Academic Exchange Specialist – Direct Hire Authority

Position description

This position is located in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ Office of English Language Programs (ECA/A/L), in the U.S. Department of State (DoS). The incumbent will manage international academic exchange programs in the field of teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) for designated overseas areas that are tailored to meet and respond to unique political, educational, foreign policy and international issues.    

Duties

• Manages English language programs in one or more major world regions. Coordinates with regional bureaus and posts on all issues of English language programming and all program-related activities.
• Provides oversight and guidance to designated overseas TEFL programs. Develops or modifies programs to meet changing political situations and shifting academic exchange program needs or to address evolving political relationships and partnerships.
• Manages one or more grants for the Branch related to English language programs. Initiates the grant process, negotiates the budget with the grantee organization, monitors activities/initiatives during the grant period and evaluates program impact.
• Provides guidance in the development and implementation of academic exchange programs. Consults with Embassies to clarify or modify program requests and identify best programs and resources to meet their needs.
• Works collaboratively within and across the Bureau to build relationships and to ensure all assigned academic exchange activities are coordinated and align with the Bureau’s mission and objectives.
• Establishes and maintains professional contacts with academics and their institutions to obtain support for ECA’s academic exchange programs, to involve them in program consultations as well as participation in programs.

Qualifications

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.
• Statement of Employment & Financial Interest required prior to appointment.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education OR if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application. 

Applicants must have the required experience or education as described below and meet any selective factors, when specified. BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

Have a bachelor’s or graduate degree from an accredited college or university in international law, international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law, statistics, or in the humanities; OR

Have a bachelor’s or graduate degree from an accredited college or university that included a combination of courses, with at least 24 semester hours in international law and international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law, statistics, or in the humanities; OR

Have 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines and 12 semester hours in statistics / quantitative methods. OR Have a combination of education and experience where your coursework was equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, (as shown above), PLUS appropriate relevant experience OR additional education. OR

Have completed at least 4 years of appropriate experience in one OR more of the fields listed above in work associated with international organizations, problems, or other aspects of foreign affairs. (NOTE: qualifying work experience may have been gained through residence, study, teaching, business or commercial activities, military service, newspaper work, military or civil government activities, missionary or international relief work, or other experience in foreign countries.)

Note: If you are qualifying based on education, you MUST submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.

IN ADDITION to the basic requirements, this position requires one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

• Experience in the field of academic exchange programs, coordinating and managing the programming and program-related activities for an English language program.
• Experience providing oversight and guidance to Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) programs and developing or modifying programs to meet changing political situations and shifting program needs.
• Experience as a teacher of English and/or as an instructor within an English as a Second or Foreign Language (TESOL) program.
• Experience managing grants for English language programs including initiating grant processes, negotiating budgets, monitoring activities/initiatives and evaluating program impact.
• Experience providing guidance in the development and implementation of academic exchange programs.

Note: If you are qualifying based on education, you MUST submit transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you WILL lose consideration for this position.

Education

See the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements.

Application instructions

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