Alumni Outreach And Data Management Specialist

Defense Security Cooperation Agency•Fort McNair, DC

27d

About The Position

The Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS), an academic institution within the U.S. Department of War, studies security issues relating to Africa and engages African partner states and institutions through academic and outreach programs. The Alumni Outreach and Data Management Specialist supports the Center’s in-person and virtual programming, alumni engagement plans, communications campaigns, and continuing education opportunities. The role provides regular communications to alumni through online platforms, manages constituent data for strategic decisions and stakeholder reporting, and performs administrative functions for the Community, Alumni, Partnerships, and Engagement (CAPE) section. The Specialist coordinates and maintains alumni and stakeholder databases, supports participant identification, registration, nominations, and admissions, and compiles program data for internal and external reporting. The position manages CAPE knowledge-management tools and tracks participant attendance and demographics. It also coordinates alumni communications—including a triennial newsletter—and maintains the alumni section of the Africa Center website. The role maintains data quality and integrity, audits records, improves procedures, responds to ad hoc reporting requests, and advises Center leaders on recruitment, outreach, and data quality. The Specialist provides participant recruitment and admissions input to the annual program plan, analyzes demographic trends, and supports administrative activities such as VIP visits, scheduling, event planning, and travel planning. Domestic and international travel is seldom required and is expected to be less than 20% of the time. The appointment is a Title 10 Excepted Service appointment, not to exceed three years, with the possibility of extension.

Requirements

Earned bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education.
Excellent oral and written English communication skills, including the ability to convey clear, concise concepts and findings to senior leadership.
Ability to synthesize information and coordinate and liaise with staff, sections, and external organizations.
Expertise in basic statistics and data-management tools, particularly Excel, including capturing and recording data, using shortcuts and formula functions, creating charts and graphs, sorting and filtering data, and conducting mail merges.
Ability to visualize and manipulate data and perform customized data processing and presentation.
Organizational skills and initiative to manage multiple tasks and deadlines and respond effectively to changing priorities.
Experience sufficient to set goals, plan strategies, schedule and coordinate working-group actions, integrate planning efforts, resolve conflicts, and achieve established goals.
Experience with interactive portal knowledge management and internet-based social networking and publishing platforms necessary for alumni outreach.
Ability to develop comprehensive knowledge of Africa Center administrative functions, policies, procedures, and processes for recruiting, registering, and engaging program participants, alumni, and stakeholders.
Interpersonal skills to interact with individuals at all authority levels and demonstrate tact, diplomacy, and professionalism with foreign government representatives and foreign nationals.
Must be a U.S. citizen.
Must be able and willing to travel domestically and internationally; travel is seldom required and is less than 20% of the time.
Must successfully obtain and maintain the required clearance; the position requires a Public Trust security determination and background investigation.
Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or be exempt.
Must use direct deposit as a federal employee.

Nice To Haves

Intermediate or advanced reading knowledge of French and/or Portuguese.
Master's degree in data science, information systems, business administration, international affairs, a related area, or another appropriate discipline.
Knowledge of African political, socioeconomic, and cultural information environments, and/or U.S. foreign policy and security objectives related to Africa.
Experience using AI to analyze and summarize data into operational reports and executive summaries.
Experience with the RCPAMS database system.
Experience with the SANWEB database system.
Experience working on the African continent.
Experience serving in a U.S. Embassy.

Responsibilities

Coordinate, create, and maintain alumni databases covering country participation, regional economic communities, diplomatic and U.S. government contacts, and other categories.
Facilitate program participant identification and registration, and support nomination and admission processes with interagency, international, and sub-regional organizations and U.S. Embassy officials in African countries.
Manage CAPE knowledge-management tools and compile program data, including attendance and alumni demographics, for internal and external reporting.
Design and plan regular alumni communications campaigns, including release and promotion of a triennial alumni newsletter, and maintain the alumni section of the Africa Center website.
Enter, manage, and analyze programmatic and alumni information; prepare communications and correspondence.
Develop, coordinate, and implement recruitment, registration, and outreach functions for Africa Center programs and events.
Plan and coordinate outreach activities to create and sustain enduring relationships.
Design and implement processes to maintain data quality and integrity; oversee knowledge-management systems for protecting and analyzing data.
Work with Regional Engagement Managers to recommend improvements to recruitment, outreach, and data quality.
Maintain participant and alumni records, update contact information in the electronic database of record, and track alumni professional development.
Monitor, edit, and maintain current databases of Africa Center alumni and stakeholders; input, safeguard, release, and use official participant records in coordination with Regional Engagement Managers.
Research discrepancies, correct data, and provide technical guidance to teammates on creating and preserving high-quality records.
Provide data and strategy input for participant recruitment and admissions in the annual program plan; analyze demographic statistics, identify trends, and make recommendations to the Director and staff.
Support CAPE and the Director of Engagement with VIP visits, scheduling, event planning, and travel planning.
Maintain contacts with African embassies in Washington, D.C., and international, government, and non-governmental agencies; manage CAPE correspondence, announcements, and other communications.