JUNIOR PROGRAM OFFICER WITH SECURITY CLEARANCE

Overview The United States Department of State (the Department), Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Private Sector Exchange (ECA/EC) has an immediate need to hire one full-time Junior Program Officer to provide staff support in a variety of areas to ECA/EC, including administrative duties and responsibilities essential to the operation of the office while performing substantive confidential assignments. To provide a professional service employee to assist upper-level managers with administrative concepts and practices sufficient to perform independent duties such as decision-making, preparing briefing materials, memoranda, tracking forms, and travel database functions. Must be skilled in oral and written communications, able to instruct staff members in other Departmental offices such as correspondence and other tasked items. The contractor assigned to this position must carry out the administrative work of the office, handle problems and deviations in accordance with established procedures, priorities, and policies. The work of the contractor includes various duties requiring difficult and sometimes complex processes and methods. Decisions regarding what needs to be done, and how it should be done, are based on an understanding of the duties and commitments of the DAS. It is expected that minimal training and direction will be required for this position. The workload will incorporate the handling of sensitive information, communication with peers, senior officials, other Department bureaus, and U.S. government foreign affairs agencies. The contractor assigned to the position will effectively manage a diverse and sophisticated workload and will be required to conduct a low level of liaison activities and relationship building and sustaining. Responsibilities * Coordinates action on programs, requests and matters received in the office. Maintains contact with persons within and outside the Department for the purpose of coordinating and expediting action on material prepared for the Deputy Assistant Secretary. Must have knowledge of issues which are of particular and continuing concern to the DAS, ADAS, ECA, the Department, and the Administration. * Plans and carries to completion, special and/or confidential projects and assignments for the DAS and knowledge of their desires and a good knowledge of Departmental operations. * Reviews material, logging in sensitive items and exercises judgement in presenting to superiors that material which may be of interest and require special and confidential consideration. Conducts research to ensure that background material is related to a particular matter and is available to principals. * Provides staff support and other assistance to the other principals which may require accompanying principals on domestic and overseas travel to conduct/attend meetings and conferences. * Carries out assignment requiring a degree of tack and diplomacy requiring knowledge of the views of the DAS and other senior officials. Gathers information and material, analyses it and prepares recommendations for signature. * Assists in logistical scheduling, planning, and implementing events/meetings/travel involving the DAS. Assists in the direction of the flow of action and information papers where necessary and makes recommendation where appropriate. * Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills in the performance of all work. * Assists with project scheduling, requirements, research, documentation and execution. * Collects, communicates, and updates relevant information on the EC SharePoint websites. Qualifications * Knowledge of the Exchange Visitor Program line of business as related to internal Private Sector Exchange business processes. * Experience manipulating data from one system data base or network to Access, Excel, or other software application or system. * Experience with standard software, including the complete Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, SharePoint), and an excellent ability to learn and work with other software, as well as database applications. * Experience in implementing standard operating procedures (internal controls). * Ability to work with various database applications. * Experience in program administration, operating procedures, oversight, monitoring, and reporting. * Ability to confirm and prioritize assignments. * Ability to work independently, with minimal supervision, and multi- task in a high volume, fast-pace work environment. * Exceptional ability to perform effectively in a flexible, team-oriented environment. * Exceptional ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues. * Knowledgeable in international educational and cultural exchanges, or other types of international programming or activities. * Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance at the Secret level.