Job Summary

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Job Description

Conditions of Employments: (cont'd) 1. Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI). A non-disclosure agreement must be signed. Knowledge of security practices for ensuring the safeguarding of classified information is required. 2. This position has been designated by the Air Force as a Testing Designated Position (TDP) under the Air Force Civilian Drug Demand Reduction Program. Employee must pass initial and periodic short notice drug testing. Illegal drug use by employees in sensitive positions presents a clear threat to the mission of the Air Force, national security, and public safety. 3. This position is Emergency-Essential. In the event of a crisis situation, the incumbent, or designated alternate, must continue to perform the Emergency-Essential duties until relieved by proper authority. The incumbent or the designated alternate may be required to take part in readiness exercises. This position cannot be vacated during national emergency or mobilization without seriously impairing the capability of the organization to function effectively. This meets the criteria of an Emergency-Essential position and requires that the incumbent, or the designated alternate, be removed from any military recall status. Employee must sign DD Form 2365 as a condition of employment. In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Professional and Scientific Positions, Foreign Affairs Series, 0130. BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPECIALIST 0130 SERIES: A Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) or a degree with a 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. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts. OR COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. Courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, as shown above. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts. 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. Evaluation of Experience: Qualifying experience may have been through residence, study, teaching, business or commercial activities, military service, newspaper work, military or civil government activities, missionary or international relief work, or other experience in foreign countries. AND In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-13, or equivalent in other pay systems. Examples of specialized experience includes expert knowledge of national security, strategic policy, international relations, foreign affairs, foreign assistance programs, security sector assistance, security cooperation, and related fields; Extensive, in-depth knowledge of USAFE-AFAFRICA and HHQ engagement and security cooperation directives and guidance, to include USAFE-AFAFRICA's Campaign Support Plans, USAFRICOM's and USEUCOM's Theater Campaign Plan, USAF Global Partnership Strategy, USAF Security Cooperation Engagement Strategies, USAF Campaign Support Plan, and USAF Building Partnerships Core Function Master Plan; Expert knowledge of USAF security assistance and foreign military training programs, U.S. defense alliances, personnel exchange programs, intelligence sharing programs, U.S. government and commercial international cooperative research, development and acquisition (ICD & DA) programs, U.S. country and regional defense policies, combined exercise programs and current Security Cooperation Enterprise and activities, including the players, processes, and challenges as they relate to the USAF, Security Sector Assistance, Security Cooperation Portfolio, and the Building Partnership Joint Capability Area. FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-13 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-14 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks. NOTE: Applicants applying as VEOA candidates who are current GS civil service employees or are prior GS civil service employees within the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: 1. Expert knowledge of U.S. Security Cooperation laws and regulations and U.S. military Adaptive Planning and Execution system to determine appropriate planning requirements, develop new techniques to advance Security Cooperation programs and recommend and implement changes to U.S. laws, plans, and programs. 2. Broad knowledge of geopolitics, international law, international relations, U.S. foreign policy, and international protocol, laws, customs, culture and processes necessary to establish fundamental working relationships and the maintenance of long-term relationships to enable development of partner nation professional development programs in partner nations. Knowledge of the relationship between stationing state and host state parties in regard to the implementation of agreements. 3. Skill in interpreting international agreements, U.S. policy and plans, and in-depth understanding of U.S. military organizational and personnel policy and the ability to translate them into programs and curricula. 4. Ability to interact and influence senior leaders and foreign senior military personnel and to understand values, positions, issues, military organizations and policies of foreign nations. 5. Ability to plan, organize, direct, and manage the functions of a small staff and carry out all phases of personnel management responsibilities to supervise, mentor, motivate, and appraise the staff. 6. Ability to analyze, plan, and adjust work operations in concert with parallel organizational segments to meet program requirements and objectives within available resources and ability to lead ad-hoc teams and work effectively with a diverse group of USAF. Other Service, and Joint organizations, and to lead, when necessary, inter and intra-Command working groups. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally, and in writing presenting both written an oral information to non-technical, expert, analysts, and senior level officials in clear, concise, and persuasive manner.