or education forms the basis for qualifications, you MUST submit transcriptswith the application. Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if position has a positive degree requirement, qualifying based on education alone or in combination with experience, transcripts must be verified prior to appointment. An accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education must accredit education. Click to check accreditation.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

Additional information

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Important Overseas Information: Applicants interested in applying for overseas locations please click to review important information regarding the exceptional family member program.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP eligible click . To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated well qualified or above for this position. You must submit a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location.

120-Day Register: This announcement may result in a 120-day register that may be used to fill like vacancies for 120 days after the closing date. Applicants may be referred for consideration as vacancies occur.

Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicant Eligible: PPP Applicants, if determined well qualified and selected, will be placed at the at the full performance level. You must include the applicable completed copy of the PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility as a PPP Applicant. Click to obtain/download a copy of the applicable PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD3145-1 through DD3145-4, select the appropriate checklist for your claimed preference). To determine the applicable PPP Self-Certification Checklist required to substantiate the eligibilities you are claiming, refer to the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide located in the Required Documents section of this vacancy announcement.

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.

Incentives: Recruitment and/or retention incentives may or may not be used.

If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click .