FLO Specialist (Employment) GS-12

About the Position

This position is located at the Department of State in the Bureau of Global Talent Management’s Global Community Liaison Office (GTM/GCLO) in Washington, D.C. The incumbent of this position is responsible for supporting a wide variety of family member employment programs and initiatives related to inside-and outside-the-mission employment overseas, professional development opportunities, and returning to Washington. The incumbent reports to the Employment Program Coordinator.

The FLO Specialist (Employment), Global Community Liaison Office (GTM/GCLO), GS-301-12 is an Excepted Service, full-time, Schedule A, two-year limited appointment, with potential to be extended up to a maximum of five years; GS-12 is the full performance level for this position. This appointment is not in the Competitive Service. The selected candidate will receive a two-year Non-Career term appointment with benefits, including Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI), and Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB). After successfully performing the required duties in Washington, D.C., and at the discretion of GTM/GCLO management and supervisor, the incumbent may be eligible to serve in this position as a Domestic Employee Teleworking from Overseas (DETO), depending upon GTM/GCLO staffing, time zone, and other factors.

The incumbent is a member of the GCLO Family Member Employment team, which provides advocacy and guidance regarding employment inside and outside the mission, strategic volunteering, telework and DETO options, domestic employment, and other areas of career development as they pertain to U.S. Foreign Service (FS) family members. Other areas supported by the incumbent include the Professional Development Fellowship Program, the Expanded Professional Associates Program (EPAP), and bilateral work agreements. The position may require occasional travel.

About GCLO

The Global Community Liaison Office (GCLO) was established in 1978 as the Family Liaison Office (FLO) to improve the quality of life of FS employees and their family members. The office recently changed its name to Global Community Liaison Office (GTM/GCLO) and continues to assist both employees and family members in the areas of family member employment, education, crisis support, unaccompanied tours, and expeditious naturalization. GTM/GCLO also provides support to evacuees from overseas missions, is the functional office for the worldwide Community Liaison Office program, and organizes Washington, D.C., and overseas training workshops annually. GTM/GCLO produces a variety of publications and electronic media, and its staff participate in numerous presentations in Foreign Service Institute (FSI) courses, to other agency personnel, and to post communities overseas. Further information about GTM/GCLO is available via www.state.gov/gclo.

GTM/GCLO not only serves employees and family members from the Department of State, but also fields questions and makes referrals for many agencies with personnel abroad including the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Key Requirements

1. U.S. Citizenship.
2. Ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
3. Conditions of Employment – E-Verify: Verification of Employment in the United States is required.
4. Domestic or international travel required.

 Major Duties

1. Conducts regular client one-on-one and group briefings in person and remotely, and issues written communication to keep family members informed on the full range of employment options, both when going overseas and returning to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Addresses family member employment issues from clients through coaching and guidance.
2. Explores and advocates for new program options for increasing family member employment opportunities. Analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of the employment programs to meet goals and recommends improvements and future objectives.
3. Collects and analyzes data to guide and support GTM/GCLO’s employment advocacy initiatives through briefings and presentations to officials at all levels in the Department.
4. Represents GTM/GCLO in meetings and working groups at the Department, other federal agencies, and other organizations to obtain support for family member employment. Participates in public outreach programs. Visits institutions, conferences, and meetings to brief, discuss, or inform audiences about family member employment programs.
5. Monitors regulations and policies impacting family member employment and assesses their impact.
6. Provides support to the Employment Program Coordinator and acts on their behalf as required; serves as backup to others in the Employment Section as required and participates in overall GTM/GCLO team efforts.

Qualifications (ranking factors)

The successful candidate must have:

1. A minimum of five (5) years of experience living in a Foreign Service embassy or consulate community abroad as an Eligible Family Member (EFM) or Member of Household (MOH). Please describe with specificity how this experience has equipped you with knowledge of employment and other socio-economic factors affecting Foreign Service family members, particularly via first-hand experience with the realities of family member employment and career development overseas. Please provide start and end dates for qualifying periods.
2. Demonstrated knowledge of federal employment regulations for positions both in the U.S. and at a mission overseas. Knowledge of the principles and practices of employment coaching and networking, especially as they relate to U.S. Foreign Service family members who are mobile and dispersed globally under widely varying economic and social conditions. Please explain in detail your knowledge of federal employment regulations as well as of employment coaching/networking.
3. Demonstrated experience in program development and project management to include designing and delivering presentations to targeted adult audiences. Please provide specific examples of instances where you have utilized these skills.
4. Demonstrated ability to speak and write clearly and concisely on technical and nontechnical topics, including those involving complex government regulations, and in response to requests for input to speech drafts, decision memoranda, and data analysis.
5. Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with multi-cultural clients, teammates, and managers at multiple levels of an organization, while facing multiple tasks and under challenging time constraints; and
6. Demonstrated facility with Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; social media tools for professional purposes, such as LinkedIn and Facebook; and webinar tools, such as Teams, Webex, Google Meet, and GoToMeeting. Please specify the applications with which you are familiar.

In addition to the six ranking factors indicated above, you must be a U.S. Citizen as of the closing date of this announcement.

Availability is also a key factor.

How to Apply

Interested individuals may submit the following:

• Federal resume (see important instructions for submitting a resume at the end of this announcement).

Note: There is no vacancy announcement number. Please reference the position title: GTM/FLO Specialist (Employment), Global Community Liaison Office GS-301-12.

In addition, each candidate must submit a supplemental statement that addresses each of the qualifications/ranking factors listed in the “Qualifications (Ranking Factors)” section. List each ranking factor and describe in detail how your experience (paid or unpaid), education, or special training aligns with each factor. The supplemental statement should include your name, an answer to the U.S. citizenship question, and the title and grade of the position for which you are applying. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Please note that because all GTM/GCLO positions are in the Excepted Service, neither past nor current federal or executive order eligibility is 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.

Summary of Required Application Materials

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

1. Federal resume, or any other format that contains ALL of the required elements listed in the Submitting a Resume section of this announcement. NOTE: these forms or formats can be found on the internet.
2. Supplemental Statement addressing EACH of the Qualifications/Ranking Factors listed in in the “Qualifications (Ranking Factors)” section IN DETAIL. The supplemental statement should list each qualification/ranking factor and a brief summary of how the applicant meets each particular qualification. A cover letter should not be substituted for the supplemental statement.
3. For Federal employees, including former employees and those in the Foreign Service Family Reserve Corp (FSFRC) or Intermittent No Work Scheduled (INWS) status:
   1. Most recent Performance Appraisal Report or Employee Evaluation Report (EER), (even if several years old) or, if one does not exist, Form DS-1812 or equivalent form from another federal agency; AND
   2. Most recent SF-50 (even if several years old).
4. For applicants without Federal employment experience, performance appraisals are optional.
5. Veterans must demonstrate proof of eligibility by submitting their DD-214 (member copy 4), SF-15, and VA Letter (if applicable).

Submitting a Resume

There is no specified resume format. Whatever format is used, applicants must list the information detailed below on their resumes to evaluate their qualifications and determine if the legal requirements for Federal employment have been met. If a resume format is used, it must contain the following information for the applicant to be considered for the position:

Personal and Education Information

1. Full name, mailing address (with zip code), and day and evening phone numbers, including area code;
2. Country of citizenship (U.S. citizenship required);
3. Veteran’s preference (proof of eligibility is required);
4. Highest Federal civilian grade held, including series, with beginning and ending dates;
5. High school diploma or GED acquired, plus the name, city, and state of high school or
   educational institution; and
6. Name and state of colleges and universities attended; major fields of study; type 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 the following information for all work experience, both paid and unpaid, relevant 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. Start and end dates of employment (month/year);
6. Hours worked per week;
7. Salary;
8. Any other qualifications, including: job-related training (title and date of course), skills (e.g. languages, typing speed, and computer software/hardware), current licenses, or honors, awards, and special accomplishments (e.g. honor societies, publications); and
9. Date available.

Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify)

U.S. law requires organizations to employ only individuals who may legally work in the United States – either U.S. citizens or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) to data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If an employee’s information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.

Submitting Applications

Send applications to GTM’s Office of Talent Services (GTM/TS) via GTMTSGCLO@state.gov with the subject line “LAST NAME FLO Specialist (Employment) GS-301-12.” Include the applicant’s name in the title of any email attachments (Last, First, Middle Initial). Attach the required documents to the e-mail; do not send a picture of the documents or links to the Cloud. Application submissions and vacancy related questions should be submitted to GTMTSGCLO@state.gov.

Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. ET, May 31, 2022.

Evaluation Method

The determination of basic eligibility is based upon review of the federal application or resume and supplemental statement. It is imperative that the information provided be detailed to allow accurate evaluation of eligibility and background as they relate to the qualification requirements listed in the announcement.

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.

Reasonable Accommodation

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please submit your request through the GTM Next Employee Portal or email OAA@state.gov. Requests for accommodation are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Questions

Please contact Paula Evans, Family Member Employment Coordinator, GTM/GCLO: EvansPA@state.gov.