FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPECIALIST

Summary

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information. The primary purpose of this position is to career broadener within the International Affairs career field, managing and supporting a variety of security assistance and cooperation programs.

Duties

• DUTY 1: As a senior Foreign Affairs Specialist and Subject Matter Expert (SME), the incumbent is responsible for a broad range of complex assignments directly supporting the mission of the Directorate/Division/Branch. Serves as a senior expert and advisor to AFSAC's leadership on the political, economic, and military implications of engaging with foreign partners on acquisition programs, research and development, and sustainment activities. Analyzes foreign policy, international agreements, and political-military trends to assess their impact on the International Division's portfolio of programs and recommend strategic adjustments. Develops and recommends command-level positions on security cooperation initiatives, technology transfer, and FMS cases to ensure alignment with U.S. foreign policy and the Division's objectives. Prepares strategic assessments, background papers, and talking points for Division leadership in support of engagements with foreign delegations, industry partners, and interagency stakeholders. DUTY 2: Liaison and Interagency Coordination. Within the scope of the Directorate's mission, establishes and maintains effective working relationships with officials in key policy, oversight, and security cooperation organizations, including the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs (SAF/IA), the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the Department of State (DOS), the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Combatant Commands (CCMDs), and other U.S. government agencies. Represents the International Division's equities and coordinates on policy and execution matters in working groups and forums with SAF/IA and other interagency partners. Acts as a key facilitator between program offices and foreign partners to resolve complex and sensitive political-military issues that arise during the life cycle of international programs, ensuring SAF/IA is appropriately informed. DUTY 3: Program Planning and Policy Integration. Contributes to the strategic planning of the Directorate's future and current programs, providing expert advice on the feasibility and risks associated with new partnership initiatives. Reviews, evaluates, and contributes to the development of command-level policies and procedures that govern the execution of FMS and other international agreements, ensuring they are consistent with SAF/IA policy directives. Analyzes the effectiveness of existing international programs within the Division's portfolio, recommending strategies for improvement to local leadership and providing feedback to higher headquarters.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Professional and Scientific Positions. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-13, or equivalent in other pay systems that equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience include knowledge of international relations principles, methods, practices, processes, and techniques, US foreign and security policy, along with acquisition programs, research and development, and sustainment programs, expeditionary Air Force and the organization, training, and employment of the various air expeditionary forces, and qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques to develop performance measures. FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Applicants must have served at least 52 weeks at the GS-13 or higher grade (or equivalent in an alternate pay system) within the Federal Civil Service to be considered for referral. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Knowledge of the organizational and functional responsibilities and operations of an organization. Knowledge of advanced concepts and practices of international relations, specifically as they apply to Security Assistance, FMS, and international armaments cooperation. Knowledge of the security cooperation enterprise, including the roles and responsibilities of SAF/IA, DSCA, and the processes for developing and implementing FMS cases and other security cooperation programs. Ability to analyze complex information to produce actionable recommendations that advance the Directorate/ Division's strategic objectives. Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with high-level officials to represent and advance the Division's interests. Knowledge of the mission, roles, and organizational structures of the Directorate and assigned Division and its relationship to AFMC, AFLCMC, SAF/IA and DSCA and the broader national security enterprise.

How to apply

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/09/2026. To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13034222 To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: 1. Your Resume. If you submit more than one resume, only the most recent will be reviewed. The "most recent" is considered the resume with the latest timestamp. Resumes may not exceed two pages. The two-page resume ensures the most relevant experience is reviewed and considered, which is a common practice in both the public and private sectors. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Additional information on how to complete or update your resume may be located here. For qualification determination your resume must contain hours worked per week and dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient, and you will not receive consideration for this position. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade, i.e. GS-0301-09. Current Federal Civilian Employees may list any relevant performance related rating (given within the last three years) and/or incentive awards in your resume. Do NOT include photographs, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume. If the resume you submit contains such information you will not be considered for this vacancy. Your name, first and last, MUST be included on your resume. 2. A complete Application Questionnaire 3. Additional Required Documents (see Required Documents section). Ensure all submitted documents contain your full name. 4. Help recruiters find you. Make your resume and profile searchable, which means recruiters may contact you about possible jobs. Additional information may be located here. PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan. Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant.