Job Description
Foreign Service Regional Public Engagement Specialist (formerly Information Resource Officer)
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 based on the needs of the Department. To learn more about the Department of State and a career as a Foreign Service Specialist, please visit us at https://careers.state.gov.
Duties
Foreign Service Regional Public Engagement Specialists (RPES), under the leadership of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ (ECA) Office of American Spaces, and Public Diplomacy sections at U.S. missions, provide professional expertise and program support to over 600 American Spaces at U.S. embassies and consulates, and partner institutions. ECA is the Department’s bureau that works to build friendly, peaceful relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through academic, cultural, sports, and professional exchanges, as well as public-private partnerships. American Spaces are centers to promote engagement with audiences around the world on issues of importance to U.S. foreign policy, and on U.S. culture and values. RPES serve in 23 overseas locations (Accra, Almaty, Amman, Beijing, Belgrade, Bogota, Brasilia, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Dakar, Hanoi, Islamabad, Jakarta, Kigali, Kyiv, Mexico City, Nairobi, New Delhi, Pretoria, Rangoon, Riga, Rome, and Vienna) and provide professional direction and guidance to American Spaces within their assigned portfolio of 2-12 countries.
Advisory and Consultation
Counsel Public Diplomacy section (PDS) leadership on American Spaces and advise on the viability of American Space host-partnerships.
Provide guidance to ensure American Spaces programs and funding reflect U.S. interests on social, political, and economic developments in the host countries and promote U.S. foreign policy goals, and propose programming strategies in support of U.S. objectives. Assist PDS and Spaces staff in developing strategic plans. Provide expertise on programs, outreach, and applied information technology.
Evaluate American Spaces’ performance and operations, including programming content, quality of services, outreach to local and target audiences, partnerships, and affiliations. Develop and maximize the utilization of American Spaces as key venues to engage foreign publics on U.S. foreign policy matters.
Conduct site visits to American Spaces to identify and carry out related needs assessments, including training needs. Provide actionable recommendations to PDS and Spaces staff to improve the performance and capabilities of American Spaces towards long-term sustainability.
Assist PDS and Spaces in the use of data-driven decision making and in incorporating data collection applications and customer relations management software.
Supervision and Training
Conduct or facilitate training for American Spaces staff on a wide variety of platforms and digital and analytic tools in order to augment skills critical to the performance of American Spaces.
Manage an American Space and supervise American Spaces staff, as required, assuming responsibilities for professional development and performance evaluation.
Project Liaison
Serve in a liaison role for major American Spaces projects such as relocation, construction and renovation projects involving multiple stakeholders at the Department and with external partners. Serve as the Contracting Officer’s Representative, Grants Officer or Grants Officer’s Representative, as required.