Overview
Hiring Path: • Open to the public
Who May Apply/Clarification From the Agency: This position is open to:
USEFMs
For USEFM - FP grade is FP-07. Actual FP salary authorized by Washington D.C.
Security Clearance Required: Secret/Confidential Clearance Appointment Type Temporary Appointment Type Details: Definite Not to Exceed 5 years. (FMA) Definite Not to Exceed 1 year. (PSA) Marketing Statement:
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO): The U.S. Mission provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation.
Summary:
The U.S. Mission to the European Union is seeking eligible and qualified applicants for the position of Executive Assistant for Justice and Home Affairs.
Supervisory Position: No Relocation Expenses Reimbursed: No
Duties
The position supports the Department of Justice (DOJ) Senior Counsel, the U.S. Mission to the European Union (USEU) Department of State (DOS) Legal Adviser, and the USEU Executive (EXEC) Team to equip them with substantive research and analysis, project and program support, and office management. The position provides research and policy support on current Justice and Home Affairs priorities, financial management of budgets, and administrative assistance. The position duties below are executed with 50% time for DOJ and 50% for DOS (encompassing USEU EXEC and USEU Legal Adviser). Must be able to work independently with little or no supervision during periods of frequent officer travel.
Project and Program Support:
1. Serve as administrative lead for coordinating DOJ and DOS delegation participation in periodic Justice and Home Affairs Senior Officials Meetings and Ministerials. Organize travel, lodging, and any special needs. Assist in accreditation for badging, access to all buildings, and support materials. Work to create accurate reporting cables of events.
2. Serve as control officer or site officer for VIP visits as requested by DOJ Senior Counsel, the USEU DOS Legal Adviser, and USEU EXEC. Schedule and maintain changing itineraries for inbound/outbound official travelers representing several United States Government (USG) departments and agencies. Oversee their security screening, meeting spaces, escorting, and catering needs. Reserve conference rooms, motorpool, VIP travel lounges, hotel rooms, and customs support.
3. Complete detailed data entry for DOJ Senior Counsel, the USEU DOS Legal Adviser, and USEU EXEC for program management systems such as in SmartSheets, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Sharepoint. Execute administrative support for priority scheduling for the USEU Front Office and ensure contacts are incorporated into CRM contact groups for all major events such as July 4, Re-entrée, Holiday Events (including greeting cards), and more.
4. Set up and organize classified calls with the National Security Council (NSC) with European (EU) partners. Coordinate meeting room, classified connection, access of facilities to EU representatives, escorting responsibilities, and note-taking.
5. Maintain and update Standard Operating Procedure book for this position. Maintain and Update Look Book for USEU to ensure accurate representation of current employees.
6. The position may include some regional travel to assist in the preparation, coordination, or participation in bilateral and/or multilateral conferences..
Legal & Law Enforcement Research:
7. The position requires the ability to quickly become familiar with a broad range of complex range of issues, including related to justice and law enforcement cooperation. Research and gather policy information on EUROJUST, EUROPOL, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), EU Parliament actions Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) in particular, and other EU institutions as required.
8. Attend EU Institutional plenary sessions, hearings, events, and similar meetings on Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) issues in order to brief or provide readouts to JHA supervisors. In the absence of supervisors, must be able to research internal files, locate data, and respond to policy-related inquiries from Washington and the EU.
9. Review and screen classified and unclassified cable traffic and bring relevant action and info items to supervisors.
DOJ Financial Management:
10. Serve as International Cooperative Administrative Support Services (ICASS) Budget Committee representative for DOJ. Prepare ICASS Council materials and brief DOJ supervisor on Budget Committee decisions in advance of ICASS Council meetings. Attend all meetings, review Financial Year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Subscription to Services (SoS).
11. Review ICASS Initial and Final budgets for DOJ, workload counts, and time allocations. Review for accuracy and transmit materials to the respective headquarters. Serve as signatory when requested. Resolve any disparities or disagreements between DOJ headquarters and Tri-Mission Financial Management Center (FMC) within ICASS deadlines.
Office Support:
12. Assist DOJ Senior Counsel, the USEU DOS Legal Adviser, and USEU EXEC. supervisors with work schedules and meeting coordination. Reserve meeting rooms, conference spaces, and external locations when needed.
13. Assist in the preparation and execution of bilateral and multilateral meetings and conferences. Procure catering and décor, translation services, IT support, and more as needed.
14. Develop and assemble briefing books for VIP U.S. government representatives and visitors, summits, plenaries, conferences, and other high-level meetings. Take meeting notes for small group briefings for Post leadership, such as small group and mission team.
Qualifications and Evaluations
Requirements:
All selected candidates must be able to obtain and hold a Secret clearance.
All selected candidates will be subject to a background investigation and may be subject to a pre-employment medical exam.
Selected candidate must be able to begin working within a reasonable period of time (15 weeks) upon receipt of agency authorization and/or clearances/certifications or their candidacy may end.
Education Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree required from an accredited educational institution.
Please address this factor in your ERA application under Education.
Evaluations:
You will be evaluated against the qualifications and requirements in this vacancy announcement.
You may be asked to complete a pre-employment language or skills test.
You must complete the application form and provide the required documents. Your application must address all the position qualifications and requirements including education, experience, language, and any knowledge/skills/abilities listed. If you fail to submit a complete application, then your application may be disqualified for this position.
Qualifications:
Experience:
Three (3) years of professional and government/policy experience in a senior-level office environment. Must have experience with research and/or policy analysis, and with budgeting and/or accounting.
Please address this factor in your ERA application under Major Duties and Responsibilities.
Language:
Fluency in English.
(This may be tested.)
Please address this language requirement in your ERA application.
Job Knowledge:
The job holder must be familiar with the Department of Justice and the Department of State mission priorities. The job holder must also have knowledge of the external operating environment with European Union institutions, including the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the Court of Justice of the European Union. The job holder must also have knowledge of the external operating environment with European Union institutions, including the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Please address this factor in your ERA application under Major Duties and Responsibilities.
Skills And Abilities:
The job holder must be fully proficient in use of PC software, including DOJ’s email system or DOS’ email and SMART systems.
Must demonstrate ability to perform functions of the position. Project management, time management, and data management skills are essential. Must be able to work independently with little or no supervision during periods of frequent officer travel.
(This may be tested.)
Please address this factor in your ERA application under Major Duties and Responsibilities.
Benefits and Other Info
Benefits: Agency Benefits:
The U.S. Mission offers a competitive compensation and benefits package for local employees that may include: life insurance, hospitalization insurance (family included), meal tickets, transportation reimbursements, seniority leave, special holidays, training, Employee Assistance Program, etc.
For Eligible Family Member (EFM) applicants, benefits should be discussed with the HR Office. The pay plan is assigned by the HR Office and confirmed by Washington, D.C.
Other Information:
HIRING PREFERENCE SELECTION PROCESS:
A hiring preference is extended to eligible and qualified applicants in the order listed below. It is essential you accurately describe your status in your application, failure to do so may result in a determination that you are not eligible for a hiring preference.
HIRING PREFERENCE ORDER
15. Appointment Eligible Family Member (AEFM) / U.S. citizen Eligible Family Member (USEFM) who is a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran*
16. AEFM / USEFM
17. Foreign Service (FS) on Leave without Pay (LWOP) and Civil Service (CS) with reemployment rights **
* IMPORTANT: US citizen Eligible Family Member (USEFM) applicants who claim status as a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran must submit a copy of their most recent DD-214 (“Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty”) preferably Member Copy 4, Letter from Veterans’ Affairs which indicates the present existence of a service-connected disability, equivalent documentation, or certification. A “certification” is any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted by the applicant. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service. Acceptable documentation must be submitted in order for the preference to be given.
** This level of preference applies to all FS employees on LWOP and CS with re-employment rights back to their agency or bureau.
For complete definitions of AEFM, USEFM, EFM, Member of Household, etc., please visit the
ADDITIONAL EMPLOYMENT CONSIDERATIONS
The following apply to EFMs, USEFMs, and AEFMs only:
18. Current employees who used a hiring preference to gain employment who are within their first 90 calendar days of employment are not eligible. This does not apply when the hiring mechanism is TEMP or the work schedule is intermittent or irregular.
19. Candidates with a hiring preference who have already accepted a conditional offer of employment may NOT be extended a second conditional offer of employment unless and until they withdraw their candidacy for the first position in writing.
The following apply to Locally Employed (LE) staff only:
20. Current employees serving a probationary period are not eligible.
21. Current employees with an Overall Summary Rating of Needs Improvement, Unsatisfactory, or an MBC score of less than 100 points on their most recent Employee Performance Report are not eligible.