Physical Security Specialist

Cherokee Federal•Arlington, VA

1d•$108,000 - $115,000•Onsite

About The Position

This position serves as Department of State experts on physical security policies stemming from public law, Department or interagency policies and Diplomatic Security guidelines. Physical Security Specialists are also the primary sources of Department expertise on physical security conditions at each specialist’s assigned posts, including knowledge of the number and impact of physical security deficiencies in relation to standards, as well as mitigation strategies in place to account for vulnerabilities resulting from physical security deficiencies. Physical Security Specialists serve as primary authors of official documents detailing physical security conditions for Department decision makers. Physical Security Specialists support a geographical region’s senior physical security specialist (Section Chief) or Branch Chief.

Requirements

Active Secret clearance, with the ability to obtain a TS or TS/SCI.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Outstanding oral and written briefing skills.
Thorough familiarity with residential security standards.
Ability to coordinate design reviews.
Must successfully pass the Department of State’s on-line High Threat Security Overseas Seminar training course.
Successful completion of Department required on-line courses such as Cyber Security Awareness, EEO briefings and instruction on methods of handling National Security information will be required upon entry on duty.

Nice To Haves

Expert-level knowledge of legislative and Department / Interagency standards and policy.
Mastery of policy related to legislative requirements and Department / Interagency physical security standards.
Strong comprehension and analytical skills.
Familiarity with the legislative waiver and standards exception process.
Familiarity with physical security surveys.
Familiarity with physical security risk analysis and management process.
Familiarity with surveying and understanding physical security conditions at official Chief of Mission and Department facilities and residential properties overseas and domestically.
Familiarity with documenting and assessing deficiencies related to standards.
Familiarity with managing and mitigating risk associated with physical security vulnerabilities.
Familiarity with residential security yearly budgets.
Familiarity with Department funding and budgeting timeline requirements.
Familiarity with the Department’s Soft Target program.
Familiarity with countermeasures appropriate for soft targets.
Familiarity with coordinating soft target funding requests.
Familiarity with OBO projects.
Familiarity with A Bureau and GSA related to domestic standards compliance.

Responsibilities

Expert-level knowledge of legislative and Department / Interagency standards and policy: Physical Security Specialists must develop a mastery of policy related to legislative requirements and Department / Interagency physical security standards. Due to the fundamental roles of standards in all elements of PSP operations, Physical Security Specialists must demonstrate strong comprehension and analytical skills in order to apply appropriate standards to PSP and Department processes related to physical security, including but not limited to the legislative waiver and standards exception process and physical security surveys.
Legislative waivers and standards exception requests: The PSP function of coordinating waiver and exception requests is a direct and primary responsibility of PSP Physical Security Specialists. These processes are integral to the physical security risk analysis and management process. They also are central to educating Department leadership about the risks inherent with U.S. Government presence overseas, as well as in terms of Department leadership’s acknowledgement and acceptance of this risk. Physical Security Specialists must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills in order to draft, edit and review documents that will be viewed at the highest levels of the Department.
Facility Security: Physical Security Specialists are, together with RSOs overseas or domestic security officers, the Department’s foundational elements in the process of surveying, and understanding physical security conditions at official Chief of Mission and Department facilities and residential properties overseas and domestically. PSP coordinates the surveying of these properties, documenting and assessing deficiencies related to standards, and managing and mitigating risk associated with physical security vulnerabilities.
Briefings and Briefing Papers: As the Department’s foremost experts on physical security conditions at U.S. Government points of presence overseas, Physical Security Specialists are regularly called upon to provide in-person briefings or written briefing papers for Department leaders, Department oversight bodies, and other high-level U.S. Government decision-makers. Physical Security Specialists must consistently demonstrate outstanding oral and written briefing skills.
Residential Security: Physical Security Specialists must be thoroughly familiar with their assigned posts’ levels of compliance with residential security standards. They must serve as sources of expertise and advice on residential security countermeasures for RSOs overseas. They track residential security yearly budgets and ensure compliance with Department funding and budgeting timeline requirements.
Soft Targets: Physical Security Specialists serve as primary PSP points of contact for RSOs on the Department’s Soft Target program. They serve as Department experts on countermeasures appropriate for soft targets, primarily but not limited to schools overseas attended by children of Chief of Mission personnel. They coordinate soft target funding requests from RSOs in conjunction with OBO elements.
Design Review: Physical Security Specialists are responsible for coordinating design reviews of OBO projects to ensure compliance with OSPB standards, and domestically, to A Bureau and GSA related to domestic standards compliance.