Senior Specialist, International Affairs Programs

Avid Core • Washington, DC

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

Avid Core is seeking a Senior Specialist, International Affairs Programs to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of International Affairs (INA). This position will provide senior-level program management, strategic planning, analysis, and advisory support across a diverse portfolio of international programs and organizational initiatives. The successful candidate will be an experienced international affairs professional who can operate independently in a complex federal environment, translate strategic priorities into executable programs, build consensus across organizations, and develop recommendations and decision-quality products for senior leadership. Candidates from all backgrounds are welcome to apply for our open positions and to join our bench of talented professionals.

Requirements

• Previous experience supporting CBP, DHS, the Department of State, USAID, the Department of Defense, or another U.S. Government organization with a significant international mission.
• Experience supporting CBP’s Office of International Affairs or comparable international programs.
• Knowledge of international border security, customs, immigration, trade, transnational organized crime, counter-narcotics, law enforcement cooperation, or international capacity-building programs.
• Experience managing international assistance, capacity-building, training, technical assistance, foreign engagement, or overseas programs.
• Experience coordinating with the Department of State, U.S. embassies, foreign governments, international organizations, or other interagency partners.
• Experience developing international strategies, country or regional plans, program work plans, budgets, resource justifications, and performance frameworks.
• Experience with Interagency Agreements (IAAs), federal funding mechanisms, or programs involving resources transferred or coordinated among U.S. Government agencies.
• Experience with executive secretariat functions, governance, policy development, or senior-level decision support.
• Familiarity with federal budgeting, acquisition, performance measurement, monitoring and evaluation, and resource planning.
• A Top Secret clearance or current CBP clearance/suitability is strongly preferred.
• Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain the clearance and suitability required by the customer.
• Significant professional experience leading or managing complex programs, portfolios, or initiatives in international affairs, national security, homeland security, foreign affairs, law enforcement, international development, or a related environment.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage programs involving multiple organizations, stakeholders, workstreams, and competing priorities.
• Experience advising senior government officials or executives and developing recommendations for leadership decision-making.
• Strong understanding of federal program management, strategic planning, governance, performance management, and organizational processes.
• Demonstrated ability to translate broad strategic objectives into actionable plans, requirements, milestones, and measurable outcomes.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to structure ambiguous problems, evaluate alternatives, and recommend practical courses of action.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated experience preparing executive-level briefings, memoranda, presentations, reports, and decision materials.
• Strong facilitation and stakeholder-management skills with experience building consensus across organizational boundaries.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment, anticipate requirements, and successfully manage assignments with limited supervision.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple high-priority requirements and deadlines in a fast-paced federal or mission-oriented environment.
• Ability to provide substantive guidance, mentoring, and quality assurance to other analysts.
• A versatile international affairs generalist who can move effectively among program management, analysis, governance, stakeholder engagement, and executive support.
• Intellectually curious and able to quickly learn new subject areas while maintaining a strong focus on execution.
• Organized, responsive, and comfortable managing multiple priorities in a changing mission environment.
• Comfortable working through ambiguity and translating complex issues into clear, practical recommendations.
• A strong communicator who can develop concise products and engage professionally with program managers, subject-matter experts, senior leaders, and external stakeholders.
• Proactive, adaptable, solutions-oriented, and willing to step into new priorities as mission needs evolve.
• Reliable, accountable, and able to take ownership of assignments with limited supervision.
• Collaborative and customer-service oriented, with sound judgment and a commitment to timely follow-through.
• Bachelor’s degree in international affairs, international relations, political science, public policy, public administration, national security, business, or a related field required.

Nice To Haves

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or another relevant program/project management certification is preferred.
• A master’s degree in international affairs, international relations, public policy, public administration, national security, business administration, or a related discipline is preferred.
• An equivalent combination of education and substantial relevant professional experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex international programs, initiatives, and projects from concept and strategic planning through execution, monitoring, evaluation, and closeout.
• Provide strategic and programmatic advice to INA leadership on international programs, emerging requirements, organizational priorities, and opportunities for improved mission effectiveness.
• Translate senior leadership priorities and broader CBP and DHS objectives into actionable strategies, implementation plans, milestones, performance measures, and deliverables.
• Lead coordination across CBP offices, DHS components, the Department of State, other U.S. Government agencies, U.S. embassies, and external stakeholders as required.
• Develop and assess international strategies, policies, programs, work plans, and organizational initiatives.
• Lead or facilitate cross-functional working groups, governance bodies, program reviews, strategic planning sessions, and interagency forums.
• Assess complex international, policy, operational, and organizational issues and develop practical recommendations and courses of action for senior leadership.
• Monitor program performance, schedules, resources, risks, dependencies, and outcomes and proactively identify issues requiring leadership attention or intervention.
• Develop executive-level briefings, decision memoranda, talking points, presentations, strategy documents, reports, background papers, and other high-visibility products.
• Provide senior-level support for international engagements, bilateral and multilateral meetings, foreign delegations, conferences, and other mission activities.
• Coordinate with program managers and subject-matter experts to develop requirements, budgets, work plans, justifications, performance measures, and program documentation.
• Support the planning and management of international capacity-building, technical assistance, training, assessment, and foreign-partner engagement initiatives.
• Analyze program data and performance information to assess effectiveness, identify trends and gaps, and recommend changes to strategy, resources, or program execution.
• Anticipate and respond to senior leadership inquiries, executive-level data calls, audits, reviews, and other high-priority requirements.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with senior government officials, program managers, interagency partners, subject-matter experts, and other stakeholders.
• Identify and lead improvements to program management processes, governance structures, information sharing, performance management, and organizational effectiveness.
• Provide quality assurance and substantive review of analytical and programmatic products developed by other team members.
• Mentor and provide guidance to junior and mid-level analysts and contribute to effective workload management and team performance.
• Maintain awareness of evolving U.S. foreign policy, homeland security, border security, law enforcement, and international cooperation priorities and assess implications for INA programs.
• Independently manage emerging and ambiguous requirements and provide surge leadership as INA priorities evolve.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health insurance
• Vision, dental, and short-term and long-term disability
• 401K with employer match (after six months of employment)
• Federal and non-federal paid holidays
• Flexible paid time off
• Generous bonus program based on firm and individual performance
• An opportunity to learn and grow in an inclusive and supportive environment with a fun team

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior