Vacancy Announcement Program Support Assistant

The following is an announcement of a vacancy in the Family Liaison Office (M/DGHR/FLO). The application must be received by close of business, April 4, 2008

Postion Title: Program Support Assistant , Family Liaison Office (M/DGHR/FLO), GS-0303-7, full time, 2-year limited appointment, with potential to be extended up to a maximum of 5 years, Excepted Service, Schedule A. This appointment is not in the Competitive Service. The selected candidate will receive a 2-year Non- Career term appointment with benefits (FERS, TSP, FEGLI and FEHB).

Summary: The position is located in the Family Liaison Office (FLO), Bureau of Human Resources, Department of State. The incumbent of this position reports to the Deputy Director through the Unaccompanied Tours Support Officer and carries out program assistant duties relevant to unaccompanied service in Iraq. The position is located in Washington, D.C., although some domestic travel may be involved.

The Family Liaison Office was established in 1978 to improve the quality of life of Foreign Service employees and their family members. The FLO assists both employees and family members in the areas of family member employment, educational counseling, crisis support, and expeditious naturalization. FLO provides support to evacuees from overseas missions, is the functional office
for the worldwide Community Liaison Office program, and organizes Washington and overseas training conferences annually. FLO produces numerous publications and information papers.

The Family Liaison Office serves employees and family members not only from the Department of State, but fields questions and makes referrals for many agencies with personnel abroad including the U.S. Agency for International Development, Foreign Commercial Service, the Justice Department, and Peace Corps, among others.

Major Duties:

A. Develop, administer, and maintain various statistical records and databases depending on program needs, such as those used to track employees and family members of employees serving in Iraq. Generate statistical reports as requested by FLO staff, the Department of State, and other government agencies. Summarize and analyze findings and report to relevant office, through the Unaccompanied Tours Support Officer, while adhering to Privacy Act protocols.

B. Design and update handouts relevant to the portfolio. Identify topics of interest and periodically write articles and news briefs for FLO publications and Websites. Monitor existing materials on the Websites and update or revise as necessary.

C. May be requested to brief training classes and other groups on activities of and resources in FLO, particularly as related to the Unaccompanied Tour Support Program. Prepares briefing materials for Ambassadors, DCMs, OIG,and others as requested.

D. Provides general information and referral to Foreign Service and Civil Service employees and their families preparing for, experiencing, or re-uniting after an assignment to Iraq. As back up to the Unaccompanied ToursSupport Officer, incumbent will provide information on regulations, allowances, contingency planning, and emotional support, and will make referrals to other offices or resources as appropriate. He or she exercises sound judgement and discretion in dealing with a wide range of issues and clients, and effectively organizes and prioritizes work.

Qualifications (ranking factors) :

The successful candidate must:

A. Be a U.S. citizen and have a minimum of 3 years of experience living in a Foreign Service community abroad.

B. Have excellent customer service skills including ability to deal appropriately with individuals under stress, and ability to maintain confidentiality.

C. Have excellent computer skills using the Microsoft Office Suite of programs including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access Database.

D. Have excellent written communication skills including ability to format letters, cables, email messages, and to edit for spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

E. Be able to handle multiple tasks under time constraints, prioritizing appropriately.

F. Be able to function well as a team member.

G. Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.

H. The Family Liaison Office needs to fill this position as soon as possible. Availability is a key factor. Please note the closing date of April 4, 2008.

How to Apply:

Interested individuals may submit one of the following: an optional application for Federal Employment (OF-612) or a federal resume(see important instructions for submitting a resume at the end of this announcement).

In addition, each candidate must submit a supplemental statement that addresses each ranking factor and explains in detail how the applicant's experience (paid or unpaid), education or special training relates to those qualifications. Applications which are incomplete or mailed in government postage-paid envelopes will not be considered.

Send applications to Tracy Young, HR/EX, Room H-726, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520. Applications may also be faxed to Tracy Young at (202) 663-2371.

The application must be received by close of business, April 4, 2008 . If there are any questions regarding this announcement, please contact Leslie Teixeira, Director, M/DGHR/FLO, at (202) 647-1076 or TeixeiraLM@state.gov. Overseas applicants may want to email, cable, or fax (202-647-1670) their intention to apply to Ms. Teixeira.

Evaluation Method:

Determination of basic eligibility and evaluation of the applicant's experience, education and training will be based solely on a review of the Federal application or resume. It is imperative that the information provided be in sufficient detail to permit accurate evaluation of eligibility and background as they relate to the qualification requirements listed in the announcement. Competition for vacancies in the Family Liaison Office is very keen. Generally, only the top 3 to 5 best-qualified candidates will be referred for an interview.

Please note that because all Family Liaison Office positions are in the excepted service, neither past nor current Federal status nor executive order eligibility are required. However, if applicants have government employment status or eligibilities, it is helpful to document this in the application to assist in determining the level of skills and abilities of each candidate. Therefore:

1. All current Federal employees and reinstatement eligibles should submit a current performance appraisal and a SF-50 showing proof of competitive status. (If a current performance appraisal does not exist, form DS 1812 (Applicant Appraisal) or equivalent form from another agency, signed by the current supervisor, is acceptable, or if the performance appraisal of record does not fully address the ranking factors, the DS 1812 may be submitted.)
2. All non-competitive eligibles should submit proof of eligibility.
3. All applicants claiming veterans' preference must provide proof of eligibility.
4. All other applicants (non-status) must submit information identified above.
5. All applicants must submit information that addresses the ranking factors (qualifications) in this announcement.
6. All applicants should submit SF-181, Race and National Origin Form (for statistical purposes only).

Privacy Act Information:

The Office of Personnel Management and other Federal agencies rate applicants for Federal jobs under the authority of sections 1104, 1302, 3301, 3304, 3320, 3361, 3393, and 3394 of title 5 of the United States Code. The information requested is needed to evaluate your qualifications. Other laws require inquiring about citizenship, military service, etc.

Information for those who wish to submit a resume: Please note that although neither the format nor a particular application form is specified, there is certain information that applicants must provide in order to determine if the legal requirements for Federal employment have been met and to evaluate one's qualifications. If a resume format is used, it must contain the following
information for the applicant to be considered for the position.

Personal and Educational Information:

1. Full name, mailing address (with zip code) and day and evening phone numbers, including area code;
2. Social Security Number;
3. Country of citizenship (most federal jobs require U.S. citizenship);
4. Veterans' preference (proof of eligibility required);
5. Highest Federal civilian grade held, including series, beginning and ending dates;
6. Name, city and state of last high school attended and date of diploma or GED;
7. Name and state of colleges and universities attended, major fields of study, type and year of any degrees received (if no degree, show total number of credits earned and indicate whether they are in quarter or semester hours). 

Work Experience and Other Qualifications: 

Applicants must provide information on their work experience, both paid and non-paid, that is related to the position for which they are applying, including:
1. Job title (series and grade if Federal employment);
2. Duties and accomplishments;
3. Employer's name and address;
4. Supervisor's name and telephone number (indicate if we may contact your current supervisor);
5. Starting and ending dates of employment (month and year);
6. Hours worked per week;
7. Salary;
8. Any other qualification, including: job-related training (title and date of course); skills (e.g., languages, typing speed, computer software/hardware); current licenses; or honors, awards and special accomplishments (e.g., honor societies, publications).
9. Early availability may be a factor.

SUMMARY OF REQUIRED APPLICATION ELEMENTS

In summary, you must include ALL of the following. If ANY item is missing or incomplete, your application cannot be considered:

A. An OF-612, a Federal Resume, or any other format that contains ALL of the required elements listed in paragraph 12 of this announcement; NOTE: these forms or formats can be found on the internet.

B. "Supplemental Statement" addressing EACH of the Qualifications and Ranking Factors IN DETAIL;

C. Most recent performance evaluation; OR

D. For Federal Employees (including those on INWS):

1. Most recent Performance Appraisal Report or EER, or if one does not exist, a form DS-1812 or equivalent form from another agency;

2. Most recent SF-50 (even if several years old).

E. An SF-181 (this can be found on the internet);

F. Veterans must demonstrate proof of eligibility.

FLO STRONGLY recommends that applicants contact the Career Development Resources Center (CDRC) for guidance on the preparation and submission of an application for a U.S. government position. They can be contacted via telephone at 202-663-3042, via fax at 202-663-3146, or via email at CDRC@state.gov. The CDRC is located at SA-1, Room L321, Columbia Plaza, 2401 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20520. This service is available at no cost to Department of State employees and family members of US Government employees serving overseas under Chief of Mission authority.

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