Lead International Relations Officer

Summary

This position is located in the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), Office of Trade and Labor Affairs (OTLA), in Washington DC. The mission of OTLA is to work to ensure that U.S. trade agreements are fair for American workers and workers around the world.

- Additional selections may be made from this announcement.

- This position is outside the bargaining unit.

Responsibilities

Supports the management, coordination, and day to day implementation of the technical and administrative functions related to their assigned division. This includes activities in the division, development of policies and programs, maintenance of good public relations, and making independent decisions within broad agency and office policy.

Develops and maintains standard operating procedures for the TAC team, designs and facilitates annual grantee orientations, manages the grant closeout process, and works with the Office of Grants Management and the Solicitor's Office to update funding opportunity announcement templates and guidelines as well as ensure they align appropriately with 2CFR200.

Assists the Division Chief, Deputy Director or Director in formulating and executing technical assistance, engagement, and/or remediation strategies and plans designed to advance workers' rights, working conditions, and/or livelihoods for workers. Maintains an up-to-date understanding of relevant operational policies and processes to implement technical assistance, engagement, and remediation strategies.

Drafts and reviews grant solicitations and other procurement documents, engagement plans, action plans, project documents, work plans, and other documents that lay out such strategies and plans.

Ensures that all designated funds are obligated in a timely manner. Reviews and approves procurement documents and financial reports to ensure compliance with appropriate rules and regulations and good stewardship of financial resources. Monitors achievement of milestones, performance indicators, and work plans to ensure successful completion of deliverables and achievement of intended objectives.

Provides leadership in formulating policy and program recommendations. Assists the Division Chief in conducting strategic planning and organizational performance management. Plays a leadership role in defining the division's objectives, designs, reviews and approves division work products related to strategic planning, budget, and performance reporting.

Assists the Division Chief in personnel matters such as the selection of staff, development of position descriptions, development of vacancy announcements, and performance and conduct issues. Ensures that direct reports maintain and even increase job performance and value as members of the division. Coordinates work within the division, with other entities outside the division, and between subordinate work groups. Resolves differences and makes decisions on divisional issues. Assigns tasks and assignments to staff and supports the assessment work products.

Leads and manages the day-to-day business operations of the division in areas such as procurement, finance, administration, personnel, document clearances, travel, public outreach, and coordinating with the ILAB Administrative Officer on such matters. Serves as an advisor on administrative policies and processes to division staff.

Prepares and contributes to a variety of written and oral communication products, reports, papers, talking points, oral and written presentations, briefing books, oral briefings, memos, letters, proposals, background papers, speeches, and Congressionally mandated reports for the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Deputy Undersecretary, and others. Reviews, edits, provides comments on, and/or approves materials for written documents prepared by others.

Gives presentations and briefings on the work of the Department and ILAB to foreign visitors, other U.S. government agencies, other governments, International fora, and to the public. Confers with stakeholders for the purpose of obtaining their opinions and official positions on various issues related to trade and labor. Makes decisions on program and policy in view of comments and concerns of stakeholders.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - 5% of the time

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

14 - This position is at the Full-Performance Level (FPL).

THIS POSITION HAS A BASIC REQUIREMENT. ALL APPLICANTS MUST MEET THIS REQUIREMENT IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED.

Basic Requirements:

Degree: major or equivalent, or a combination of courses totaling 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 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines and 12 semester hours in statistics/quantitative methods.

OR

Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, in one or more of the social sciences, or in the humanities, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

OR

Experience: four 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.

In addition to the meeting the basic requirements of this position, applicants must also possess 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, in the Federal Service.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-13, in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is defined as experience 1) leading a team or training team members, 2) managing international development projects or programs, and 3) independently managing international program resources.

  

Education

You may not use education to substitute for specialized experience.

Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.