Leahy Vetting Specialist

Cherokee Federal•Washington, DC

10d•$100,000 - $110,822•Onsite

About The Position

This position requires an active Top Secret / SCI (TS/SCI) Security Clearance. The Leahy Vetting Specialist serves as the Bureau’s lead action officer and policy advisor on Leahy vetting, human rights, democracy, labor, religious freedom, and trafficking in persons issues. This position provides analytical, advisory, and operational support to the Department of State’s foreign policy mission, ensuring compliance with Leahy Law requirements and supporting the development and implementation of U.S. foreign policy initiatives throughout the Europe and Eurasia (EUR) region.

Requirements

Active TS/SCI Security Clearance.
Master’s Degree or equivalent and one (1) year of relevant professional experience; OR Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent and two (2) years of relevant professional experience.
Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment in sensitive environments.
Experience supporting foreign affairs, international relations, human rights, democracy, security assistance, or related programs.
Strong analytical, research, and policy development capabilities.
Experience preparing executive-level briefings, reports, and policy recommendations.
Knowledge of the theories, principles, and practices of U.S. foreign policy objectives and programs.
Extensive knowledge of human rights, democracy, labor, religious freedom, and foreign affairs issues affecting U.S. interests.
Knowledge of U.S. foreign affairs information sources, processes, and organizations.
Ability to analyze and evaluate factors affecting the conduct of U.S. foreign policy.
Ability to provide advice, guidance, and consultation regarding the interpretation and application of analyses.
Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships throughout the Department of State and foreign policy communities.
Strong oral and written communication skills with the ability to develop, present, defend, and negotiate policy positions and recommendations.
Must be a U.S. Citizen.
Must be eligible to work on U.S. Government contracts supporting the Department of State.

Responsibilities

Serve as action officer and policy advisor on all Leahy-related issues and daily operations within the Bureau.
Conduct SCI-level vetting for security force units and individuals requesting Department of State assistance within the EUR region.
Search classified databases and electronic records to identify derogatory information related to human rights violations or criminal activity.
Assess information discovered and recommend appropriate courses of action for embassies and offices.
Ensure all assigned vetting requests are completed within established deadlines and process urgent requests as required.
Maintain regular communication with assigned posts and desks to ensure efficient vetting operations and compliance with established procedures.
Support the review and amendment of Bureau vetting procedures and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Provide policy and procedural guidance to overseas posts while ensuring consistency across global, regional, and embassy procedures.
Develop policy recommendations for the EUR Bureau on highly sensitive and politically significant issues involving Leahy Law compliance and human rights concerns.
Anticipate policy challenges, assess impacts and Congressional reaction, and ensure recommendations align with Department objectives.
Review policy alternatives, evaluate political viability, and develop innovative approaches to emerging issues.
Draft, present, and defend policy documents before Department officials and senior leadership.
Demonstrate a high degree of analytical ability while advising decision-makers on complex foreign affairs matters.
Analyze issues critical to policy development and operational support of department-wide initiatives.
Serve as the Bureau’s lead officer and advisor on human rights, labor, democracy, religious freedom, and trafficking in persons issues.
Work directly with desk officers, overseas posts, DRL, J/TIP, and other stakeholders regarding assigned countries.
Coordinate one of the Bureau’s congressionally mandated human rights-related reports.
Coordinate additional congressionally mandated reports, including human rights and labor reports.
Develop guidance for overseas posts and provide Bureau input to relevant Department offices.
Serve as backup support to other foreign affairs officers on the human rights team.
Identify, collect, aggregate, interpret, analyze, and report on vetting and program data.
Develop spreadsheets, briefing materials, reports, and analytical products for leadership review.
Produce widely disseminated analytical products representing official Bureau assessments of complex issues.
Define, describe, and compare policy alternatives for management review and decision-making.
Evaluate information from multiple sources and assess the significance of developing events and policy implications.
Participate in Department of State and interagency meetings and working groups.
Advise Bureau representatives on difficult cases and sensitive policy matters.
Coordinate efforts among subject matter experts to support assigned projects and initiatives.
Consult with regional bureaus and partner organizations to address global issues.
Represent EUR interests on committees and working groups addressing matters critical to Bureau and Department objectives.
Promote cooperation and collaboration among internal and external stakeholders.
Support the planning, development, and execution of U.S. foreign policy initiatives involving democracy, human rights, trafficking in persons, and religious freedom.
Independently identify and resolve complex issues with limited supervisory guidance.
Utilize a variety of analytical methods and techniques to evaluate policy options and provide recommendations.
Operate effectively under rigid deadlines while managing large volumes of complex and often conflicting information.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned.