This position is located in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (OUSDP). The USDP serves as the principal advisor and assistant to the Secretary of Defense for all matters concerned with the formulation of national security and defense policy with particular emphasis on the integration and oversight of DoD policy and plans to achieve national security objectives. Find out more about OUSDP on our LinkedIn page: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy | LinkedIn.

Duties

Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following: Plays a major role in the study, review, and adjustment of the strategies, concepts, programs, and budgets required to support OSD policy and program guidance; focuses senior policy attention on issues with major defense policy, national security, or international security implications. Takes a lead role in managing team projects, including actively encouraging communication, coordination, innovation, and high quality team products; analyses highly complex policy, strategy, and force posture alternatives and implications. Provides expert advice at the ASD or higher level on key strategy and various other matters; reviews and develops Policy positions and responses to action originating in other DoD and non-DoD offices or agencies that have implications for foreign policy and national security policy, strategy, program, planning, and budgets. Represents DoD in delegations to international meetings and conferences; represents DoD positions during contact with the Congressional staff; monitors Congressional action on DoD defense strategy, programs, and budget; and develops or contributes testimony or other presentations to the Congress.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)
• Required to participate in the direct deposit program
• Individuals tentatively selected for drug testing designated positions will be required to submit to urinalysis testing for illegal drugs prior to appointment and are subjected to random drug testing.
• Position has been designated as Special Sensitive. The incumbent is required to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with SCI and SAP components.
• The incumbent must adhere to DoD Standards of Conduct
• This position may require occasional travel away from your normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft.
• This position may require you to work other than normal hours, which may include evenings, weekends, and/or holidays and/or overtime.
• Advanced leave accrual, superior qualifications, and student loan repayment may be authorized in accordance with regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

Basic Requirement: 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, 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. Time in Grade: For entry at the GS-13 level, status applicants must have served 52 weeks as a GS-12 or higher grade in the Federal Service. For entry at the GS-14 level, status applicants must have served 52 weeks as a GS-13 or higher grade in the Federal Service. For entry at the GS-15 level, status applicants must have served 52 weeks as a GS-14 or higher grade in the Federal Service. Specialized Experience: For the GS-13, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable in difficulty and responsibility to GS-12 if outside the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: supporting senior U.S. Government civilian leadership on national security matters and strategic level interests related to Africa, with specific focus on the Sahel and West Africa; preparing information papers, memos, briefings, and/or messaging related to the Sahel and West Africa for senior U.S. Government civilian leadership engagements and bilateral or multilateral dialogues; coordinating on U.S. Government policy positions with interagency counterparts, such as the National Security Council or State Department; supporting the preparation of senior U.S. Government civilian leadership for engagements with Congress, think tanks, or the media on security issues; developing policies and strategies for security cooperation programming and foreign military sales to support achievement of Department of Defense objectives; drafting official statements for senior defense officials and prepare responses to congressional requests for information; and planning and conducting counterpart engagements for senior Department of Defense leaders. For the GS-14, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable in difficulty and responsibility to GS-13 if outside the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: analyzing and supporting senior U.S. Government civilian leadership on national security matters and strategic-level interests related to Africa, with specific focus on the Sahel and West Africa; preparing information papers, memos, briefings, and/or messaging related to the Sahel and West Africa for senior U.S. Government civilian leadership engagements and bilateral or multilateral dialogues; collaborating on U.S. Government policy positions with interagency counterparts, such as the National Security Council or State Department; preparing recommendations and analyses for senior U.S. Government civilian leadership participation in U.S. National Security Council-led interagency decision making processes; developing policies and strategies for security cooperation programming and foreign military sales to support achievement of Department of Defense objectives; drafting official statements for senior defense officials and preparing responses to congressional requests for information; planning and conducting counterpart engagements for senior Department of Defense leaders; and conducting research and analysis to prepare senior U.S. Government civilian leadership for engagements with Congress, think tanks, or the media on African security issues. For the GS-15, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service, or comparable in difficulty and responsibility to GS-14 if outside the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: advising senior U.S. Government civilian leadership on national security matters and strategic-level interests related to Africa, with specific focus on the Sahel and West Africa; reviewing and preparing information papers, memos, briefings, and/or messaging related to the Sahel and West Africa for senior U.S. Government civilian leadership engagements and bilateral or multilateral dialogues; collaborating and representing U.S. Government policy priorities with interagency counterparts, such as the National Security Council or State Department; preparing senior U.S. Government civilian leadership for participation in U.S. National Security Council-led interagency decision making processes; and preparing senior U.S. Government civilian leadership for engagements with Congress, think tanks, or the media on African security issues. In addition to meeting the specialized experience requirements, qualified applicants must also possess the quality of experience as it relates to how closely or to what extent an applicant's background, recency of experience, education, and training are relevant to the duties and responsibilities of the announced position. Candidates must clearly demonstrate the possession of competencies necessary to successfully perform the work of the position at the appropriate level to be qualified for the position. Applicants must describe how their experience meets the competencies within the body of the resume. No separate statements addressing competencies are required. Competencies: International Engagement Action Planning, International Engagement Assessment & Analysis, International Engagement Implementation, International Engagement Policy Development, Oral Communication, and Writing Qualification and time-in-grade requirements must be met at the closing date of this announcement.

Education

There is no substitution of education for the qualifying experience at these grade levels.

ARE YOU QUALIFYING BASED ON A COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE?
You must provide sufficient documentation of your education in your resume. You are strongly encouraged to provide a copy of transcripts or degrees in your application package. It is also acceptable to document your applicable course listing in your resume (course number, credits earned, etc.). Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency. If selected, an official/sealed transcript will be required prior to appointment.

To be creditable, education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. You must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services at the time of application. National Association of Credential Evaluation Services .

Contacts

• Address Office of the USD for Policy 4800 Mark Center Drive Alexandria, VA 22350 US
• Name: Washington HQ Services
• Phone: 000-000-0000
• Email: [email protected]