Summary
This position is located in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Office of Arabian Peninsula Affairs (NEA/ARP). The position leads the Washington Support Unit (WSU) that supports the U.S. Embassy Riyadh element of the Program of Technical Cooperation (PTC), the bilateral organization in Saudi Arabia that facilitates the implementation of the Agreement for Technical Cooperation between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Duties
Serves as the WSU Chief, with responsibility for providing authoritative analytical and advisory oversight for the planning, formulation, and execution of cooperative projects that advance U.S. foreign policy and goals.
Analyzes and interprets the significance of complex political situations and related assessments made by interested organizations, e.g., think tank and intelligence reports.
Collaborates with NEA leadership to define programs and foreign policies; identify best approaches for PTC infrastructure protection and public security projects.
Represents the Department and NEA in interagency meetings on all PTC policy, project management, administrative, and financial issues and chairs interagency meetings on these subjects.
Provides expertise on and oversight of the preparation and clearance of correspondence, new Project Specific Agreements (PSAs), and memoranda for senior State officials.
Education
See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements.
How you will be evaluated
The evaluation process consists of the ApplyGov Competency Based Assessments for which applicants will be assigned a score between 70 and 100. A resume review will be conducted for minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, of applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates based on assessment scores. Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further. You will be assessed on the following job-related competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Non-Supervisory: Oral Communication, Writing, Interpersonal Skills, Problem Solving, Teamwork, Technology Orientation, Customer Service, Attention to Detail and Self-Management. Set aside at least 2 hours to take the external assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. There are timed sections that must be completed within the allotted timeframe. Your score from the external assessment (i.e., Non-supervisory) will remain on file for 180 days, allowing you to apply for multiple DOS-announced positions without needing to retake the assessments. Top applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies: Knowledge of the realm of foreign policy / international affairs. Skill analyzing and evaluating information derived from a variety of sources. Ability to negotiate complex issues in a variety of settings. Knowledge of current international events and key foreign policy objectives of the U.S. Ability to communicate persuasively. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We do not make assumptions regarding your experience. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration. Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. You may preview questions for this vacancy.