Foreign Affairs Officer

Foreign Affairs Officer (WAE)

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Department of State - Agency Wide

Overview

Open & closing dates

 07/23/2018 to 07/27/2018

Salary

$96,970 to $126,062 per year

Summary

This position is open to CTAP/ICTAP candidates, and if they are found well-qualified, will be afforded selection priority. An extension of this vacancy is possible without further announcement.

This announcement is for INTERMITTENT positions located in the Statutory Compliance and Research Division, Office of Information Programs and Services, DAS for Global Information Services, Bureau of Administration (A/GIS/IPS/CR) in the U.S. Department of State (DOS). IPS administers the Department’s records management, privacy, classification and declassification and public access programs in providing the range of services to members of DOS and the public needed to accurately implement the provisions of FOIA, the Privacy Act (PA) of 1974, the E-Government Act of 2002, Executive Order 13526 for Classified National Security Information and related statutes and regulations.

The incumbent serves on a while actually employed (WAE) basis performing records analysis, case processing and management, and coordinating with internal Bureaus. He/she serves in an analytical role for the organization in reviewing, processing and making final decisions concerning Departmental records requested through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and related statutes and Executive Orders.

This position is not eligible for telework.

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Responsibilities

Makes final decisions as to whether highly sensitive information may be released to the public, and determines whether information currently classified may be declassified for public release.

Utilizes expert knowledge of foreign affairs policies and national security issues that are within the purview of his/her Bureau, as well as the functions and organization of the Department and its overseas posts and missions, in the application of the FOIA provisions and related information access statutes.

Ensures proper record request procedures have been followed as a means of preventing the inadvertent or unauthorized release of national security, privacy or proprietary information.

Researches wide range of requests, clarifies issues involved and evaluates need for obtaining additional information from requestors.

Maintains close liaisons with other reviewers and functional specialists in the Bureau to help ensure the records analysis effort promotes the best interests of the Bureau and Department.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

13

Who May Apply

This job is open to…

ICTAP and CTAP

Questions? This job is open to 1 group.

Job family (Series)

0130 Foreign Affairs

Requirements

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Requirements

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.

Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5CFR 300, Subpart F.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements, including education, and any selective placement factors 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.

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.)

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.

IN ADDITION to the basic requirements, this position requires one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 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 reviewing documents with regards to the Freedom of Information Act;

EXPERIENCE making decisions regarding highly sensitive information, such as whether or not it may be released to the public; or resolving differing viewpoints on matters of classification/declassification.

EXPERIENCE administering a records management program or system.

Education

Additional information

For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or ReasonableAccommodations@state.gov.

More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur.

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How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs) and other characteristics that are relevant to the duties of this position and must be fully supported by information in your resume:

Knowledge in the realm of foreign policy and international affairs.

Ability to analyze and evaluate information derived from a variety of sources.

Knowledge of policy, guidance and direction on matters pertaining to day-to-day-operations of a records area.

Ability to review, analyze, index and retrieve information.

Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Your resume must include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week. For assistance with creating a resume, please click here.

Qualified candidates are assigned a score between 70 and 100. Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) candidates must be rated "Well Qualified" for the position and earn a score of at least 85 (when applicants are rated in a range of 70 to 100) to receive consideration for special priority.

If, after reviewing your resume and self-assessment questionnaire responses and a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, a score will be manually determined that reflects your documented experience. This may result in a lower score, which may also eliminate you from consideration for this position.

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements and submit any required supporting documentation by the closing date of this job opportunity. Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview.

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Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance

Top Secret

Required Documents

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Required Documents

All required documents listed below must be submitted to our automated system "Gateway to State" by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

1. Resume - your resume or any other written format you choose should contain the required information as specified in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section. Insufficient information will result in an ineligible rating.

2. A completed online job specific self-assessment questionnaire through the Department's automated system "Gateway to State".

3. Transcripts - if applicable, see the Qualifications section of the announcement. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.

4. If you are qualifying based on other criteria listed under the Qualification Section of this announcement, you must submit the required supporting documentation (certificates, certifications, etc.) with your application by the closing date.

5. Performance Appraisal - All current Federal employees and reinstatement eligible applicants must submit a copy of your most recent completed annual performance appraisal that includes the final rating. If a performance appraisal does not exist, is incomplete or unavailable, a Form DS-1812 (Applicant Appraisal) or equivalent form from another agency signed by the current supervisor is acceptable. Mid-year progress reviews will not be accepted.

6. CTAP/ICTAP eligibles must submit a copy of the appropriate documentation with their application. See links below:

ICTAP Considerations

CTAP Considerations

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Benefits

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Benefits

A career with the U.S. Government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits.

Temporary employees are generally eligible to enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program if they are expected to work 130 hours per month or more for at least 90 days, in accordance with 5 CFR 890.102. They are eligible for leave, Federal holidays, and to receive a transit subsidy each month to compensate for travel to and from work via certain types of public transportation. Temporary appointments do not confer eligibility for Federal life insurance or retirement benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How to Apply

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How to Apply

Please carefully read all the instructions before you begin the application process.

To apply for this job opportunity, you must submit a resume and an on-line application through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) application system, USAJOBS. This information will be transferred to the Department of State's Gateway to State Automated Application System.

You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement to complete the following four-step application process:

STEP 1: Select the "Apply On-line" button and follow the instructions to register or sign into USAJOBS.

STEP 2: Submit a detailed resume or any other written format you choose documenting your job-related qualifications, experience, and education (if applicable). Cover letter is optional. If you submit a cover letter, you must also submit a resume. Please see the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section for specific information that should be outlined in your resume.

STEP 3: Answer the job-specific self-assessment questions on-line through the Gateway to State automated application system. These questions will be used to evaluate your qualifications and experience for this job opportunity.

STEP 4: Submit all required documentation, applicable to you, listed in the Required Documents section of this job opportunity to the Department's automated application system "Gateway to State" prior to the closing date of this announcement. For instructions on how to view the status of your supporting documentation, please click here.

Technical assistance with your on-line application can be obtained by contacting the Help Desk at mgshelp@monster.com OR by calling (866) 656-6830 or (703) 269-4944 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET.

ALTERNATE APPLICATION PROCEDURES

NOTE: If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package by fax. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET, at least two working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement.

NOTE: Paper applications and information sent by mail WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

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Agency contact information

 Amy Merritt

Phone

843-952-0151

Fax

000-000-0000

Email

merrittaw@state.gov

Address

U.S. Department of State

1999 Dyess Ave

Building E

Charleston, South Carolina

United States

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