This position is located in the Front Office of the Directorate of Visa Services, Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA/VO/FO) in Washington DC. As a Policy Advisor you will provide analyses, advice, strategic guidance, and high-level support to the Visa Office on visa and immigrations laws, regulations, policies, and procedures related to Afghanistan Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) and removals.

Duties

Work closely with Senior Advisor(s) in the VO Front Office and CA leadership to solicit, negotiate, and integrate Afghan SIV policy, program, processing and other contributions to ensure unity of purpose and common approaches. Provide expert advice and guidance to senior-level bureau and other key officials on SIV policy analyses and sensitive findings and recommended changes/updates to policies. Serve as technical authority and subject matter expert on all aspects of the Afghan SIV program, including the laws, regulations, policies, and legal precedents governing the program and all Department regulations. Engage in regular communications with consular sections to provide advice and guidance that informs decision making affecting SIV processing operations and staffing resources. Review, analyze, and evaluate risks and issues regarding SIV policy planning. Oversee removals portfolio in CA working closely with the Department of Homeland Security. Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement. NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per5CFR 300, Subpart F. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Basic Requirements: To be considered for this position, you must demonstrate that you meet the basic requirement: 1. 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 2. 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 3. 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 meeting one of the Basic Requirements listed above, applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position at the grade level to which you are applying: GS-14 Specialized Experience: Must have at least one full-time year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service (or comparable level of experience from outside the Federal service) performing ALL of the following duties: Developing policies related to Visa programs such as Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs); Evaluating information to identify trends, problems, and risks related to Visa programs; Giving briefings to provide recommendations for addressing issues related to Visa programs; and Collaborating with government official to provide technical support for Visa program operations. There is no education substitute for specialized experience at the GS-14 level. Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume must support your application responses. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work performed through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

It is your responsibility to provide documentation that you meet the education qualification(s) you claim. If you do not submit transcripts we will not use your claimed education when determining if you are qualified for the position. If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement.

Transcripts: You may submit official or unofficial transcripts as part of the application process. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment. A transcript is a copy of your permanent academic record and includes:

• Your full name.
• The name of the college, university, or other educational institution.
• Your major and degree.
• The date your degree was awarded/conferred.
• Your cumulative grade point average (GPA).
• Any honors you received.
• The dates you attended the school.
• A list of the courses you took, to include the total number of credits completed.

Academic degrees must be granted from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. To determine if a school or program is accredited, refer to the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.

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 a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For more information, click here. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation and list the specific courses taken as part of the foreign education program to be considered complete.

Contacts

• Address
• Name: Midwest Services Branch
• Phone: 816-426-5706
• Email: [email protected]