Special Assistant

Summary:    

The Department of State’s Office of Global Change (OES/EGC) seeks an exceptional candidate to fill a contract position as Special Assistant to the EGC Deputy Director. The Office leads U.S. engagement in international negotiations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Paris Agreement, and other relevant international meetings and bodies.  We shape the development and implementation of climate change initiatives on energy, sustainable landscapes, and adaptation.  Our work is demanding, intellectually challenging, involves substantial international travel, and is done in a fast‐paced and high‐profile environment.    

Responsibilities:   

• The incumbent provides logistical, management, and substantive support for OES/EGC in advancing U.S. objectives to achieve stronger international action to address global climate change.
• The incumbent manages the meeting schedule, travel, and performs short-term and special projects for the Office Director and/or Deputy Director.
• The incumbent handles logistical preparations for international climate negotiations, which require coordinating with embassy personnel and conference support specialists – and prepares for meetings with the interagency community in advance of negotiating sessions. 
• The incumbent supports the climate negotiating team during international negotiating sessions and in the U.S. between sessions. This includes arranging meetings; tracking developments on key issues; contributing to internal deliberations; note-taking; drafting reports, read-outs, and talking points; and preparing briefing materials. 
• The incumbent may attend multilateral negotiations meetings and supports USG engagement in international negotiations and multilateral fora regarding climate change, including supporting the Head of Delegation – such as in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), and other multilateral institutions, as required.
• The incumbent supports EGC’s bilateral and regional engagement.
• The incumbent acts as an EGC liaison with other officials within the OES Bureau, the Department of State, other federal agencies, embassies and posts, and organizations outside the U.S. government, to include ensuring taskings are cleared within the office and the Department. 
• The incumbent drafts documents, reports, and talking points, including position and briefing papers, decision memoranda, diplomatic, and other correspondence. 
• The incumbent supports OES/EGC’s organization of climate-related workshops and meetings and the participation of OES/EGC principals in meetings with country counterparts. 

Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations, Environmental Science, Environmental Policy, Public Policy, Economics, Business, Communications, or other relevant field.  
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to distill complicated technical and policy issues.  
• Ability to work under pressure with short deadlines, determine priorities without frequent guidance, and quickly learn and navigate complex organizational structures. 
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders, including policymakers, representatives of other governments, business leaders, and members of the non-governmental community. 
• Ability to communicate clearly, succinctly, and persuasively and draft high-quality written materials in a large range of formats. 
• Ability to learn quickly the complex organizational structure of the Office of Global Change and its relationships with other State Department offices and federal agencies.
• Ability to work well in a multi-cultural team environment, including commitment to and comportment in line with principles of equal employment opportunity, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Ability to secure and maintain a Secret security clearance.  
• Must be a U.S. citizen. 

This is contract position roughly equivalent to a GS-11, depending on experience and qualifications. As such, there is no corresponding USAJOBS announcement.