Regional Economic Policy and Summit Coordination (EPSC) Program Specialist

Job Description

Regional Economic Policy and Summit Coordination (EPSC) Program Specialist

Work Location: Washington, DC / Remote (as approved)

Cape Fox subsidiary Kwaan Tech is seeking an experienced Program Specialist (PS). The PS is responsible for supporting The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA), Regional Economic Policy and Summit Coordination (EPSC) (WHA/EPSC) in preparing for and implementing the outcomes of the Summit of the Americas process, including analyzing and drafting briefing materials and representing WHA/EPSC in meetings and events as needed. The Program Specialist is responsible for coordinating WHA/EPSC scheduling and coordinating events, overseeing planning and reporting requirements, conducting data entry, and tracking budgeting and assignments. The PS will be responsible for managing representational fund requests and reimbursements and helping organize and arrange WHA/EPSC travel and vouchering requirements. The Program Specialist will be responsible for managing a wide variety of correspondence from within and outside the agency, including diplomatic notes on behalf of the Summit team. The PS will be required to assist with drafting and managing WHA/EPSC papers and clearances and assist with a variety of special projects that may require original content and design.

Core Duties:

• Apply knowledge of the WHA region and U.S. foreign policy to assist with preparing guidance for chairing, and participating in multilateral negotiations, and bilateral meetings for office and bureau leadership based on consultations with experts from the Department and other agencies
• Apply knowledge of the WHA region and the interagency to analyze relevant issues, prepare background materials and briefing papers, and advise office and bureau leadership on internal meetings with other senior U.S. government officials and foreign counterparts
• Apply knowledge of the WHA region, U.S. foreign policy, and the intra- and interagency to support U.S. implementation of Summit of the Americas commitments in the areas of democratic governance, clean energy, climate, health, and digital transformation, by analyzing these issues, preparing briefing and background materials, and participating in technical meetings and delegations
• Take notes, and participate, as needed, in meetings with office and Bureau leadership, summarize meeting outcomes, and identify actions emanating from those meetings for office leadership to approve and delegate
• Perform administrative and program support work, such as logistics coordination, planning, scheduling, research, analysis, communication, and liaison with other offices, organizations, and governments, as necessary
• Prepare responses to correspondence and manage communication with individuals and groups within and outside of the organization
• Draft and clear correspondence, diplomatic notes, and other written materials as requested
• Assemble information and develop internal reports from research and compilation of information from diverse sources, by attending meetings and events, as needed
• Assist with special projects including assembling content, securing internal clearances, and designing materials intended for public dissemination
• Maintain the schedule for Office Director and Deputy and assigned staff as necessary through arranging, referring to other officials, or rescheduling appointments, as necessary
• Handle all requests for meetings and appointments and outlining background data
• Arrange oral briefings by appropriate officers and discusses with officials invited to meetings the subject of the meetings so both parties are properly informed and provided with the necessary information
• Arrange meetings and manage calendars through Microsoft Outlook calendaring or Microsoft Teams
• Track and make various social arrangements and obligations for Directors
• Travel Responsibilities:
  • Manage travel arrangements for domestic and overseas trips through the Departments E2 Solutions. Arrangements include the scheduling of appointments, security travel and hotel reservations, passports, visas, as necessary
  • Upon return, prepare vouchers
  • Draft/prepare travel authorizations on behalf of government supervisor or staff member who is traveling
  • Prepare travel authorizations for staff member as requested based on information provided by traveler
  • Prepare trip itinerary, obtains travel expenses estimates (i.e., MI & E costs, taxi, hotel costs, etc.)
  • Prepare travel authorization requests
  • Upon completion of trip, assist traveler in preparing electronic travel voucher
  • Follow up with traveler to ensure all expense documents have been submitted and on time (i.e., within 7-14 days)
• Provide administrative support for special projects, meetings, conferences, and representational events
• Identify and secure meeting spaces and coordinate invitations for events and work with assigned staff to manage event schedules and coordinate activities and/or speakers, as needed
• Manage the intake and tracking of documents for handling by the office and exercise judgement to determine action officer responsibility
• Recommend to office leadership procedures for managing tasks assigned to the office, and implement procedures as instructed
• Determine specific steps, seek additional information, propose resources, estimate timelines, and identify milestones for assigned projects
• Apply standard professional approaches to perform a variety of duties related to special projects and events involving administrative or support issues
• Evaluate effectiveness of office operations, propose procedures to improve efficiency, and implement procedures as instructed by the supervisor
• Serve as backup Office Management Specialist and timekeeper as needed, responsible for sharing scheduling, the answering of phones, and in processing of visitors
• Serve as the office in-processor for all new staff and interns, supporting logon and security clearance requirements

Travel Requirements

0 - 10%

Salary Grade

Job Requirements

Requirements :

• Bachelor's degree in international studies
• 2-4 years' experience in International Affairs/Foreign Policy, or other related fields
• Knowledge of State Department goals and objectives and relationships with other key functions within the State Department
• Knowledge of the U.S. government interagency coordination process
• Experience in communicating with individuals from other countries
• Knowledge of principles and methods of planning and tracking projects
• Skill planning and carry out projects to improve efficiency and productivity of the organization
• Ability to analyze and make recommendations to resolve conventional problems; evaluate effectiveness of programs or specific projects; make and maintain contacts to coordinate activities, resolve problems, and facilitate work between the office and other entities, among others
• Skill communicating in writing professionally with external organizations and foreign governments; collaborating orally in person and over the phone with contacts from other organizations and foreign governments
• Skill conducting interviews with supervisors and staff to obtain information about organizational missions, functions, and work procedures
• Skill creating and managing schedules and itineraries, including for domestic and international travel
• Ability to produce written reports about the outcomes of events and meetings related to international affairs
• Ability to create and contribute to collaborative document templates for both policy content and administrative purposes
• Skill proof-reading and editing documents, and expertise at managing and tracking documents
• Professional fluency in English; aptitude reading and communicating in Spanish desired but not required
• Must have an Active Secret Security Clearance

#CJ

Category

Other

Location

Washington, DC (DOS - HST Bldg.) - Washington, DC 20520 US (Primary)

Education

Bachelor's Degree