FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPECIALIST

Summary Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information. Responsibilities The primary purpose of this position is: To serve as the Chief, Foreign Disclosure, Office of the Chief of Staff, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) and as the Command Senior Foreign Disclosure Authority with responsibility to direct the activities of the command-wide Foreign Disclosure enterprise and associated activities. Duties Serves as the Lead Foreign Disclosure technical expert who plans, develops, and implements foreign disclosure policy and procedures while providing direction and guidance on assigned international programs and projects. Establishes, develops, and maintains effective professional working relationships. Establishes, develops and provides foreign disclosure training, education, and awareness of disclosure policy, guidance and making disclosure and/or release decisions for all PACAF entities. Advises the Command and subordinate units by providing expert interpretation of NDP as it applies to foreign exchange and liaison officers assigned within PACAF theater and leads the management and administration of the command's Security Policy Automation Network (SPAN) Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Conditions of Employment: (cont'd) The duties of this position meet all requirements as a category 4 designation and shall not be vacated during a national emergency or mobilization without seriously impairing the capability of the parent Federal Agency or office to function effectively. This position must be removed from the Ready Reserve and cannot become a member of the Ready Reserve. (IAW: DoDD 1200.7, "Screening the Ready Reserve,") 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 REQUIREMENT OR INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: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. 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-12, or equivalent in other pay systems. Examples of specialized experience includes expert knowledge and mastered application of a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods for assessment and improvement of Agency level plans for program effectiveness, and improvement of complex international Foreign Disclosure management processes and systems required for warfighters, mobilization, mobility, joint exercise, deployment, and similar covert operations at the state department level; Expert professional knowledge and skill with the formulation and direction of foreign affairs of the Government and in the study and disposition of information bearing on international relations; Expert knowledge of National Foreign Disclosure policies and processes, the National Disclosure Policy (NDP-1), and knowledge of the missions, roles, functions, and organizational structures of the DoD and USAF Foreign Disclosure enterprise. 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-12 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-13 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 and comprehensive professional knowledge of the performance of Foreign Disclosure Officer (FDO) duties, responsibilities and processes. 2. Expert knowledge of National Foreign Disclosure policies and processes, National Disclosure Policy (NDP-1), and knowledge of the missions, roles, functions, and organizational structures of the DoD and USAF Foreign Disclosure enterprise. 3. Knowledge of wide-ranging International Engagement activities and the processes which support them to include the legal conduct of foreign-US training/exercises as applied within Security Force Assistance, Building Partnerships, and Security Cooperation. 4. Comprehensive knowledge of Foreign Visit Requests (FVRs) within the Foreign Visit System (FVS) and the enterprise management of their processing, staffing, approvals/disapprovals, and tracking through completion. 5. Comprehensive knowledge of the USAF's Military Personnel Exchange Program (MPEP) and the Foreign Liaison Officer (FLO) program, its applications at the MAJCOM/unit level, and the management of disclosure requirements, processes, documents, and coordination required to manage that enterprise to include access requirements to facilities, systems and technology. 6. Comprehensive knowledge of complex and technical aspects of the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR) as they relate to disclosure and processes/requirements driving command/subordinate exemption requests that are compiled consistently with ITAR guidelines and applicable AFIs for ultimate submission to and processing through the USAF-level Foreign Disclosure Office. Broad spectrum knowledge of the greater International Affairs community (Security Cooperation, International Engagement, Politico-Military Affairs, etc.) to contextualize task performance within a greater Foreign Policy environment and add efficiency/effectiveness to action officer duties while satisfying strategic objectives. PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Education IF USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY: If position has a positive degree requirement or education forms the basis for qualifications, you MUST submit transcripts with the application. Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if position has a positive degree requirement, qualifying based on education alone or in combination with experience, transcripts must be verified prior to appointment. An accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education must accredit education. Click here to check accreditation. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Additional Information Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP eligible click here. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated well qualified or above for this position. You must submit a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location. Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information. 120-Day Register: This announcement may result in a 120-day register that may be used to fill like vacancies for 120 days after the closing date. Applicants may be referred for consideration as vacancies occur. Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible: MSP applicants, if determined best qualified, must be selected, and placed at the highest grade for which they applied. You must include a completed copy of the DD Form 3145-4, Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for MSP. Click here to obtain/download a copy of the DD Form 3145-4, Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist. Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicant Eligible: PPP Applicants, if determined well qualified and selected, will be placed at the at the full performance level. You must include the applicable completed copy of the PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility as a PPP Applicant. Click here to obtain/download a copy of the applicable PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD3145-1 through DD3145-4, select the appropriate checklist for your claimed preference). To determine the applicable PPP Self-Certification Checklist required to substantiate the eligibilities you are claiming, refer to the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide located in the Required Documents section of this vacancy announcement. Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here. If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here.