International Relations Specialist (Africa) at Office of the Secretary of the Interior

About the role

You will serve as a International Relations Specialist (Africa)with responsibility for developing both short- and long-range program objectives of the Department of the Interior (DOI) on international issues. Overnight away from home up to 1-2 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes. Pay will vary based on grade level and/or duty location for which you're selected. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate. Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Strategic Planning: Contribute to development of short- and long-term objectives for international engagement to benefit operations of Interior and its technical bureaus. Foreign Technical Assistance: Prepare, evaluate, and improve proposals and programs delivering DOI expertise abroad. Select and coordinate DOI technical assistance teams, manage international project work plans, and manage international projects. Interagency Coordination: - - Serve as DOI's primary liaison to State, DOI bureaus, and other interagency partners on international issues and reporting. - - Review talking points, memos, and policy decisions from State Department, Department of Energy, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and other U.S. government counterparts to ensure DOI concurrence and/or compliance International Engagements: - - Represent DOI in negotiations with foreign governments, NGOs, and international organizations to develop and implement programs. - - Manage and oversee international visitor programs and other meetings with international counterparts; prepare guidance and clearances to Interior employees and briefing materials for DOI senior leadership. Agreement Management: Oversee DOI engagement in existing international and interagency agreements. Draft, negotiate, review, and clear MOUs and other agreements with foreign governments and U.S. agencies. Qualifications: All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-08/28/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. If you do not provide evidence that you possess the following selective factor(s), you will be rated not qualified. Applicants must be able to read, speak, and write in one applicable local language, such as Swahili or Pulaar, in order to qualify. The position will require these foreign language skills in certain instances, particularly when working in these countries. The position will also occasionally require drafting briefing materials or otherwise representing the office's work in one of these languages. Work will include communication with counterparts from foreign governments or other organizations in African countries. Familiarity with the cultural practices, language, and natural resource issues of the region will be critical for success. Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Basic Educational Requirement AND Specialized Experience for the series to which you are applying. Basic Educational Requirements: In addition to the specialized experience requirements for this position, you must meet at least one of the following: A. Degree: major or equivalent, or a combination of courses totaling at least 24 semester hours in international law and international relations, political science, economics, history, sociology, geography, social or cultural anthropology, law, statistics, or in the humanities; or 12 semester hours in one of the above disciplines and 12 semester hours in statistics/quantitative methods. You must submit transcripts. -OR- B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major, or a combination of related courses totaling at least 24 semester hours, in one or more of the social sciences, or in the humanities, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. -OR- C. Experience: four years of appropriate experience in one or more of the fields listed above in work associated with international organizations, problems, or other aspects of foreign affairs -AND- To qualify for this position at the GS-13 grade level: Specialized Experience Requirement: you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Communicating effectively and working in at least one foreign language of the region, for example Swahili or Pulaar. Providing on-the-ground technical, policy, or natural resource support in sub-Saharan African countries relevant to DOI equities (e.g., Senegal, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda, DRC, or Kenya). Managing international technical cooperation projects focused on water, mineral, or other natural resource-based topics, including commercial opportunities, in Africa. Communicating amongst technical experts, non-government organizations, and non-expert government representatives on natural and cultural resource issues of mutual interest within DOI's mission areas (e.g. water, geospatial, natural resource, and cultural heritage issues). Independently overseeing the planning and logistics for international technical exchanges, workshops and/or field activities with foreign partners, technical specialists, and government representatives, providing remote and on-the-ground coordination as needed You must include hours per week worked. Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/. You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority. Extensive travel to remote areas required; valid driver's license and ability to obtain an Official U.S. Passport needed. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.