FLO Specialist (CLO Program), GS-12

DEADLINE EXTENDED – The application deadline for this position is now 11:59 p.m. EST, June 3, 2019.

Summary

The position is located in the Family Liaison Office (FLO), Bureau of Human Resources, Department of State. The incumbent of this position serves as the main point of contact regarding the worldwide CLO program, overseeing guidance, training, and mentoring. The position is located in Washington, DC, but requires some travel. The incumbent reports to the Division Chief and serves as a team lead. This position is located in Washington, D.C., and may require some travel.

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, unaccompanied tours, 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 electronic media and its staff participate in numerous presentations in FSI courses, to other agency personnel, and to post communities overseas. Further information about FLO is available on FLO’s internet site.

The Family Liaison Office serves employees and family members not only 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 Foreign Commercial Service, the Justice Department, and Peace Corps, among others.

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.

 Major Duties

1. Establishes criteria and develops related administrative and policy guidance for the CLO program; develops, proposes, and implements action plans to ensure established goals are met; analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of the program to meet established goals and objectives and recommends changes to program operation and guidance.
2. Researches, analyzes, and presents information on a variety of topics of interest to CLO Coordinators; provides advice and guidance on program specifications to CLO Coordinators and representatives from other federal agencies by responding to inquiries and requests for assistance and information and updating guidance on the FLO website, cables, and published materials.
3. Designs, conducts, and manages CLO professional skills development training sessions. Responsible for the overall planning, implementation, and management of CLO training sessions, including managing the training budget, development and evaluation of the training program, and determining appropriate use of resources; coordinates with functional components and serves as focal point in coordinating and consolidating training information, drawing conclusions, and making recommendations to the Director and/or Division Chief.
4. Develops CLO program policy and provides policy guidance to management officials in DC and at overseas posts. Responsible for day-to-day supervision of the FLO CLO Specialist GS-11, Conducts outreach to CLO Coordinators worldwide to provide guidance, mentoring, and program information to assist them with identifying the needs of their community and responding with effective programming, information, resources, and referrals.
5. Attends meetings within the Agency, at embassies worldwide and other Federal agencies to coordinate, explain, and provide guidance on the CLO program and advocates in favor of FLO policy views and positions. Presents formal briefings on the CLO program to high-level officials of the Department of State and other agencies and to FLO clients.
6. Prepares briefing documents, charts, fact sheets and issue documents and analysis as necessary; prepares and answers correspondence relevant to program.

 Qualifications (ranking factors)

The successful candidate must have (provide specific examples for each):

1. A minimum of five years of experience living in a Foreign Service community abroad as an Eligible Family Member (EFM) or Member of Household (MOH) and at least two (2) years as a Community Liaison Office (CLO) Coordinator;
2. Demonstrated experience in the design, delivery and evaluation of training materials for the adult learner and a track record of organizing and facilitating briefings, group discussions, presentations, off-site training events for large audiences;
3. Experience interacting with officials of the foreign affairs agencies on all levels to discuss advocacy and policy issues affecting Mission communities overseas;
4. The ability to interact well with others, demonstrating good teamwork and strong supervisory skills; and
5. Solid writing skills, with ability to communicate clearly and concisely on both technical and non-technical subjects; proficiency using Microsoft Office applications; and experience with databases, SharePoint, and social media tools.

Availability is a key factor.

How to Apply

Interested individuals may submit one of the following: an Application for Employment as a Locally Employed Staff or Family Member (DS-174), or a 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: FLO Specialist (CLO Program), GS-301-12.

In addition, each candidate must submit a supplemental statement that addresses each of the qualifications (ranking factors) in paragraph 8 and explains in detail how the applicant’s experience (paid or unpaid), education or special training relates to those qualifications. Please include your name and the title and grade of the position for which you are applying. Applications that are incomplete or mailed in government postage-paid envelopes will not be considered.

Please note that because all Family Liaison Office positions are in the Excepted Service, neither past nor current Federal, nor 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 ELEMENTS: In summary, you must include ALL of the following. If ANY item is missing or incomplete, your application cannot be considered:

1. A DS-174, a Federal resume, or any other format that contains ALL of the required elements listed in paragraph 13 of this announcement; NOTE: these forms or formats can be found on the internet. The DS-174 should not be submitted via eForms. Please submit the DS-174 as an email attachment;
2. “Supplemental Statement” addressing EACH of the Qualifications and Ranking Factors IN DETAIL. The supplemental statement should list each qualifications/ranking factors in section 8 above and a brief summary of how the applicant meets that particular qualification. A cover letter should not be substituted for the supplemental statement;
3. For Federal employees (including former employees and those in FSFRC Reserve Status or INWS):
4. Most recent Performance Appraisal Report or EER (even if several years old), or if one does not exist, a form DS-1812 or equivalent form from another agency;
5. Most recent SF-50 (even if several years old); and

• For those applicants without Federal employment experience, performance appraisals are optional; and
• Veterans must demonstrate proof of eligibility by submitting their DD-214 (member copy 4) along with their SF-15 and VA Letter (if applicable).

OTHER INFORMATION: E-VERIFY: EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM. 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 the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the 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.

Send applications to HRSS/EP by fax at 843-202-3807 or by email to HRSEU@state.gov. Please indicate in the email subject line “FLO Application – FLO Specialist (CLO Program), GS-301-12” to ensure applications are routed correctly and please include the applicant’s name in the title of any email attachments.

Applications may also be mailed to Office of Shared Services Employment Programs — FLO, 1999 Dyess Avenue, Building E, Charleston, SC 29405. The application must now be received by 11:59 p.m. EST, June 3, 2019. If there are any questions regarding this announcement, please contact Gabrielle Hampson, Acting Director, M/DGHR/FLO, at 202-647-1076 or Hampsonga@state.gov. Applicants may want to email, cable, or fax (202-647-1670) their intention to apply to Ms. Hampson. Important: Attach the required documents to the e-mail; do not send a picture of the documents or links to the “Cloud” where the document is located.

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 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.

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 Education Information

1. Full name, mailing address (with zip code), email, and day and evening phone numbers, including area code;
2. Country of citizenship (most Federal jobs require U.S. citizenship);
3. Veteran’s preference (proof of eligibility is required);
4. Highest Federal civilian grade held, including series, beginning, and ending dates (if applicable);
5. Name, city, and state of last high school attended for diploma or GED; and
6. Name and state of colleges and universities attended; major fields of study and 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 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/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.