An Opportunity to Serve the Secretary: Career

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 STATE 075055 FOR AMBS, DCMS, AND POS FROM EXEC SEC SMITH SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: APER SUBJECT: An Opportunity to Serve the Secretary: Career Opportunities for FS-01, FS-02, FS-03, FS-04, and FP-05 and 06 Specialists in the Executive Secretariat ¶1. I would like to ask for your help in identifying service-oriented officers and specialists for tours in the Operations Center on the Watch (S/ES-O) and the Crisis Management Staff (S/ES-O-CMS),on the Line (S/ES-S),in the S/ES Information Resource Management Office (S/ES- IRM),and in the S/ES Executive Director's Office (S/ES- EX) beginning summer 2010. Motivated people with strong interpersonal skills, a commitment to excellence, and a sharp intellect do well in the Executive Secretariat. We are looking for candidates who possess initiative, good judgment, attention to detail, the ability to multi-task under pressure, a solid understanding of U.S. policy and interests around the world, the ability to work effectively as part of a team, and a healthy sense of humor. THE OPERATIONS CENTER - THE WATCH -------------- ¶2. The Operations Center Watch is an outstanding introduction to Washington and the policy-making process. The Department's 24/7 command and control center alerts all-source breaking news to Department principals and bureaus, drafts daily briefs for the Secretary and memoranda of her conversations with foreign leaders, and supports the Principals in their telephone diplomacy with foreign leaders. ¶3. The challenge is great - serving the highest-levels of the Department, following global events on a minute-by- minute basis, and working rotating shifts that allow little opportunity for leave during the thirteen-month tour - but the reward is an unparalleled professional experience. The Watch takes pride in its programs and esprit de corps: our officers participate in a yearly all- hands meeting with Department principals, off-sites to enhance team-building, and shadowing and training opportunities in other 7th floor offices. Watchstanders tend to move on to and shine in excellent onward assignments. The fact that numerous Department principals are Operations Center alumni speaks highly of the experience and the opportunity. ¶4. Candidates need to understand that the unusual nature and duties of the Watch place considerable demands on our officers. Watch Officers and Senior Watch Officers as a rule are not able to take as much leave as colleagues in more traditional positions and will almost certainly work when their colleagues in other offices are sleeping or enjoying weekends or holidays. Our requirement to maintain a base level of staffing throughout training seasons means candidates need to be prepared to take less than the maximum allowable home leave, and missions need to be prepared to release these officers early. A) Watch Officers: Watch Officers (WOs) must have top- notch analytical and communications skills, the motivation to succeed in a fast-paced and demanding environment, and a commitment to teamwork and supporting their fellow WOs. The FS 3/4 WO positions offer arguably the best initial Washington experience available to a third tour officer, with tasks ranging from briefing Department principals on breaking events to monitoring the Secretary's calls with foreign leaders and drafting memoranda of conversation. We generally look for FS-04 or FS-03 officers who will have had two tours by the time they reach the Watch, as they can best benefit from its rigors and rewards. We will, however, consider second tour officers who have shown exceptional maturity and effectiveness during their initial tour. B) Senior Watch Officers: FS-02 Senior Watch Officers (SWOs) lead teams of Watch Officers, and during shifts outside of normal business hours are often the senior official on duty at the State Department. SWOs must be able to exercise sound judgment under pressure and make decisions based on fragmentary information. They gain excellent management experience by supervising a team of six Foreign Service and Civil Service employees. In addition to being the final arbiter of most written Watch products, the SWO is responsible for distributing some of the most sensitive captioned traffic the Department receives, such as NODIS cables, and is the final clearer of outgoing sensitive captioned and ALDAC telegrams. STATE 00075055 002 OF 005 SUBJECT: An Opportunity to Serve the Secretary: Career Opportunities for FS-01, FS-02, FS-03, FS-04, and FP-05 and 06 Specialists in the Executive Secretari C) Operations Specialists: Operations Specialists (OS) are integral members of the Watch team. In addition to performing many of the same functions as other Watch Officers, the Operations Specialist is responsible for monitoring the news wires and keeping the team and the Executive Secretariat apprised of fast-breaking events; ensuring rapid and accurate distribution of information, including the proper transmittal, receipt, logging and distribution of Top Secret documents; drafting a summary of press highlights; and operating a wide array of sophisticated communications equipment. Normally filled by civil service employees, in summer 2010 we will be filling one or more OS positions with FP-05 or FP-04 Foreign Service Office Management Specialists. ¶5. There will be 22 Foreign Service WO openings, six Foreign Service SWO openings, and at least one Foreign Service OS opening in the summer of 2010. We welcome nominations of candidates from all cones. Tenured Watch Officers receive a 13 percent differential and parking privileges. Untenured officers and FP-05/06 specialists receive additional compensation for overtime. Senior Watch Officers receive an 18 percent differential and parking privileges. Please note: due to Department policy, SWOs promoted to FS-01 stop receiving this differential. ¶6. Candidates interested in learning more about "Life in Ops" may contact Operations Management Officer Sara Revell for a referral to a current Watch Officer. Operations Center Deputy Director Dean Thompson (before August 10) or Rena Bitter (after August 10) also would be pleased to speak by telephone or in person with any candidates interested in a Watch position. THE OPERATIONS CENTER - CRISIS MANAGEMENT SUPPORT -------------- -------------- ¶7. The Operations Center's Office of Crisis Management Support (CMS) is the NEXUS for crisis response in the Department, working in close coordination with posts, regional and functional bureaus, and interagency partners to predict, prepare for, and respond to crises that might threaten American lives or key U.S. policy interests. The office manages crisis task forces, monitors and reports on emerging threats, facilitates overseas emergency preparedness, and participates in crisis training in the United States and overseas. Whether moderating interagency conference calls on hurricane response, guiding task force workers on a midnight shift, writing a situation report for the Secretary, or working closely with regional desks, PMOs, CA, DS, interagency partners, and overseas posts on the spectrum of crisis response, CMS officers have a unique opportunity to take a leadership role in arguably the most important work the Department does - supporting principals, posts, and private citizens in times of need. During crises, CMS officers obtain an in-depth understanding of the operational complexities of the Department's logistical and diplomatic response when CMS coordinates the task forces established in dedicated Operations Center task force rooms, or virtually on classified web portals (see HTTP://WWW.INTELINK.SGOV.GOV/WIKI/CATEGORY:CR ISIS_TASK_F ORCE). Shift work is required during crises. Officers also draft a daily written summary of emerging potential crises for Department principals and for posting to a broader inter-agency readership on the Crisis Hot Spots web portal at http://www.intellink.sgov.gov/wiki/Crisis. Between crises, officers develop regional expertise and contacts throughout the Department and the interagency, focus on crisis management policy, and lead task force training for Department personnel. Duties also include some travel to overseas and domestic locations to participate in and provide briefings during crisis management exercises. ¶8. CMS has two 2010 vacancies: a rotational FS-03 position and an FS-02 Coordinator position that supervises seven staff members. These positions are two-year assignments, but the rotational officer first serves one year as a crisis management trainer at FSI's Office of Crisis Management Training, with regular travel overseas on Crisis Management Exercises, and then one year as a CMS Program Officer. These are outstanding opportunities for up-and-coming Department leaders seeking to develop a rich blend of analytical, management, consular, and interagency bureaucratic skills required for success in challenging overseas assignments or in other busy, high-profile offices in Washington. Officers from all cones are welcome. Prior crisis management, teaching, or military experience, as well as an innovative approach to problem STATE 00075055 003 OF 005 SUBJECT: An Opportunity to Serve the Secretary: Career Opportunities for FS-01, FS-02, FS-03, FS-04, and FP-05 and 06 Specialists in the Executive Secretari solving and management, will be especially valued. More background information on CMS and crisis management procedures is available at http://poems.state.sgov/cms/resources.asp (classified), or http://ses.state.gov/seso/crisis/resources.as p (unclassified). Interested officers are encouraged to contact Karen Zareski, Operations Center Crisis Management Coordinator. Operations Center - Front Office ¶9. In addition, the Operations Center is seeking an Office Management Specialist to fill the FS-05 Staff Assistant position. This is an excellent introduction to Washington and the seventh floor. The Staff Assistant is an integral part of the Operations Center's front office, and must be motivated to excel in a fast-paced environment. Responsibilities include administrative duties and management of the Department's duty officer roster, payroll, and the director's schedule. The Staff Assistant will have the opportunity to cross-train in other S/ES functions. This is a two-year position, working regular duty hours (i.e., no shift work). Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Stephanie Sullivan, Operations Center Director. ¶10. We are also seeking to fill the FS-03 Operations Management Officer (OMO) position. The OMO is an integral part of the Operations Center's front office team, assisting the deputy for the Watch and the Operations Center Director with myriad complex management responsibilities. The OMO must be motivated to excel in a fast-paced environment. The OMO will have the opportunity to cross-train in other S/ES functions. This is a two- year position, working regular duty hours (i.e. no shift work, except when cross-training as a Watch Officer). Interested candidates are encouraged to contact the Operations Center's Deputy Director, Dean Thompson (before August 10) or Rena Bitter (after August 10). The Line -------------- ¶11. The Line, officially known as the Executive Secretariat Staff (S/ES-S),offers exciting challenges and travel opportunities for experienced FS-03 officers and FP-06 Office Management Specialists. The two-year tour in S/ES-S offers an outstanding perspective on Washington and the policy-making process, as well as invaluable management experience leading teams toward a common goal. Line Officers and Assistants get a bird's eye view of the policy process by reviewing the full range of bureau memoranda for the Secretary, Deputy Secretaries, and Under Secretary for Political Affairs. ¶12. Line Officers advance the Secretary's overseas travel and work closely with Ambassadors, DCMs, and senior Department and host nation officials to help ensure that the Secretary's visits successfully advance our foreign policy agenda. We generally look for tenured FS-03 officers who will have had three tours by the time they reach the Line, including a tour in Washington. We will, however, consider third tour officers and/or officers who have not served in Washington who have shown exceptional maturity and effectiveness. Line Assistants work in tandem with Line Officers in advancing the Secretary's travel and are responsible for logistics for office and hotel set-up for the Secretary's traveling party. As with officers, applicants for Line Assistant positions that can bring a combination of field and Washington experience are the most competitive. ¶13. The Line will have five Officer and three Assistant vacancies in 2010. Line Officers receive a differential of 13 percent, while Line Assistants receive a night differential. Both Line Officers and Assistants have parking privileges. Mario Mesquita, Deputy Director for the Line, would be pleased to meet in person with candidates interested in the Line, or can arrange to speak with them via DVC or on the phone. He can arrange also for nominees to speak to incumbents. Dean Thompson, Line Director, is also available to speak with interested candidates about S/ES-S positions. Information Resource Management -------------- ¶14. The FS-02 Deputy Director position provides leadership, direction, policy, and management for three of the six teams within S/ES-IRM: Mobile Communications, Technical and Security, and our Mobile Solutions team. STATE 00075055 004 OF 005 SUBJECT: An Opportunity to Serve the Secretary: Career Opportunities for FS-01, FS-02, FS-03, FS-04, and FP-05 and 06 Specialists in the Executive Secretari Working in a high profile and challenging environment, the Deputy is expected to provide the Secretary with rapid, reliable and secure communications as she conducts America's foreign policy in locations around the world. Contact S/ES-IRM Director John Bentel or S/ES-IRM Deputy Director Kevin Wagganer if you have any questions about this assignment opportunity. ¶15. The FS-02 Information Management Officer (IMO) position located in S/ES-IRM directly supervises the Secretary's Mobile Communications team. The incumbent is responsible for directing, planning, coordinating, and implementing various programs designed to provide telecommunications and information support to the Secretary of State and other VIPs during their travels overseas. The incumbent determines and recommends policies, plans, and courses of action to commit available resources to initiate or discontinue projects in support of the bureau's strategic goals and objectives. The IMO of the Mobile Communications Office deals at a senior level with officials within the Department, White House, other government agencies, U.S. missions, and the private sector. This position has supervisory responsibilities. Please contact S/ES-IRM Deputy Director Kevin Wagganer if you have any questions about this position. ¶16. S/ES-IRM Office of Mobile Communications has three FS-03 summer 2010 openings with ample travel opportunities. The Mobile Communications Team within S/ES- IRM provides rapid, reliable, secure communications support for the Secretary while traveling overseas, recreating the domestic information technology work environment at locations around the world as she conducts America's foreign policy. The candidates for these jobs need to be energetic, customer-focused, have the ability to function as part of a close-knit team, communicate well with senior Department officials and staff, and adapt to a constantly changing environment. Team members are expected to quickly become proficient in LAN/WAN operations, Cisco routers, Secure Voice, telephone, administrative desktop support, satellite and cryptographic operations. They will also be given special projects as we look for ways to incorporate new technologies into the present structure. Mobile Communications Team members must be prepared to depart on a moment's notice, travel as required and work until the job is done. This work is exciting, fast-paced, and physically demanding. As such, a Class I medical clearance is required for a position with Mobile Communications. S/ES-IRM IMO Maribel Pulido would be pleased to speak with any IMSes looking for exciting challenges in the Mobile Communications section of S/ES- IRM. Executive Director's Office -------------- ¶17. The EX Office of the Executive Secretariat is seeking motivated, customer friendly, and creative officers to interface directly with the Secretary and her Principals and staff on all travel-related issues and logistical and managerial matters. ¶18. Deputy Executive Director (FS-01): Serves as Deputy of the Executive Office of the Executive Secretariat, which provides managerial and logistical support to the Secretary, two Deputy Secretaries, six Under Secretaries, three Special Envoys, and all of the other 30 offices (a clientele of over 800 employees) under the S umbrella. Manages and coordinates the the activities of five Foreign and Civil Service Section Chiefs in Human Resources, General Services, Budget, Security, and Information Management. Coordinates the travel for and accompanies the Secretary of State on all domestic trips. Oversees the day-to-day operations of more than 60 employees of S/ES-EX and S/ES-IRM. ¶19. General Services Officer (FS-02): Serves as the senior officer in the GSO section of S/ES-EX, providing general services support to the Secretary, two Deputy Secretaries, six Under Secretaries, 3 Special Envoys and their staffs, and all other offices under the S Umbrella. Coordinates for and travels with the Deputy Secretaries, the Under Secretaries and the Special Envoys for their special travel requirements. Incumbent reports through the Deputy Executive Director to the Executive Director, supervises a Foreign Service GSO, a Civil Service GSO, four General Services Specialists, four Labor Technicians and a Messenger/Clerk. ¶20. Office Management Specialist - Management - (FP-06): STATE 00075055 005 OF 005 SUBJECT: An Opportunity to Serve the Secretary: Career Opportunities for FS-01, FS-02, FS-03, FS-04, and FP-05 and 06 Specialists in the Executive Secretari Incumbent is a staff assistant in the front office of S/ES-EX and reports to the Deputy Director. He/she works directly with the offices of the Secretary, the two Deputy Secretaries, the Under Secretaries, the Special Envoys, and all of the other offices in S. Manages the logistics for all of the Secretary of State's domestic travel needs and assists on the international travel arrangements as well. Coordinates the bureau awards program. This is an exciting position requiring exceptional organizational and communication skills to deftly handle the myriad of tasks and clients that can quickly change. ¶21. Foreign Service HRO (FS-02): Assignments Officer in S/ES-EX for all foreign services officers under the S Bureau (including S/ES, D(S),D(L),P, T, E, G, C, M, R, F and several other S offices). Responsible for coordinating both generalist and specialist FS assignments, liaising with HR/CDA and the creation and processing of FS position descriptions as well as subsequent GEMS entries. Reports directly to S/ES-EX Human Resources division chief and is reviewed by the Executive Director. Requires great organizational and customer skills as there are new HR situations to solve daily. ¶22. Please contact Virginia Smith if you are interested in any of these S/ES-EX positions. Final Word from the Executive Secretary -------------- ¶23. Competition for these jobs is always intense. Our leadership team will weigh strongly your personal endorsement of a particular candidate. With regard to nominations: --Nominations can be sent to me by cable or e-mail. --For the Operations Center Watch (S/ES-O),please slug/cc: Operations Center Director Stephanie Sullivan and Deputy Director Dean Thompson (before August 10) or Rena Bitter (August 10 onward). --For the Operations Center Crisis Management Support positions (S/ES-O CMS),please slug/cc: Operations Center Director Stephanie Sullivan and Operations Center Crisis Management Coordinator Karen Zareski. --For the Line (S/ES-S),please slug/cc: Line Director Dean Thompson and Deputy Director Mario Mesquita. --For S/ES-IRM, please slug/cc: S/ES-IRM Deputy Director Kevin Wagganer and IMO Maribel Pulido. --For the Executive Director's office (S/ES-EX),please slug/cc: Virginia Smith. --VERY IMPORTANT: Please indicate the month in which your post would be willing to let the candidate leave. --Please submit your nominations by Tuesday, September 1. ¶24. Thank you for your consideration and your efforts to identify top-flight talent for S/ES. ¶25. Minimize considered. CLINTON