Foreign Service Regional Public Engagement Specialist (formerly Information Resource Officer) (FP 4200)

Specialized Experience demonstrates the candidate has acquired, and is able to apply, a combination of specific knowledge, skills and abilities appropriate to a Foreign Service RPES position. Candidates must demonstrate that their job-related experience has been at progressively increasing levels of performance and responsibility through such indicators as promotions, raises, increases in duties and responsibilities, and organizational and employee impact. Candidates must possess at least 10 years of Specialized Experience. Examples of Specialized Experience include: Experience in managing libraries, makerspaces, cultural spaces, and other related centers to include working with diverse public audiences, overseeing and advising on operations, understanding security risks and planning developing policies to support public access and accessibility, and upgrading and replacing equipment, furnishings, and resources. Experience providing information and making recommendations to leadership teams affecting libraries, makerspaces, cultural centers, and other related centers based on input and data from their respective communities. Experience in supervising and developing staff and coordinating public outreach activities and programs for diverse audiences. Experience implementing strategic planning, program design and assessment, and evaluation principles related to public outreach, with some experience in their applications in a multicultural setting preferred. Experience developing and delivering training and professional development programs for adult learners. Experience in conducting staff training needs assessments, designing experiential learning activities, and facilitating training for diverse professional audiences. Experience with financial mechanisms to include program budgets, contracts and grants management, reviewing funding proposals, and monitoring and evaluating program performance and effectiveness. Candidates should demonstrate a strong command of the English language to include grammar, word usage, spelling, and punctuation. Foreign Service Specialists must consistently meet a high standard for English, both written (overall structure as well as grammar, spelling, and punctuation) and spoken (overall structure as well as delivery, clarity, and succinctness). Formal experience studying a foreign language or demonstrated ability using a foreign language is desirable, but not required. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities The Department has conducted extensive job analysis research to determine Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) and other attributes conducive to successful performance in this position. A candidate’s education level, work experience, and other qualifications will be considered as part of the hiring decision-making process based on these KSA criteria. Not all of these attributes need to be met by a candidate; the attributes will be used as a set to evaluate candidates. Knowledge of: Library, Museum, and/or Cultural Center Management: Experience in managing a library, museum, and/or cultural center that offers public programs. Knowledge of policies governing public access, resources, technology, and security, as referenced in the American Library Association’s Core Competencies of Librarianship. Public Outreach, Applied Technology and Community Engagement: Knowledge of trends in public outreach, applied technology, and community-oriented reimagined spaces to attract, cultivate and impact audiences to promote organizational objectives. Some knowledge of data science principles and the ability to promote a data-driven mindset to guide decisions. Information Products and Services: Knowledgeable in the principles of reference services and collection development to recommend, interpret, evaluate, disseminate and/or use information resources to promote information literacy and media literacy. Project Management: Ability to plan and designate project resources, prepare budgets, monitor progress, and keep stakeholders informed on American Spaces projects, including renovation and construction projects. U.S. Culture: Basic knowledge of U.S. culture, values and customs, political and social institutions, history, and contemporary affairs. Fiscal Management Principles: Ability to manage budget and fiscal resources in support of public outreach and programming. Team and Personnel Management: Ability to direct and coordinate the activities of team members and staff, assess performance, assign tasks, motivate team members and staff, plan and organize, and establish a positive atmosphere. Skills in: Public Access to Information and Community Outreach: Advanced applicable skill in providing public access to reliable, correct, and timely information and resources, and outreach to a wide range of audiences focused on identified priority subjects. Emerging Information Technology and Digital Platforms: Advanced applicable skill in using current and emerging information technology (e.g., social media, web and mobile technology) for public outreach and analyzing its effectiveness to meet organizational objectives. Outreach and Promotional Strategies: Ability to keep abreast of evolving community needs and promote a slate of programs, services and partnerships to develop programming to meet learning goals in support of organizational objectives. Change Management: Advanced interpersonal and management skills in order to motivate individuals and teams transitioning to new organizational goals, structures and/or ways of working (e.g., transition to cloud, social, mobile environments, collaborative team-based environments, changed reporting patterns). Training: Ability to conduct training needs assessments, design experiential learning activities, and facilitate training for staff on American Spaces programming and operations. Program Evaluation: Skills in evaluating a diverse range of outreach initiatives and programming services, with strong monitoring skills to manage grants and contracts. Partner Relationships: Skills in establishing new models of collaboration and strengthening partnerships with multiple stakeholders to achieve organizational objectives. Organizational Management: Advanced skill in planning, organizing, and managing human and fiscal resources to bring about the successful completion of projects that support or achieve defined goals. Public Speaking and Presentations: Advanced communication skills to publicly articulate and explain objectives, societal norms and values, both in current and historical contexts, in order to advance understanding. Cross Cultural Environments: Ability to work effectively with embassy local staff and professional colleagues from host country institutions to design, implement, evaluate, and promote programming in a cross-cultural environment. Budget Management: Experience in preparing and monitoring budget and financial reports in order to assure that funds are used appropriately. Staff Development: Ability to assess staff professional development needs, including American Spaces staff and coordinators, and advise PDS teams on the appropriate procedures to meet those needs. Ability to supervise and effectively manage the performance of subordinates and develop staff involved in American Spaces activities. Ability to: Formulate Strategic Goals: Ability to request and explain positions on policy issues to internal and external audiences and stakeholders, and to develop and execute strategies to achieve organizational objectives. Align Abilities and Talent with Organizational Vision: Ability to adapt individual abilities and talents to align with a larger organization’s strategic goals and objectives. Locate, curate and adapt information from a wide variety of sources to achieve a programmatic objective. Other Requirements: Openness for international career: Accept assignments based on the needs of the Foreign Service, experiencing frequent global travel.
The U.S. Department of State is developing a rank-ordered list of eligible hires for a limited number of Foreign Service Regional Public Engagement Specialists (RPES) positions. Learn more about Foreign Service careers at https://careers.state.gov. There is more to joining the Foreign Service than just salary. Refer to the Benefits section for more information on total compensation.