Foreign Affairs Specialist

Duties

Summary

The incumbent will be responsible for assisting in the formulation of Joint Staff positions to the President and other national leaders and to ensure those recommendations are informed by a larger strategic context coordinated with interagency and alliance partners, account for the view and requirements of Combatant Commanders, and assess risk in executing the National Military Strategy (NMS), Guidance for the Employment of the Force (GEF), and Defense Planning and Programming Guidance (DPPG). .

Responsibilities

As a Foreign Affairs Specialist at the GS-0130-15 some of your typical work assignments may include:

Serve as a senior foreign affairs specialist and adviser to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), senior leaders, and J5 Strategy, Plans, and Policy (DJ5), on a broad range of political-military strategy and policy issues regarding Russia, nearby elements of the former Soviet Union, and Europe within the U.S. European command (USEUCOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR).

Train and mentor new 0-6 Division Chiefs on Russia and on how the Division functions and operates within the Joint Staff and with the U.S. Combatant Commands (CCMDs), Services, and other National Agencies. Support the Division Chief to ensure all Division actions are assigned and completed on time and are thoroughly coordinated within the Joint Staff.

Conduct oversight, train, and mentor four field-grade officers and perform their duties during their absence.

Support the CJCS in their role as the senior military advisor to the Secretary of Defense and the President by providing expert advice, information, analysis, briefings, studies, and reports on Russia both within the country and in a geopolitical context.

Play a major role in the study, review, and adjustment of the strategies, concepts, programs, and budgets required to support the Joint Staff and OSD policy and program planning guidance, and identify and focus senior policy attention on developing or modifying U.S. military policy relating to Russia.

Prepare, evaluate, review, and coordinate formal correspondence for the CJCS and senior members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with the National Security Council (NSC), the Department of State (DOS), the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Defense agencies, the Services, and Combatant Commands (CCMDs).

Travel Required

Occasional travel – You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

None

Job family (Series)

0130 Foreign Affairs

Requirements

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Must be a U.S. citizen

Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for, or exempt from, Selective Service http://www.sss.gov

Resume and supporting documents (See How To Apply)

Suitable for Federal employment, determined by a background investigation

May be required to successfully complete a probationary period

Work Schedule: Fulltime

Overtime: Occasionally

Tour of Duty: Flexible

Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Exempt

Financial Disclosure: Not Required

Telework Eligibility: This position is NOT telework eligible

COVID19: All Federal Employees must be fully vaccinated by November 22, 2021. Please see, additional information.

Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI clearance

Incumbent without previous Joint Staff experience must also attend a Joint Staff training course for new employees

Periodic travel away from the duty station, overnight and longer, is required, including both CONUS and OCONUS. Must be designated as a classified courier

Russian language skills are highly desirable

Occasional travel with little notice may be required. Must be willing and able to travel on military and commercial aircraft, vessels, and/or vehicles.

Qualifications

Foreign Affairs Series, 0130

Individual Occupational Requirements

Basic Requirements

Degree: major or equivalent, or a combination of courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, in international law and international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law, statistics, or in the humanities; or 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines and 12 semester hours in statistics/quantitative methods.

or

Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

or

Experience: four years of appropriate experience in one or more of the fields listed above in work associated with international organizations, problems, or other aspects of foreign affairs.

You may qualify at the GS-15, if you fulfill the following qualifications:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service:

Providing expert advice, information, analysis, briefings, studies, and reports on Russia both within the country and in a geopolitical context.

Preparing and supporting senior staff members for participation in U.S. Interagency (IA) discussions and Congressional hearings.

Serving as a senior foreign affairs specialist and adviser on a broad range of political-military strategy and policy issues regarding Russia, nearby elements of the former Soviet Union, and Europe within the U.S. European command (USEUCOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR).

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO MEET THE INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT? You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at time of application.

All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours that your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school’s definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: Foreign Education

Additional information

COVID19 – All Federal Employees must be fully vaccinated by November 22, 2021. Proof of vaccination will be required. To ensure compliance with this mandate, review the vaccination requirements, to include timelines for receiving required doses, at the following: https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/faq/vaccinations/

Due to COVID-19, the agency is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement within 60 days. At that time, you may be eligible to request to continue to telework one or more days a pay period depending upon the terms of the agency’s telework policy.

Re-employed Annuitant: This position does not meet criteria for re-employed annuitant. The DoD criteria for hiring Re-employed Annuitants can be found at: http://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/140025/1400.25-V300.pdf

All applicants must meet qualifications and eligibility criteria by the closing date of the announcement.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Programs: This program applies to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; Well qualified is defined as possessing the type and quality of experience that exceeds the positions minimum qualifications. and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. For more information:

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your resume and supporting documents, to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and evaluate your relevant work experiences as it relates to fundamental competencies, identified below, required for this position.

Competencies:
International Engagement Action Planning

International Engagement Assessment & Analysis

Resource and Program Management

Based on the results of this evaluation, you will be placed in one of the following quality categories:

Best Qualified: This highest category will be used for those candidates who possess the type and quality of experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position, including any selective placement factors and/or appropriate quality ranking factor(s), as determined by the job analysis.

Highly Qualified: This higher category will be used for those candidates who possess the type and quality of experience that exceed the minimum qualifications of the position, including any selective placement factors and/or appropriate quality ranking factor(s) as determined by the job analysis.

Qualified: This lowest category will be used for those candidates that meet the minimum qualifications of the position, including all selective placement factors and appropriate quality ranking factor(s) and are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the position. Candidates may require extensive training and/or orientation in order to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/competitive-hiring/#url=Category-Rating

Names of the candidates in the Best Qualified category will be sent first to the hiring manager for employment consideration. Applicants in other categories will be referred in accordance with category rating procedures.

Veterans Preference: If you are entitled to veterans preference, you should indicate the type of veterans’ preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans’ preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. If you are entitled to veterans’ preference and qualified for the position, your name will be placed above non-preference candidates on a list sent to the hiring manager for employment consideration. Qualified veterans’ preference eligible with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category depending on the position and grade level of the job.

For information on entitlement see http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx.

Military Spouse Preference: If you are entitled to military spouse preference, in order to receive this preference you must choose the spousal eligibility in your application package referencing MSP Military Spouse Preference. Your preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. If you are claiming military spouse preference and qualified for the position, your name will be placed below preference eligible veteran candidates and above non-preference candidates on a list sent to the hiring manager for employment consideration. To claim Military Spouse Preference (MSP) please complete the Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist, save the document and attach it to your application package.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance

Sensitive Compartmented Information

Drug test required

Yes

Position sensitivity and risk

Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk

Trust determination process

National security

Required Documents

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc).

Your complete application includes your COMPLETE resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

The following documents are REQUIRED:1. Your resume:
Your resume may be submitted on any format. It must include your name and contact information and support the specialized experience described in this announcement.

For qualifications determinations your resume must contain the number of hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., “HRS per week and month/year to month/year” or “HRS per week and month/year to present”).

For additional information see: What to include in your resume

2. Transcripts:
College transcript (s), required if qualifying based on education. We accept unofficial transcripts, as long as they contain your name, the name of the school, the date and degree that was awarded, and the list of classes and credits earned.

3. Veteran’s Documents:
If applying using veteran’s preference or under a Veteran’s hiring authority you must submit the following documents

DD214 showing character of service, SF-15 Form and VA letter showing final percentage, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty.

PLEASE REVIEW THE BELOW LINK FOR OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS needed for proof of eligibility:

https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/FourthEstateRequiredSupportingDocumentation%2011-16-2020.pdf?ver=Lgkkn1HW9a8is7V2lyCS2Q%3d%3d

If you are claiming Military Spouse Preference, you must submit supporting documents with your application package. These documents must provide acceptable information to verify: you reside within the commuting area of your sponsor’s permanent duty station (PDS); proof of marriage to the active duty sponsor, proof of military member’s active duty status, and other documentation required by the vacancy announcement to which you are applying; and must meet all pre-employment criteria and be eligible for immediate noncompetitive appointment to a position in the competitive service. Documentation required: Marriage Certificate or License, Signed Self-Certification Checklist, Veterans’ Preference documentation (e.g., DD-214, VA Letter, Statement of Service, if applicable), Transcripts (if applicable). Additional documentation required if previously held a federal position: SF-50s (e.g., LWOP, highest grade held, overseas appointments, etc.), SF-75 Information, and documentation of performance rating of record (dated within the last 12 months)

For More Information: https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/Careers/downloads/DoDGenAppInfo.pdf

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Benefits

Benefits

A career with the U.S. Government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Help

This job is open to

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees who meet the definition of a “surplus” or “displaced” employee.

Military spouses

The public

U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens