FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPECIALIST

Summary

This position is located in the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Policy (OUSW(Policy)). The OUSW(P) serves as the principal advisor and assistant to the Secretary of War for all matters concerned with the formulation of national security and Department policy with particular emphasis on the integration and oversight of Department of War (DoW) policy and plans to achieve national security objectives.

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Duties

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Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following:

• Study, review, and adjustment of the strategies, concepts, programs, and budgets required to support Office of the Secretary of War (OSW) policy and program guidance.
• Initiates independent analyses of highly complex policy, strategy, concepts, and program issues, force posture alternatives, and implications of broad changes to the international environment to DoW programs.
• Managing team projects, including actively encouraging communication, coordination, innovation, and high quality team products.
• Develops or contributes testimony or other presentations to the Congress; accurately represents DoW positions during contact with the Congressional staff.
• Provides expert advice at the Assistant Secretary of War (ASW) or higher level on key strategy, planning, programming, and budgeting, and policy matters; prepares briefings, presentations, and decision memoranda to support deliberations and decisions by senior management; reviews and develops Policy positions and responses to action originating in other DoW and non-DoW offices or agencies that have implications for foreign policy and national security policy, strategy, program, planning, and budgets.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
• Must be determined suitable for federal employment
• Required to participate in the direct deposit program
• This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
• This position is subject to the DoW Priority Placement Program
• The incumbent must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with SCI and SAP components. A Special Background Investigation (SBI) is required with favorable adjudication by a determining authority.
• This position may require up to 20% occasional travel away from your normal duty station for official business on military or commercial aircraft.
• The incumbent may be required to work other than normal duty hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the requirements described below.

Basic 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.

You may qualify at the GS-13 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement:

One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to:

• Advise senior DoW civilian leadership (e.g. Director, Principal Director, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Under Secretary, Secretary) on political-military matters affecting U.S. national security interests;
• Conduct analyses regarding the development, interpretation, and/or implementation of DoW, national security, and U.S. foreign policies;
• Support the preparation of papers, memoranda, briefings, and/or messaging for senior DoW civilian leadership (e.g. Deputy Assistant Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Under Secretary, Secretary).

You may qualify at the GS-14 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates your ability to:

• Develop policy options and recommendations for senior DoW civilian leadership (e.g. Deputy Assistant Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Under Secretary, Secretary) to support the U.S. National Security Council-led interagency decision-making process;
• Prepare senior U.S. Government civilian leadership (e.g., Deputy Assistant Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Under Secretary and Secretary) for engagements with their counterparts;
• Craft and coordinate policy positions with other DoW, U.S. Government, and/or non-USG entities to advance DoW's national security objectives.

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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume. Your resume may not exceed two (2) pages . For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the duration of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration.

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ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: Federal agencies treat active duty service member as veterans, disabled veterans, and preference eligible, when they submit, as part of their application package, a "certification" of active service in lieu of a DD-214, indicating the service member is otherwise eligible and will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of submission.. A "certification" letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. This "certification" must include your rank, dates of active duty service, type of discharge and character of service (i.e. honorable), and date any terminal leave will begin. It must be signed by, or by direction of, the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters. Active duty members that fail to provide a valid "certification" of service with their initial application will be found "not eligible". Members may be appointed before the effective date of their military retirement/separation if they are on terminal leave.

Current or Former Political Appointees: Agencies must seek prior approval from OPM before they can appoint a current or recent political appointee to a competitive or non-political excepted service position at any level. If you are currently or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you MUST disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

Time-in-grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

For entry at the GS-13 level, status applicants must have served 52 weeks as a GS-12 or higher grade in the Federal Service.

For entry at the GS-14 level, status applicants must have served 52 weeks as a GS-13 or higher grade in the Federal Service.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be serving in a position in Schedule Policy/Career of the excepted service once at the GS-15 level. At that point, your employment in this position will be at-will. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) appeals of adverse actions concerning performance, discipline, and other matters arising under chapters 23, 43, and 75 of title 5, United States Code will not be available to an individual serving in this position at the GS-15 level. Prohibitions on prohibited personnel practices will be enforced by the Office of General Counsel [or agency equivalent position] and not the Office of Special Counsel.

Education

Education cannot be substituted for experience.

ARE YOU QUALIFYING BASED ON EDUCATION or A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE?

You must provide sufficient documentation of your education in your resume. You MUST provide a copy of official or unofficial transcripts or degrees in your application package. It may also be acceptable to document your applicable course listing in your resume (course number, credits earned, etc.). 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. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency. If selected, an official/sealed transcript will be required prior to appointment.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours 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 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:

Additional information

Probationary Periods: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

- your performance and conduct;

- the needs and interests of the agency;

- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and

- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): 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; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. For more information visit:

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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 (DODI 1400.25, volume 300).

Nepotism : Under the provisions of 5 USC 3110, an individual may not be appointed into a position if the position is under the supervisory chain of command of a relative.

Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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.

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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.