U.S. Department of State Careers

FACILITY MANAGER

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
United States Department of State
An Equal Opportunity Employer
How to Apply

Announcement No.: FM-09-01
Opening Date: December 10, 2008
Closing Date: December 9, 2009

Position Title: FOREIGN SERVICE FACILITY MANAGER

Starting Salary Range: FP-04, $52,221 - $76,688 per annum

Additional Benefits: Tax Free Housing Overseas, Tax Free Educational Allowance for eligible dependents, etc. (See “Benefits Package” brochure for more information)

Number of Vacancies: The Department of State (DOS) is developing a rank order hiring register of eligible candidates to fill a limited number of entry-level Foreign Service Facility Manager (FSFM) vacancies. The specific number to be hired will depend on the needs of the Foreign Service.

Area of Consideration: All Sources

Location: Initial assignment will be in Washington, D.C. for orientation and training. Afterwards, appointees will be assigned overseas, moving at two to three year intervals to other overseas or domestic assignments.

All potential applicants are strongly urged to read this entire vacancy announcement to ensure that they meet all of the requirements for this position and that they fully understand the special circumstances involving a career in the Foreign Service before applying. All applicants must be American citizens and at least 20 years old to apply and at least 21 years of age to be appointed. All career candidates must be appointed to the Foreign Service prior to the month in which they reach 60.

For more information contact the Department of State, Office of Human Resources, HR/REE, 202-261-8933

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

A Facility Manager (FM) in the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) maintains and manages the Department of State’s real property assets abroad. FMs oversee large holdings of United States Government-owned and leased properties, and maintain them within accepted U.S. standards in a safe and operable condition. They provide a wide range of building-related services, managing physical resources and direct asset management operations in a specific country. FMs may be assigned as Regional Facility Managers with responsibilities for FM program activities in several countries. FMs normally work under the direction of the Management Counselor or Officer at post, and supervise one of the largest and most diverse work forces at an Embassy.

Facility Managers are responsible for:

Independent Management of FM Program Operations - FMs, in accordance with U.S. Code and Department of State regulations, manage maintenance programs that evaluate the condition of facility components, determine total maintenance and improvement requirements, evaluate operation and maintenance capability in terms manpower and materials, and establish project priorities to provide optimum service to tenant organizations.
Asset Management - Serve as the principal technical authority on asset management related matters. Responsible for all maintenance management operations at U.S Embassies and Consulates.
Building Maintenance - Oversee and direct local maintenance staff and contractors. FMs provide guidance on troubleshooting and repairing building equipment and systems such as water treatment, electrical distribution, emergency power generation, heating, and cooling plants.
Budget Forecasting - Responsible for maintenance funds at post, including determining long and short term funding requirements for facility operations and maintenance, justifying budget requests, and controlling and reporting program expenditures.
Space Planning - Perform facilities planning activities, including evaluating existing usage patterns of buildings and equipment; and project future requirements.
Value Engineering - Evaluate construction methods and materials to determine which can reduce costs while achieving specified performance, reliability, maintainability, aesthetic, safety, and security criteria. Determine manpower requirement to operate and maintain facilities, evaluating employee effectiveness, identifying training needs, and providing for formal and on-the-job instruction in building operation and maintenance.
Strategic Planning - Develop a strategic asset management plan that can forecast facility management requirements three to five years in advance.
Contract Monitoring - Administer services contracts and manage maintenance and repair projects as the contracting officer’s representative (COR). Perform contracting activities, e.g. developing cost estimates, evaluating bid proposals, reviewing construction documents, conducting on-site visits, and preparing technical specifications and statements of work.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF DUTIES:

Facility Managers are deemed “essential personnel" in most missions, and are required to be on "stand-by" or "on-call" duty 24-hours/ day, seven days/week. Some posts' operations never shut down, and in other instances, extended hours may be dictated by high-level visits or the political climate of the host country of assignment

CAREER TRACK MOVEMENT AND TENURE:

The FM career path requires the attainment of professional designations that vary based upon pay-grade level. Promotion eligibility to the FP-02 level requires the attainment of the Facility Maintenance Administrator (FMA) designation from the Building Owners and Managers Institute International (BOMI). Promotion eligibility to the FP-01 level requires the attainment of the Certified Plant Engineer (CPE) designation from the Association of Facilities Engineering (AFE). Additionally, promotion eligibility requires completion of specific Department of State leadership and management courses at several levels.

Once promotion eligibility is met for specific a pay-grade level, a FMs name is submitted to the annual Promotion Selection Board. Boards meet annually to review each Employee’s Evaluation Report (EER). Available promotions are awarded to FMs who’s EERs have demonstrated their ability and potential to perform successfully at the next level of responsibility. Due to the limited number of yearly promotion opportunities, promotion panels select promotees based on published criteria and quality of performance. Performance is evaluated annually, in writing, by the supervisor

INITIAL SALARY AND SALARY INCREASES:

Initial salaries for new employees are set within the FP-04 pay scale of the Foreign Service Salary Schedule depending on education, specialized experience and salary history. Salaries are determined at the time the offer of employment is made.

Foreign Service Specialist Career Candidates are considered for tenure by a Tenuring Board after a minimum of two years experience in the Foreign Service.

EDUCATION AND SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

In addition to the general requirements for employment in the Foreign Service, all Facility Managers candidates must have at least a Bachelor’s degree at the time of appointment, as indicated below.

Grade Level	ANNUAL SALARY	EDUCATION REQUIREMENT	SPECIALIZED Experience
FP-04	$52,221 to $76,688	BS or BA Degree	3 Years

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT:

1. Applicants must hold a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree from an accredited program in one of the following disciplines:

Facility Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Construction Engineering
Civil/Structural Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Construction Planner/Estimator

2. Degrees received from non-U.S. colleges or universities will be considered acceptable based on any of the following evidences:

The candidate submits an evaluation of completed course work from an accredited program in a college or university. The candidate must substantiate that foreign course work is equal to the curriculum by the AFE.
The degree holder was accepted for advanced study by an accredited program in a college or university in the U.S./LI>
A state university in the U.S. accepts the institution as one whose transcript is given full value in subject areas applicable to the curriculum at the state university and is a recognized non-U.S. equivalent program.
The candidate presents evidence of registration as a professional engineer by any state in the U.S.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

Specialized experience must show that applicants have an in-depth knowledge of their field And can be expected to perform maintenance and/or engineering duties related to the operation of Department of State facilities worldwide. Applicants must show that their academic achievements and/or job related experience have been at progressively increasing levels of performance and responsibility. They must demonstrate experience and abilities in some or all of the following activities:

Outstanding leadership, managerial, and administrative skills
Superior knowledge of building management systems, programs, and operations
Ability to interact effectively with others, particularly the ability to gain cooperation and confidence from supervisors and subordinates
Ability to logically and objectively analyze problems and apply sound judgment in assessing alternative solutions
Ability to work productively in a self-directed environment
Knowledge in the use and operation of computerized maintenance management system software packages; computer literacy with database, spreadsheet, and word processing software
Ability to write detailed statements of work and negotiate with professionals
Ability to manage a large multi-faceted, diverse work force through intermediate subordinates
Ability to establish and direct comprehensive facility maintenance program
Ability to manage construction and renovation projects, from conception through completion, using accepted industry standards and project management methods
Experience/qualifications with environmental, health and safety issues and procedures
Experience/knowledge of federal contracting procedures and federal acquisition regulations.

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:

A master’s degree in an engineering-related discipline may be substituted for one year of specialized experience or a doctoral degree in a related discipline may be substituted for two years experience toward satisfying the three year minimum requirement for specialized experience.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Candidates will be evaluated on their total background including experience, education, awards, training, and self-development as it relates to the position. Selection for this position will be made only from among candidates possessing the best qualifications.

HOW TO APPLY:

The following documents are necessary for a complete application package. They become the property of the Department of State and will not be returned:

A completed Application for Federal Employment (DS-1950) (534kb, PDF).
A completed Employment Data Form (This is an optional form which requests information to be used for statistical purposes only) on pages 6 and 7.
A copy of your latest Personnel Action (SF-50), if you are presently a federal employee.
A completed Supplemental Qualifications Statement (KSAs).
A two-to-three page typed narrative autobiography which discusses your:
1. Personal history (background)
2. General work experience, not included in the application, which is related to this position.
3. Personal interests and hobbies.
4. Motivation for wanting a career in the Foreign Service facility management profession.
Official college or university transcripts including confirmation of any degree(s).*
A copy of your most recent annual performance report.

* A copy of the transcript(s) may be used pending issuance of the Official documentation.

These documents should be submitted together and addressed to:

U.S. Mail, Overnight or Federal Express deliveries

U.S. Department of State
Application Evaluation Branch
Attn: Facility Manager (FM) Program
2401 E Street, NW, Room H-518
Washington, DC 20522

For additional information please refer to our web site at www.careers.state.gov.

A: College Transcripts

Both official and unofficial transcripts are acceptable as part of the application process. If you are selected for an interview you will be asked to bring your official transcripts to your oral assessment.

B: Supplementary Questionnaire

Purpose: The Supplementary Questionnaire provides an opportunity to describe examples of your experience which relate to the skills listed below and best show your ability to handle various aspects of constructive engineering. The information you give may be used to structure your oral examination/interview should you be invited, and is an important factor in the competitive evaluation of applicants.

Instructions: Limit responses to 200 words or less for each item. Describe how you used the following abilities and/or knowledge, indicating the source from which the work related experience was acquired. Examples can be drawn from any part of your personal experience. Compose your replies carefully, as one of the skills necessary to succeed as a Foreign Service Facility Manager is the ability to write clearly and concisely.

Teamwork and Leadership: Discuss your ability to work toward a common goal. Give examples of instances where you have lead a team in the accomplishment of a specific goal.
Organization and Planning: Give examples which demonstrate your organizational and planning skills in accomplishing complex tasks according to a firm schedule.
Problem Solving: Give examples demonstrating your ability to think logically and objectively, to analyze problems, and to apply sound judgment in assessing the practical implications of alternative solutions.
Communication Skills: Give examples displaying your ability to communicate effectively and persuasively both orally and in writing.
Computer Skills: Describe specific instances which show the extent to which you used software to manage facility management projects.
Cite specific examples from your background and experience, summarize your professional knowledge, skills and abilities which would apply to a career as a Foreign Service Facility Manager.

C: Autobiography

A maximum 1,000 word autobiography which discusses your:

Personal background
General comments on work experience
Personal interests and hobbies
Motivation for joining the Foreign Service as a Facility Manager

In cases where education is substituted for experience, copies of college transcripts, diplomas, etc. must be presented at the time of oral assessment. At the same time, bring a copy of your professional Engineering Registration or Certificate of Engineer in Training, or other certifications, if applicable. These materials become the property of the Department of State and will not be returned.

Selected candidates: Please note all travel and other expenses incurred in connection with the oral assessment are the responsibility of the candidate.

Executive Branch agencies are barred by 5 US Code 3303 as amended from accepting or considering prohibited political recommendations and are required to return any prohibited political recommendations to sender. In addition, as mandated by 5 US Code 310, sons and daughters of federal employees cannot be granted preference in competing for these employment opportunities.

THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE IS COMMITTED TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND FAIR AND EQUITABLE TREATMENT FOR ALL WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX, RELIGION, AGE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, DISABLING CONDITION, POLITICAL AFFILIATION, MARITAL STATUS, OR PRIOR STATUTORY, CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED ACTIVITY. THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS TO APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES. APPLICANTS REQUIRING A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ANY PART OF THE APPLICATION OR HIRING PROCESS SHOULD SO ADVISE THE DEPARTMENT. ALL DECISIONS FOR GRANTING REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS ARE MADE ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.

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Foreign Service Specialist