Supervisory Foreign Affairs Officer

Department of State Headquarters•Washington, DC

13d

About The Position

This position is in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Office of Caribbean Affairs (WHA/CAR), which oversees U.S. government engagement with Caribbean countries. The incumbent oversees regional security and cross-cutting issues in the Caribbean and leads the Regional Security Team in developing and implementing policies and strategies that advance U.S. interests. Under the direction of the WHA/CAR Office Director and Deputy Assistant Secretary, the incumbent also leads strategic planning, represents the Department and Bureau with external partners, supports communications and negotiations between Department principals and host government leaders, and supervises a mixed team of federal employees, contractors, and temporary staff. The position requires a bachelor's or graduate degree in specified fields or qualifying equivalent education and experience. In addition to the basic requirements, applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal service, including experience developing and recommending U.S. foreign policy on Latin America or the Caribbean, leading or representing an organization in interagency coordination on foreign policy or national security issues, and overseeing or managing foreign assistance programming that advances U.S. foreign policy goals. Applicants must also demonstrate supervisory ability, fairness and objectivity, adaptability, openness to differing views, and follow-through. U.S. citizenship is required. The incumbent is subject to random drug testing and must obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance and eligibility to access Sensitive Compartmented Information. Situational telework may be permitted with supervisory approval if eligible.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance and eligibility to access Sensitive Compartmented Information.
Subject to random drug testing.
Meet the applicable federal time-in-grade and time-after-competitive-appointment requirements; federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade.
Meet the basic education or experience requirements: a qualifying bachelor's or graduate degree; specified coursework totaling at least 24 semester hours, including the stated alternative involving 12 semester hours in a listed discipline and 12 in statistics or quantitative methods; a qualifying combination of education and experience; or at least four years of appropriate experience in relevant fields associated with international organizations, problems, or foreign affairs.
Have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 level in the Federal service.
Experience developing and recommending U.S. foreign policy on Latin America or the Caribbean.
Experience leading or representing an organization in interagency coordination on foreign policy or national security issues.
Experience overseeing or managing foreign assistance programming that advances U.S. foreign policy goals.
Ability to assign, review, and supervise the work of others.
Objectivity and fairness in judging people based on ability and situations based on facts and circumstances.
Ability to adjust to change, work pressures, or difficult situations without undue stress.
Willingness to consider new ideas or divergent points of view.
Capacity to see the job through.
Submit college transcripts when qualifying based on education or when education requirements apply.
Applicants relying on foreign education must provide evidence that it is comparable to education received at an accredited U.S. educational institution.

Responsibilities

Lead the Regional Security Team in developing and carrying out policies and strategies that advance U.S. interests in the Caribbean.
Lead the office’s strategic planning by translating interagency and Bureau goals into office plans, setting long-term objectives, and advancing U.S. regional policy.
Represent the Department and Bureau with foreign governments, multilateral partners, Congress, the Caribbean diaspora, and civil society.
Promote U.S. policy goals in interagency and public forums.
Support communications and negotiations between Department principals and host government leaders.
Represent Bureau principals in negotiations.
Supervise a mixed team of federal employees, contractors, and temporary staff by setting priorities and deadlines, assigning work, and ensuring timely completion of taskings.