Information Resources Specialist

OPEN TO: All interested candidates.
POSITION: Information Resources Specialist
       FSN-10; FP-05 (To be confirmed by Washington)
OPENING DATE: February 12, 2013
CLOSING DATE: February 26, 2013
WORK HOURS: Full time (40 hrs/ per week)
SALARY: Ordinarily Resident, FSN-10
       *Not Ordinarily Resident: FP-05 (To be confirmed by Washington)

NOTE: All ordinarily resident (OR) applicants must have and provide a copy of the required work and/or residency permits to be eligible for consideration.  Not ordinarily resident (NOR) applicants must be available to begin work within thirty days from the closing date of the vacancy announcement to be eligible for consideration.

The US Embassy in Managua is seeking individual for the position of Information Resources Specialist in the Public Affairs Office (PD).

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION

Under the supervision of the Public Affairs Officer (PAO), the incumbent of this position will be responsible for the overall management of the Information Resources Center, designed to address the research, reference and information needs of Embassy personnel, as well as outside contacts.  S/he will plan and implement proactive people-to-people and information outreach programs to maintain both direct and electronic, ongoing personal contact with target audiences and institutions.  S/he will take the lead, in collaboration with other key staff, in regard to information support for all Public Diplomacy programs; coordinate with the Cultural Affairs Officer regarding educational materials and outreach in support of Cultural and English programs, and with the Information Officer regarding materials and outreach which complements the Embassy’s overall information strategy. In addition, s/he will be the primary person in charge of managing the Embassy's social media platforms, coordinating closely with PD colleagues on social media content.   

A copy of the complete position description listing all duties and responsibilities is available in the Human Resources Office. Contact ext. 7778.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

Note: All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item.

1. Bachelor degree in communications, social sciences, marketing, library sciences or public relations is required.
2. Five years of experience in program outreach or research and reference service, including two years experience using new media in professional or personal realms is required.
3. English and Spanish level IV (fluent) in written/spoken/reading is required.  This will be tested.
4. Excellent working knowledge of Nicaraguan and Central American economic, cultural, political, and social processes is required.
5. Good working knowledge of social media context in country, including knowledge of social media platforms and current and potential future users is required.
6. Excellent computer, informational literacy and technology skills; as well as strong oral and written communication skills are required.

SELECTION PROCESS

When fully qualified, U.S. Citizen Eligible Family Members (USEFMs) and U.S. Veterans are given preference.  Therefore, it is essential that the candidate specifically address the required qualifications above in the application.

Selected applicant must pass rigorous security certification process.

ADDITIONAL SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Management will consider nepotism, conflict of interest, budget, and residency status in determining successful candidacy. 
2. Current employees serving a probationary period are not eligible to apply.
3. Current Ordinarily Resident employees with an Overall Summary Rating of Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory on their most recent employee Performance Report are not eligible to apply.
4. Currently employed U.S. Citizen EFMs who hold a Family Member Appointment (FMA) are ineligible to apply for advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment.
5. Currently employed NORs hired under a Personal Services Agreement (PSA) are ineligible to apply for advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment unless currently hired into a position with a When Actually Employed (WAE) work schedule.

TO APPLY

Interested candidates for this position must submit the following for consideration of the application:

1. Universal Application for Employment as a Locally Employed Staff or Family Member (DS-174); or
2. A combination of both; i.e. Sections 1-24 of the UAE along with a listing of the applicant’s work experience attached as a separate sheet; or
3. A current resume or curriculum vitae that provides the same information found on the UAE (see section 3A below for more information); plus

1. Candidates who claim U.S. Veterans preference must provide a copy of their Form DD-214 with their application.  Candidates who claim conditional U.S. Veterans preference must submit documentation confirming eligibility for a conditional preference in hiring with their application.
2. Any other documentation (e.g., essays, certificates, awards) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above.
3. Applicants are requested to submit an essay, in English, of no more than 1,000 words to detail an example of an outreach project that he/she managed. Candidate should detail the target audience, strategies employed to reach the audience, the nature and level of the contacts he/she worked with to carry out the project, and how the outcome was measured or evaluated. Candidate should also outline one of the following: 1) the most difficult problem he/she encountered in managing the project and how he/she overcame that obstacle, OR 2) an innovative approach or idea that the applicant conceived for the project.
4. Copy of required work permit and/or residency permits (ordinarily residents).

If an applicant is submitting a resume or curriculum vitae, s/he must provide the following information equal to what is found on the UAE.

Failure to do so will result in an incomplete application.

A.- Position Title
B.- Position Grade
C.- Vacancy Announcement Number (if known)
D.- Dates Available for Work
E.- First, Middle and Last Names, as well as any other names used
F.- Date and Place of Birth
G.- Current Address, Day, Evening, and Cell phone numbers
H.- U.S. Citizenship Status (Yes or No) and status of permanent U.S. Resident (Yes or No; if yes, provide number)
I.- U.S. Social Security Number and/or Identification Number
J.- Eligibility to work in the country (Yes or No)
K.- Special Accommodations that Mission needs to provide
L.- If applying for position that includes driving a U.S. Government vehicle, Driver’s License Class/Type
M.- Days available to work
N.- List any relatives or members of your household that work for the U.S. Government (include Name, Relationship and Agency, Position, Location)
O.- U.S. Eligible Family Member and Veterans Hiring Preference
P.- Education
Q.- License, Skills, Training, Membership and Recognition
R.- Language Skills
S.- Work Experience plus dates
T.- References

SUBMIT APPLICATION TO
Human Resources Office/American Embassy; Ext. 7114
Attention: Jeaneth Vasquez
Km. 5 ½ Carretera Sur, Managua

POINT OF CONTACT
Jeaneth Vasquez
HR Assistant

DEFINITIONS

1.  Eligible Family Member (EFM):  An individual related to a U.S. Government employee in one of the following ways:

• Spouse or same-sex domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610);
• Child, who is unmarried and under 21 years of age or, regardless of age, is incapable of self-support.  The term shall include, in addition to natural offspring, stepchildren and adopted children and those under legal guardianship of the employee or the spouse when such children are expected to be under such legal guardianship until they reach 21 years of age and when dependent upon and normally residing with the guardian;
• Parent (including stepparents and legally adoptive parents) of the employee or of the spouse, when such parent is at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support;
• Sister or brother (including stepsisters and stepbrothers, or adoptive sisters or brothers) of the employee, or of the spouse, when such sibling is at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support, unmarried, and under 21 years of age, or regardless of age, incapable of self-support.

2.  U.S. Citizen Eligible Family Member (USEFM):  For purposes of receiving a preference in hiring for a qualified position, an EFM who meets the following criteria:

• U.S. Citizen; and,
• EFM (see above) at least 18 years old; and,
• Listed on the travel orders of a direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member assigned to or stationed abroad with a USG agency that is under COM authority, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; and either:

•  
  1. Resides at the sponsoring employee's or uniformed service member's post of assignment abroad or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; or
  2. Resides at an Involuntary Separate Maintenance Allowance (ISMA) location authorized under 3 FAM 3232.2.

3.  Appointment Eligible Family Member (AEFM):  EFM (see above) eligible for a Family Member Appointment for purposes of Mission employment: 

• Is a U.S. citizen; and

Spouse or same-sex domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610) or a child of the sponsoring employee who is unmarried and at least 18 years old; and

• Is listed on the travel orders or approved Form OF-126, Foreign Service Residence and Dependency Report, of a sponsoring employee, i.e., a direct-hire Foreign Service, Civil Service, or uniformed service member who is permanently assigned to or stationed abroad at a U.S. mission, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), and who is under chief of mission authority; and
• Is residing at the sponsoring employee's post of assignment abroad or, as appropriate, office of the American Institute in Taiwan.
• Does not receive a Foreign Service or Civil Service annuity

4.  Member of Household (MOH):  An individual who accompanies a  direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member permanently assigned or stationed at a U.S. Foreign Service post or establishment abroad, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan.  An MOH is:

• Not an EFM; and,
• Not on the travel orders of the sponsoring employee; and,
• Has been officially declared by the sponsoring USG employee to the COM as part of his/her household.

A MOH is under COM authority and may include a parent, unmarried partner, other relative or adult child who falls outside the Department’s current legal and statutory definition of family member.  A MOH does not have to be a U.S. Citizen.

5 Not Ordinarily Resident (NOR) – An individual who:

• Is not a citizen of the host country; and,
• Does not ordinarily reside (OR, see below) in the host country; and,
• Is not subject to host country employment and tax laws; and,
• Has a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN). 

NOR employees are compensated under a GS or FS salary schedule, not under the LCP.

6. Ordinarily Resident (OR) – A Foreign National or U.S. citizen who:

• Is locally resident; and,
• Has legal, permanent resident status within the host country; and,
• Is subject to host country employment and tax laws. 

EFMs without U.S. Social Security Numbers are also OR.  All OR employees, including U.S. citizens, are compensated in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan (LCP).

CLOSING DATE FOR THIS POSITION: February 26, 2013

The U.S. Mission in Managua 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.  The Department of State also

strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.

The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation.  Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.