Country Desk Officer

Duties

The Country Desk Officer performs the following major duties:

• Staff administration of overseas operational, logistical, and Volunteer and trainee activities.
• Communication with U.S. and foreign government agencies and officials, and private institutions and individuals.
• Completing all administrative tasks required in support of assigned countries.
• Coordination of all issues between Peace Corps/ Washington, and overseas post.
• Monitoring, evaluation, and analysis of regional programs.
• Monitoring overseas operational, logistical, and Volunteer and trainee activities.
• Establishing and maintaining relationships with appropriate embassies, government agencies, private institutions, and individuals.
• Accurately maintains and updates existing documents, filing structures, and databases with information from assigned portfolio in a timely manner.
• Performing administrative management functions that serve and/or fulfill organizational requirements.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Please read this announcement in its entirety prior to submitting your application.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• You must be at least 18 years of age.
• All Federal employees are required to have federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. For additional information, see www.sss.gov.
• You must complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
• You must go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. These documents must be unexpired original or certified copies.
• You must successfully complete a background security investigation with favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet this requirement will be grounds for employment termination.
• Prior to employment, and in compliance with statutes 5 USC 3322 and 22 USC 2507b, Peace Corps will conduct a check of Peace Corps records for both Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and former Peace Corps employees.
• All new employees are required to certify and submit a state of understanding acknowledging adherence to the Peace Corps condition of employment prior to day 1 of employment with the Peace Corps.
• This position requires you to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance.
• This job has been identified as a testing designated position under our Drug-Free Workplace Program. Therefore, you must satisfactorily complete a drug test prior to being hired. As an employee, you will be subject to random drug testing.
• The initial appointment to this position cannot exceed five years.
• This is bargaining unit position.
• A one-year probationary period is required.

Qualifications

All qualification requirements must be met by 11/14/2024 (the closing date of the announcement). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. To ensure full credit for your experience, please indicate the start and end dates (month, day, and year) of employment, the number of hours worked per week, and the location of employment in your resume. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

Specialized Experience:

This vacancy is being announced at two grade levels:

Specialized Experience at the FP-05 (GS-09/10): To be minimally qualified for this position at the FP-05 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression, FP-06 or GS-8 level which is in or directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience includes: (1) Experience interpreting and applying administrative regulations, policies, or procedures; (2) Providing technical assistance on administrative systems and/or processes and (3) Management of host country activities applying knowledge of political, economic, social, and/or cultural conditions.

~OR~

FP-05 (GS-09/10): A Master's or equivalent graduate degree OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR L.L.B. or J.D., if related.

~OR~

A combination of education and experience

Specialized Experience at the FP-06 (GS-08): To be minimally qualified for this position at the FP-06 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression, FP-07 or GS-7 level which is in or directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience includes: (1) Experience utilizing automation applications, databases, and software packages to produce reports, spreadsheets, graphics, and electronic communications; (2) Experience reviewing and editing documents for grammar and punctuation to ensure accuracy and completion; and (3) Experience monitoring calendars, appointments, and facilities for several divisions or regions.

~OR~

FP-07 (GS-07): One full year of graduate level education OR superior academic achievement

~OR~

A combination of education and experience

~AND~

Time-in-Grade (TIG) Requirements:

Current or Formal Federal employees, including current Peace Corps employees, must meet applicable TIG requirements to be considered eligible. To meet TIG for positions above the FP-09 (GS-05) grade level, you must have served at least one year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade (or equivalent) in the normal line of progression for the position to which you are applying.

All current or former Federal employees (including internal employees) must provide a copy of their SF-50 (you may need to submit more than one), "Notice of Personnel Action" that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).

Please note:

• If qualifying based on education or a combination of education and experience, please review the "Education" section of this announcement.
• Past experience that satisfies the Specialized Experience MUST be well documented within your resume. Failure to provide this information in your resume with corresponding start and end dates (month, day, and year) of employment, the number of hours worked per week, and location of employment may result in disqualification from further consideration.
• Specialized Experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector, or through volunteer work done with National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) or other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).
• One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis.
• Additional information on qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM web site.
• Peace Corps employees are employed using the Foreign Personnel (FP) pay scale. The FP pay plan does not follow the same structure as the GS pay plan. In the FP pay plan, as the grade-level numbers decrease the level/pay for the position increases. The FP-09 is the lowest entry-level grade and the FP-01 is the highest senior-level grade.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts can be official or unofficial.

Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. The full provision for SAA is described in the OPM General Schedule Operating Manual.

1. Class standing--Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.)--Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9.
3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society--Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies listed below. These honor societies are listed in the Association of College Honor Societies: Booklet of Information (1992-95) and/or Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (1991). Agencies considering eligibility based on any society not included in the following list must ensure that the honor society meets the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision.

A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.

Education must be accredited by an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be used towards qualifications. Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by recognized institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at this website.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

The minimum and maximum salaries listed on this announcement include locality pay.

If you are a current federal employee, your agency may grant you reemployment rights in accordance with Section 310 of the Foreign Service Act, 22 USC 3950. You must request and be granted reemployment rights prior to separation from your current federal agency.

Peace Corps Information:

• This is a federal civilian job in the Excepted Service. Peace Corps employees are paid on the Foreign Personnel (FP) pay scale.
• Telework eligible positions do not guarantee telework. See Peace Corps Manual Section 623 for agency policy regarding telework.
• The Peace Corps uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
• This is a drug-free workplace and we promote a drug-free environment.
• Additional hiring needs may be filled through this vacancy.

Intelligence Background Information:

Peace Corps Manual Section 611 is applicable to this position:

• This prohibits the employment of certain persons previously engaged in intelligence activities or connected with intelligence agencies within the past 10 years.
• If you have ever worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), you are not eligible for employment at the Peace Corps in any capacity, and you should not apply for employment.
• Acceptance of employment with Peace Corps precludes employment by certain intelligence organizations for a specific period of time, determined by the employing agency, after Peace Corps employment ceases.

Applicants who are found to be otherwise qualified will be required to submit a completed Intelligence Background Questionnaire upon request, indicating whether the applicant has been involved in or has had any connection with intelligence activities or related work and, if so, the nature and dates of his or her involvement. Failure to meet this requirement will result in disqualification from further consideration. If you have any other type of possible intelligence connection, your application will not be further considered until you submit this form.

Except when the CIA or the National Security Agency (NSA) is involved (see below), if your connection with an Intelligence Agency involves an immediate family member who works or has worked in intelligence, the immediate family member should complete the form, not the applicant. Usually relying on memory is sufficient to answer most if not all of the questions.

If you have an immediate family member who works or has worked for the CIA, you should not give them this form to complete. Please contact your relative in person-not by phone, email, social networking, or any other means that is not in person- and ask him or her to contact the Office of General Counsel at the CIA.

If you or an immediate family member have been employed by or associated with the NSA, you or your family member must contact the NSA Prepublication Review Office at 443-634-4095.

You may preview the questionnaire for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12593433

Required Documents

Your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which establish your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide any of these documents, your application will be marked as incomplete and disqualified from further consideration.

1. Resume:
   • All applicants must submit a detailed resume showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including job title and duties performed. Your resume must show complete information for each job entry to support your qualifications. The following information must be provided in your resume:
     • Full name and address of the employer;
     • Official position titles;
     • Start and end dates of your prior employment (including month, day, and year);
     • Work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent);
     • Number of hours worked per week;
     • Salary;
     • If you are a current Federal employee or former Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series, and grade level (e.g. GS-0201-09);
     • A detailed list of duties & accomplishments; and
     • Any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
   • TIP: A good way to ensure you include all essential information is to use the Resume Builder in USAJOBS to create your resume. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and disqualified from further consideration.
   • If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
2. Proof of Eligibility to Apply:

• Your application must include the documents which prove you are eligible to apply for the vacancy. You must meet the requirements of at least one of the authorities listed in the "Who May Apply" section of this announcement to receive further consideration.
  • SF-50(s): If you are a current or former federal employee (including current Peace Corps employees), you are required to submit a legible copy/copies of a recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action.
    • Time-in-grade documentation: If you are applying for a higher grade and your SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you meet the one year time-in-grade requirement so you will need to provide an SF-50 which clearly demonstrates you meet the time-in-grade requirements. Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include:
      • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
      • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
      • SF-50s at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
  • Peace Corps Eligibility (PCE) documentation of qualifying volunteer service: Applicants claiming PCE are required to submit documentation verifying that you are eligible.
    • In most cases, this will be your Description of Service (DOS). Please include this under the "Proof of Volunteer with PC, VISTA, ACTION etc." document place holder.
    • The following statement must be included in the final paragraph of the signed DOS: This is to certify in accordance with Section 6.0 of Peace Corps Manual Section 285 that (NAME) served satisfactorily as a Peace Corps (Response) volunteer for a full term of service under an appointment of (X) months.
    • PCRVs should also include their Verification of Service letter, which is important retirement and leave documentation.
  • Transcripts: If you are using education as a substitute for some or all of the experience requirement or there a basic education requirement for this position, an official or unofficial transcript is required. While unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial application, official transcript(s) will ultimately be required if you are selected for the position. Check the "Education" section of this announcement for more information

All required documents listed below, that are applicable to you, must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 11/14/2024 (the closing date of this announcement).