Program Specialist

The Department of State's Office of Foreign Assistance Oversight (FAO) is responsible for determining the optimum allocation of foreign assistance funds among the various foreign assistance programs administered by the Department of State (DOS) to achieve the nation's foreign policy objectives. FAO reaches its allocation decisions by coordinating the development of long-term (five year) strategic plans and short-term (annual) operational plans by organizations that administer assistance programs; and by reviewing indicators of progress in countries in which programs operate. FAO provides a "leadership umbrella," exercising authority over all DOS foreign assistance funding and programs and coordinating closely with programs delegated independent authority.

The following reflects management's definition of essential functions for this job but does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

This position serves as an action officer for the Managing Directors and their teams, and provides a broad range of cross-cutting issues that impacts and contributes to the overall mission of the Department's and interagency organizations' foreign assistance program.

The candidate must be capable of identifying, analyzing, and executing accepted principles, methods, and guidelines of routine and specialized administrative tasks and functions.

For the FAO Directorates to which the position is assigned, the candidate manages the flow of correspondence and other documents intended for senior manager's signature or clearance. Manages the schedules and meetings, as well as associated preparation for their Principals for internal and external meetings, presentations, appointments, and appearances. Monitors compilation, integration, and coordination of tasks involved in developing responses to issues affecting the organization.
• Analyzes responses for accuracy, policy impact, consistency, with previous responses, and adherence to FAO positions and viewpoints. Recommends and coordinates revisions when necessary. Identifies problem areas in the flow of information throughout FAO and drafts procedural solutions for Government Technical Manager approval.
• Coordinates and plans travel arrangements for the Managing Director and Team. Works with managers to ensure FAO budget and FAO HR taskers are properly completed in a timely fashion.
• Participates in an advisor only status on ad hoc teams, committees, and task forces assembled to address organizational priorities identified by leadership. Coordinates and dispenses the Briefing Checklist (BCL) Tasker to the appropriate office to draft and submit to the Managing Directors in preparation for meetings, hearings, briefings, etc. Drafts reports and position papers on particular aspects of these issues; either operational or programmatic. Integrates these products into larger, comprehensive, study reports to be issued by the teams or committees that consolidate findings and recommendations, present assessment, and implementation plans, and identify areas for further study.
• Reviews Department initiatives and those of other organizations to assess their potential impact on FAO policies and operations. Drafts recommendations on whether and to what extent FAO should participate in these initiatives when it noted that participation is optional.
• Coordinates FAO's participation, optional or mandatory, including making recommendations to leadership that ensure implementation is adequately staffed, workload is equitably distributed, and FAO's priorities and concerns are adequately addressed. Monitors the execution of initiatives and tasks, tracks their progress, and follows up as needed. Identifies problem areas and recommends solutions to senior management. Contributes to the formulation of recommendations or guidance that addresses these concerns.
• Cultivates and maintains close collaborative working relationships within FAO and the Department, and other organizations to ensure effective communication, commonality of purpose, and unified action.
• Take full responsibility for keeping Trackers up-to-date and accurate. This entails carrying out regular updates, edits, and reviews to ensure that the data is always reliable and relevant to the needs of the Managing Director and staff. Possess advanced proficiency in the Microsoft Suite and enables teams to generate detailed tables and insightful analyses from NextGen.

Skills/Qualifications: The candidate participates in routine and recurring meetings and drafts status reports for management to identify action items and report on the status of action items until completion. The incumbent provides routine status updates on tasks in an electronic format to be reviewed by management. This report should show the status of tasks, initiatives, and project plans. The role requires strong organizational, communication, and analytical skills to carry out tasks that support leadership, facilitate internal coordination, and promote adherence to established policies and procedures. Secret clearance required.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university.
• 3+ years of relevant experience.

Clearance Requirement: Secret clearance required. Must be a U.S. citizen.

Physical Requirements: The ideal candidate must at a minimum be able to meet the following physical requirements of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation:

• Ability to perform repetitive motions with the hands, wrists, and fingers.
• Ability to engage in and follow audible communications in emergency situations.
• Ability to sit for prolonged periods at a desk and working on a computer.

The Nakupuna Companies use a market-based compensation strategy to ensure that our employees are compensated within applicable market ranges commensurate with multiple factors, including but not limited to the individual's particular combination of education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience, as well as contract-specific affordability, organizational requirements, and position location. The projected compensation range for this position is $90,000.00 to $110,000.00 (annualized USD). The salary range displayed represents the typical salary range for this position and is just one component of Nakupuna Companies total compensation package for employees.