Deadline for Applications: June 26, 2017
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
United States Department of State
An Equal Opportunity Employer
How to Apply
Position Title: Diplomatic Security: Foreign Service Diplomatic Courier
Open Period: 6/21/2017 – 6/27/2017
Salary: $39,954-$58,674 Per Year
Duty Locations: MANY vacancies – Department of State Posts – Overseas and Domestic, United States
Position Information: Work Schedule is Full-time – Permanent after being tenured in the Foreign Service by the Tenure Boards.
Who May Apply
Must be a U.S. citizen. Potential applicants should read the entire announcement to ensure that they meet all of the requirements and understand a Foreign Service career.
Applicants may not reapply for one year after the previous application for the same position.
If a State Department Suitability Review Panel denied suitability in the last two years, you may not apply (except Diplomatic Security Special Agent (SA) candidates whose denial was based solely on the unique requirements for SAs.)
Job Overview
Summary
The U.S. Department of State, our country’s lead foreign policy agency, provides a rich international experience whether at home or abroad, and opportunities to become responsible leaders. Each day, our employees make a difference as they contribute to our global society and defend and advance our country’s interests and values. They work on the business of diplomacy and high priority issues that impact the safety, security, and prosperity of our world – human rights, environment, energy, food security, public health, and technology – all while experiencing a unique career. Our talented workforce reflects and champions all of our strengths and diversity – personal, professional, and educational. We offer a workplace that values and rewards leadership, collaboration and innovation, and personal and professional development.
Foreign Service Diplomatic Couriers assist in worldwide security programs that provide secure transportation services for Department of State classified diplomatic pouches. Diplomatic Couriers safeguard and escort diplomatic pouches containing classified and sensitive material between U.S. diplomatic missions overseas and the Department of State. The Department carries out this mission at more than 275 embassies and consulates around the world, offices in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area and other locations in the U.S.
Diplomatic Couriers spend most of their career in a constant state of travel. Couriers are assigned to regional offices and travel from these postings to constituent embassies and consulates in the region.
Duties
Diplomatic Couriers spend a substantial portion of their careers living and working overseas in a nearly constant travel status using conveyances to include passenger and cargo aircraft, trucks, trains, and ships. Diplomatic Courier duties can vary according to the requirements of each mission. Diplomatic Couriers are required to safeguard and escort diplomatic pouches containing classified and sensitive material between U.S. diplomatic missions and the Department of State. Diplomatic Couriers are entrusted with ensuring the inviolability of diplomatic pouches and their safe and secure delivery throughout the world. They operate under international agreements and treaties as governed by the Vienna Convention. They are responsible for complying with Department of State policies, regulations, and implementing the strict security procedures that define the control and movement of U.S. diplomatic pouches internationally and within the US.
Couriers are responsible for the security of the Department of State’s Courier-accompanied diplomatic pouch operations worldwide. Diplomatic Courier duties may include the supervision of subordinate staff and the actual performance of some, or all, of the following functions:
- Serve as a Diplomatic Courier for the Department of State and other USG agencies that may need to transmit official government classified or sensitive materials across international boundaries. Identify needed logistical support; provision for the storage or staging of pouches; detect and bring to resolution the cause and impact of delays or other logistical problems; adjust plans and schedules for all related actions to accommodate timely and secure movement of pouches.
- Travel frequently as a full time job, on missions lasting one day to two weeks or more. Diplomatic Couriers travel by commercial, cargo, chartered, and military aircraft, overland by bus and commercial trucks, by rail and by sea.
- Develop, plan, and implement pouch escort programs and schedules; assess the efficiency and effectiveness of operations and provide practical solutions when problems arise; ensure the proper allocation and expenditure of appropriated funds; provide timely and appropriate pouch delivery and dispatch services to posts worldwide. Other responsibilities include maintaining internal management controls in order to prevent waste, fraud, and mismanagement.
- Assist in labor intensive duties, including warehouse duties, sorting and moving heavy pouches, using packing materials, escorting missions, and working with the cargo crew to move heavy pouches on airport tarmacs.
- Manage, regulate, coordinate, or otherwise exercise control over the pouch material. This includes initial planning, provisioning and determining handling and accountability, and oversight of physical accountability (maintenance and management of inventory records, conduct of periodic inventories, and releases from accountability).
- Plan, coordinate and implement travel and pouch transportation support needs domestically and at posts serviced worldwide, including motor vehicle operations and needs, issuance of travel orders, and ticketing for commercial and military air and surface transportation. Evaluate, negotiate, and participate in awarding contracts with commercial organizations and other government agencies involved in provision of, or support of, travel and transportation.
- Enforce Department of State pouch regulations required to ensure the inviolability of diplomatic pouches from the point of origin to international destinations as governed by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
- Assess risks to movement of diplomatic pouches and sealed official diplomatic cargo; detect and report attempts to damage or subvert the principle of inviolability of the diplomatic pouches and cargo.
- Conduct, administer, and implement diplomatic pouch security training and training assistance programs for U.S. foreign affairs personnel, and officials of designated foreign governments.
For more information and to apply, click here.