FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPECIALIST

Duties

Summary:

The primary purpose of this position is: To serve as United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE/A5I) Foreign Affairs Specialist Western European branch within the A5 International Affairs Division in support of ERI activities.

Duties:

Analyzes issues and develops USAFE position and assessments for Western European partners' security cooperation initiatives supporting ERI, in concert with A5IW and A5IE country desk officers.

Applies systems management, interagency coordination, and security cooperation experience and training to develop ERI plans and new processes/procedures necessary to attain and sustain operations within the MAJCOM's Area of Responsibility (AOR).

Provides expertise and assistance to Host Nation authorities and units on activities involving US military requirement for access and use of Host Nation's assets/infrastructure.

Serve as the USAFE-AFAF programmer managing ERI resources.

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 OCONUS 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
• Employees and family members requiring medical/dental care in the overseas location are responsible for obtaining/paying for care. Access for these members to military medical/dental treatment facilities is on space-available/reimbursable basis only.
• 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.
• A Bachelor's Degree in International Politics, International Affairs, Political Science, or Education is highly desired.
• The incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information due to consultation on OPLANs.
• European language, other than English, skill to speak, read, and write is desired.
• This is a Testing Designated Position. The employee is subject to random drug testing.
• The employee performs other duties as required by the International Affairs Division Chief.
• Must be a US citizen, is required to have a government passport.
• Work may require internal travel by military or civilian mode in the performance of temporary duty assignments.

Qualifications

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (CONTINUED):

• This fundamental working knowledge requires extensive exposure and firsthand experience in interacting and successfully negotiating with host nations' representatives, who are the linchpins to the success of USAFE/EUCOM ability to maintain or expand.
• The employee must have detailed current knowledge of culture, mores, customs, and processes necessary to establish fundamental working relationships and the maintenance of long-term relationships, which benefits US interests.
• Temporary duty will normally be required approximately 90-100 days annually and vary between 5-30 days for a single period of duty, but could exceed 30 days. Member may be designated as part of the Civilian Expeditionary and Security Cooperation Workforce.

QUALIFICATIONS:
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 REQUIREMENT:
Education: 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 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. 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. For qualifying experience at the GS-12 or above click to view occupational requirements for this position:

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 meet the basic requirements for the GS-0130-13 or above and I have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 (or higher) grade level or equivalent in other pay systems (may have been obtained in the military, public or private sector). Examples of specialized experience include- Knowledge and understanding to work within classified/unclassified strategy related systems (Concept and Funding Requests, Strategic Action System etc.); Current and complete knowledge of Security Cooperation standards and recommended practices, DoD and USAF security cooperation and security force assistance policies and directives, and an understanding of the Aviation Enterprise Development construct are necessary; Current, and complete knowledge of programs and key support functions, and their inter-relationships with DoD, NATO, and related Host Nation Staffs; This position requires the incumbent to gain and maintain historic and current knowledge of the international community, particularly Europe; This fundamental working knowledge requires extensive exposure and firsthand experience in interacting and successfully negotiating with host nations' representatives, who are the linchpins to the success of USAFE/EUCOM ability to maintain or expand; In addition to extensive experience and knowledge of specific political, regulatory, and technical workings of the various Host Nations, NATO and other aviation bodies, the position requires expert knowledge of international relations, U.S. foreign policy, protocol skills and ability to access the host nations' long-range plans. NOTE: This experience MUST be well documented on your resume or application package.

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-12 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-13 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks.

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:

Working knowledge Security Cooperation regulations and standard practices, Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) and other DoD and DoS directives, USAF Security Cooperation and Security Force Assistance policy directives and regulations, and current Security Sector Assistance laws, rules, regulations, policies and trends are highly desired. Security Cooperation experience is desired.

Knowledge of and experience with manned and unmanned platforms, sensors, communication spectrum, and related technologies, and ability to draw conclusions relevant to their application to the USAFE-AFAFRICA mission is highly desired.

Knowledge, experience, and current credentials and certifications within the Defense Travel System (DTS), Global Theater Security Cooperation Management Information System (G-TSCMIS), Task Management Tracker (TMT) Government Travel Card (GTC), Automated Personnel and Aircraft Clearance System (APACS) programs is desired.

Ability to act decisively under stressful situations and to maintain alertness over sustained periods of pressure; coordinate plans and actions, and use judgment to select and take the safest and most effective course of action from among several available choices. Skills to arrive quickly at well-reasoned solutions to complex problems and adjust quickly to different assignments, changing conditions, and workload fluctuations.

Knowledge/experience with light aviation, air advisory roles, air mobility / transportation and logistics, and political/military analysis.

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.

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

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.

Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click for more information.

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.

is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click .

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