Foreign Affairs Specialist – (7677)

Job Title

Foreign Affairs Specialist

Job Description

Foreign Affairs Specialist

Work Location: Harry S. Truman Building, Washington, DC

Cape Fox is seeking a highly qualified professional to join our team in support of a government customer. This position is contingent upon award.

Core Duties

• Support the work of the Political Unit: Consolidate input from the unit into final documentation for submission to the SCA Front Office; provide final substantive review and editing to ensure quality control in line with Bureau formats and standards.
• Strategic: Support the Unit’s role in taking a big-picture, strategic view of U.S.-India relations. Provide analysis of U.S. and Indian policies and programs. Conduct in-depth research into historical, cultural, political, economic, security, and other factors of U.S. policies and programs relating to India. Leverage new and existing research in drafting and presenting recommendations for mid- and long-range U.S. policy towards India.
• Bilateral Affairs: Monitor current and prospective administrative challenges in U.S.-India relations, especially those related to human rights, religious freedom, anti-trafficking, and child and forced labor issues. Develop recommendations for ameliorating existing irritants and proactively preventing future disagreements.
• Congressional Reports: Act as the lead action specialist on providing inputs and edits to relevant lateral and interagency colleagues on reports such as the Country Report on Human Rights Practices, the International Religious Freedom Report, the Trafficking-in-Persons Report, and the International Child Labor and Forced Labor Report. Work with Unit Chief and leadership to provide recommendations on negotiations on draft text, as required.
• Outreach: Support the Office and Bureau’s public engagement efforts with groups impacting U.S.-Indian relations, including Indian American communities, Indian diaspora groups worldwide, and the business, NGO, and academic communities. Develop recommendations for enhancing the scope and effectiveness of these outreach strategies. Organize and support outreach efforts by the Bureau, from those of SCA/IB officers up to the Assistant Secretary.
• Speechwriting: Draft remarks on India issues for key officials, including the Secretary of State, Deputy Secretary of State, and others. Manage the Bureau and Department-wide clearance process for speeches as required.
• Congressional Affairs: Assist the Unit Chief in managing the Senate confirmation process for new Ambassadors to India. Coordinate swearing-in ceremonies, consultation schedules, and transition plans for new Ambassadors to India as needed.
• Interagency Coordination: Monitor and route routine information and action requests from other Federal agencies, in consultation with the Unit Chief. Provide general responses or support SCA/IB officers in more complex requests by researching and drafting substantive responses or organizing interagency meetings.
• VIP Visit Support: Provide logistical and process support for high-level visits by Indian government officials. Serve as point of contact and coordinate with relevant offices such as S/ES, S/CPR, DS, M, and others.
• General Drafting Duties: Draft briefing materials and take notes as assigned. Ensure materials conform to style and format guidelines established by the Department’s Executive Secretariat.
• Research and Analysis: Conduct exhaustive searches for difficult-to-obtain information, compile data, and perform preliminary analyses as necessary.
• Special Assignments: Carry out special assignments requiring tact, diplomacy, and comprehensive knowledge of Bureau policies and programs.
• Executive Support: Enhance the operations of the SCA/IB Office by drafting, editing, and producing briefing books, developing presentations, and performing general administrative functions as assigned.
• Swing or Surge Support: Provide support to desk officers during staffing gaps or periods of increased workloads, including VIP visits, crises, conferences, and high-level events in the U.S. or India.
• Memoranda of Conversations: Serve as note-taker and draft memoranda of conversations as required.

Travel Requirements

0 – 10%

Salary Grade

Competitive

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree or 4 years of similar experience.
• Specific expert knowledge of Department of State policies and processes, especially as they pertain to South Asia, specifically India.
• Proficiency in personal computers and general administrative practices.
• Extensive experience with classified and unclassified databases, including proficiency in Excel, Microsoft Windows, and related programs.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Must have an Active Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) Security Clearance.

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