Political - Economic Administrative Assistant - US Embassy - Bahrain

The American Embassy in Manama is seeking candidates for employment as the Political/Economic Administrative Assistant in the Embassy’s Political/Economic Section (POL/ECON).

BASIC FUNCTION OF THE POSITION
The position serves as the Secretary for the Political/Economic Section. The incumbent assists the Section Chief (supervisor) and six other POL/ECON Officers. Relieves Front Office OMS's as requested. As directed, duties may include typing of reports, letters, telegrams; drafting routine correspondence; preparing briefing books for the Ambassador and visiting delegations; preparing talking points, diplomatic notes and demarches from telegrams; answering and screening telephone calls; taking accurate messages; meeting and escorting visitors; sorting and distributing incoming mail; maintaining files in accordance with the section's filing system; scheduling and taking notes at meetings; and performing other administrative support functions as directed.
A copy of the complete position description listing all duties and responsibilities is available from the Embassy’s Human Resources Office at 1724-2937.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED
Note: Items 1-5 are ALL REQUIRED. All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item.
1. Education: Completion of secondary (high) school is required.
2. Experience: Two to three years of relevant, full-time experience as an Administrative Assistant, Secretary or Personal Assistant in an office environment is required.
3. Language: Level 4 (fluent) spoken/written English is required.
4. Knowledge: Knowledge of general office management and practices is required. Computer savvy and intermediate knowledge of a variety of computer software programs to include Microsoft Outlook and Word is required. Good knowledge of English grammar and spelling is required. Ability to prioritize and organize tasks to accomplish workload is required. Organizational knowledge sufficient to understand mission sections and functions is required.
5. Abilities & Skills: Strong interpersonal skills to develop cooperative working relationships with others is required. Must be able to type with speed and accuracy. Ability to work independently and deal calmly and effectively in stressful situations is required. Flexibility, dependability and attention to details is required.

SELECTION PROCESS
When fully qualified, U.S. Citizen Eligible Family Members (USEFMs*) and U.S. Veterans will be given preference. A USEFM does not have to be residing in Bahrain to be considered, but the sponsoring officer must be officially assigned to post. A candidate must meet all the aforementioned criteria to be selected.

ADDITIONAL SELECTION CRITERIA
1. Management will consider nepotism/conflict of interest, budget, and residency status in determining successful candidacy.
2. Current employees serving a probationary period are not eligible to apply.
3. Current Ordinarily Resident employees with an Overall Summary Rating of “needs improvement” or “unsatisfactory” on their most recent Employee Performance Report are not eligible to apply.
4. Currently employed U.S. citizen EFMs who hold a Family Member Appointment (FMA) are ineligible to apply for advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment.
5. Current “not ordinarily resident employees” hired under a Personal Services Agreement are ineligible to apply for advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment unless currently hired into a position with a When Actually Employed (WAE) work schedule.
6. The candidate must be a U.S. Citizen and be able to obtain and hold a Top Secret security clearance.

TO APPLY
Interested applicants for this position must submit the following or the application will not be considered:
1. Documentation (e.g., secondary school diploma, certificates, driver’s license, copies of degrees earned) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above;
2. Universal Application for Employment (UAE) as a Locally Employed Staff or Family Member (DS-174); or
Current resume or curriculum vitae that provides the same information found on the UAE; or
Combination of both; i.e. Sections 1 -24 of the UAE along with a listing of the applicant’s work experience attached as a separate sheet.
3. (If applicable). Candidates who claim U.S. Veterans preference must provide a copy of their Form DD-214 with their application;
4. (If applicable). List any family members who are currently employed at the Embassy. Any omission in this area, either intentional or accidental, may be grounds for dismissal.
5. (If applicable). Applicants who claim EFM or MOH* status must include in the cover letter accompanying their application that they are claiming EFM/MOH status, their present nationality and name and employing section/agency of their sponsoring family member.

SUBMIT APPLICATION TO
Human Resources Office
Attention: Vacancy Announcement # 12-24
U.S. Embassy Manama-Bahrain/P.O. Box 26431/Bahrain
Telephone: 17-242-700 /Fax: 17-242-807
E-mail: ManamaHRO@state.gov

CLOSING DATE: Thursday, September 20, 2012