FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPECIALIST

Summary

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Duties

PRIMARY PURPOSE: to serve as a Foreign Affairs Specialist and a Branch Chief within the Central Division, leading a team of regional area experts, both military and civilian, to build, sustain and expand relationships in the Central Command (CENTCOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR) on behalf of the Secretary of the Air Force.

DUTIES:

1. Responsible for recommending and implementing policy guidance for the direction, integration, management and supervision of international programs and activities affiliated with the Department of the Air Force concerning country and/or regional responsibility.
2. Areas of direct responsibility include implementation of US and USAF policy, military contacts and cooperative activities, country and regional reviews, USAF security assistance, disclosure policy and related activities, technology transfer, and other USAF international programs with foreign countries, coordination of senior AF official’s international travel and visits of senior foreign officials to the United States.
3. Reviews and establishes policy on current developments in the Central Division. Identifies items that affect USAF bilateral or regional programs.
4. Represents USAF at interagency and departmental conferences and meetings. Represents SAF/IA as a member of committees and working groups.

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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
• Advance in hire may be authorized if there is demonstrable proof provided on your resume
• Leave accrual may be authorized upon request
• This is a Centrally Managed position in the International Affairs Career Field. Mobility is a condition of employment. The employee must sign an Air Force-wide mobility agreement.
• Employee must possess and maintain a Secret security clearance.
• A bachelor’s degree in international politics, International Affairs, or Education is highly desired.
• Completion of an Intermediate Service School, (i.e. ACSC, AFLEP, ELDP, AFIT, etc.), within six years accepting position is highly desirable.
• Employee must be comfortable in dealing with high-ranking foreign representatives and able to utilize tact and diplomacy on all occasions.
• Employee should be able to sustain periods of high stress without danger to the individual’s health. Work is primarily sedentary in nature and no special physical ability is required to do the work.
• Majority of work is performed in an office setting; however, the position does require extensive travel (as much as 25% of time), both within CONUS and overseas, often on short notice and for extended (1-2 week) periods of time.
• Work may require travel away from the normal duty station on military and commercial aircraft.

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 here 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-0130-14 or above and I have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 (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 expert knowledge of political-military affairs expertise and policy oversight of Air Force plans, programs, and requirements involving international affairs for CENTCOM’S AOR; directs Security Assistance programs in the regions; mastery with working with the US Ambassador’s staff and their Country Teams to assess and support country requirements in the regions; expert knowledge of interfacing directly with both countries’ embassies in Washington DC and their headquarters throughout all regions by serving as the focal point for all weapon systems sales, transfers, transfers, and support provided through Foreign Military Sales; mastery of advanced management and organizational principles and practices along with a comprehensive knowledge of providing direction to field agencies throughout the USAF to successfully develop and execute international programs in the regions; and knowledge of military command structure, missions, programs, and organizational relationships plus a thorough knowledge of quantitative and qualitative methods and techniques to develop staffing standards covering complex program functions or missions, e.g., management of agency research operations, or staffing requirements for new or substantially altered training or operational missions and programs. 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-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. Knowledge of foreign affairs and national security policies and objectivities; U.S. defense programs and policies doctrine, strategy, and political-military structures as they pertain to the CENTCOM region.
2. Knowledge of US foreign policy, legislation/directives, the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA), and other DoD and Air Force directives/regulations governing the sale of military articles and services to foreign governments.
3. Ability to research and analyze information/situations to provide sound advice and recommendation in support of senior Air Force officials’ decision making. Skill and diplomacy in dealing with senior officials in the Federal Government, industry and the international community.
4. Ability to communicate effective, both orally and in writing to justify, defend, present, advocate, and/or advise on Security Assistance processes, actions, and decisions.
5. Ability to perform work requiring a professional knowledge of the formulation and implementation of foreign policy of the United States in the conduct of the relations, primarily of a political or politico-economic nature, of the United States with other governments.???????

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 here 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 program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

Additional information

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP eligible click here. 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 here 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.

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible: MSP applicants, if determined best qualified, must be selected and placed at the highest grade for which they applied. You must include a completed copy of the DD Form 3145-4, Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for MSP. Click here to obtain/download a copy of the DD Form 3145-4, Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist.

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 here 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.

Disabled veteran leave 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 here.

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

Tax Law Impact for PCS: On 22-Dec-2017, Public Law 115-97 – the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017” suspended qualified moving expense deductions along with the exclusion for employer reimbursements and payments of moving expenses effective 01-Jan-2018 for tax years 2018 through 2025. When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit GSA Bulletin FTR 20-04 here for additional information.

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• Benefits
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• 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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
• Review our benefits
• 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 You Will Be Evaluated

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

Your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

BASIS OF RATING:

Your application will be rated under the Cut Point procedures based on the extent to which the quality, depth, and complexity of your experience and education relate to the qualification requirements. Additional points are not added for Veteran’s Preference; however, Veteran’s Preference is considered where applicable.

Best Qualified Group: Candidates in this category possess exceptional skills and experience to exceed well above the minimum requirements

Fully Qualified Group: Candidates in this category possess good skills and experience above the minimum requirements.

Basically Qualified Group: Candidates in this category meet the minimum education and/or experience requirements.

The resume/documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of “not qualified” or “insufficient information” and you will not receive further consideration for this job.

For additional information on what to include in your resume, click here.

Applicants who meet the requirements for and apply as a non-competitive eligible that meet minimal qualifications and other requirements of this position, will be given consideration as a non-competitive candidate and will be referred unless blocked by an individual with priority/preference.

APPRAISALS/AWARDS: Hiring Managers use objective methods and consider previous performance appraisals and awards in the selection process. Current Federal Civilian employees should list any relevant performance related rating and/or awards in your resume.

Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.

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How to Apply

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 12/11/2024

To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12625506

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume (your latest resume will be used to determine your qualifications). If you submit more than one copy of your resume, only the most recent (latest) version will be reviewed. The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is “most recent.”

• It is your responsibility to check the status and timestamp of all documents you submit as part of your application.
• If your resume includes photographs, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, or personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., you will not be considered for this vacancy.
• For qualification determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week (if part-time) and dates of employment (i.e., hours per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient, and you will not receive consideration for this position.

2. A complete Application Questionnaire

3. Additional Required Documents (see Required Documents section). Ensure all submitted documents contain your full name.

PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant’s responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.

Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant.

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Agency contact information

Total Force Service Center Total Force Service Center

Phone

1-800-525-0102

Email

[email protected]

Address

HQ USAF and Support Elements – Pentagon

1720 Air Force Pentagon

Washington, DC 20330

US

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Next steps

Once your application package is received an acknowledgement email will be sent.

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility and qualifications for consideration. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select My Applications, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

If you do not provide an email address, you are responsible for checking status updates and notifications in USAJOBS. Hard copy notifications will not be sent to you.

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