External Affairs Specialist (Director of Protocol)

Summary

Announcement may be used to fill similar positions within 90 days of the closing date. About this agency

Duties

• This position is in the EXIM, Office of Corporate Affairs, Office of External Affairs (OEA), which manages the agency's external affairs programs. OEA is responsible for planning and executing high-level special events; conducting stakeholder engagement and outreach; providing advance and protocol support for the Office of the Chairman; and overseeing congressionally mandated and agency-established advisory committees and councils. Duties include, but are not limited to: Serves as EXIM's Chief Protocol Officer and principal advisor on diplomatic and official protocol matters. Leads protocol planning and execution for official visits, diplomatic engagements, delegation visits, signing ceremonies, and other high-profile events involving the Chairman and Board members, senior government officials, ambassadors, foreign dignitaries, and industry leaders. Serves as EXIM's primary liaison with foreign embassies, the U.S. Department of State, and other federal agencies on protocol and diplomatic engagement matters. Provides authoritative guidance on protocol matters, including precedence, diplomatic customs and courtesies, ceremonial requirements, gift exchanges, seating arrangements, and cultural considerations. Ensures official engagements are conducted in accordance with diplomatic standards and agency objectives. Serves as OEA's lead protocol advisor to the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Board of Directors, and senior leadership. Develops executive briefing materials, protocol guidance, and engagement strategies, and coordinates protocol support for executive travel, stakeholder meetings, delegation visits, and official events. Advises leadership on matters affecting high-profile stakeholder and diplomatic engagements. Directs the planning and logistical support for executive travel, official visits, protocol programs, conferences, advisory committees, and stakeholder engagement activities. Coordinates schedules, transportation, security requirements, venue arrangements, vendors, ceremonial requirements, and administrative support necessary to execute high-profile engagements. Develops procedures and resolves complex logistical issues to ensure successful program execution. Leads protocol support for EXIM's external affairs programs and events, including conferences, international delegations, signing ceremonies, stakeholder meetings, and other high-visibility engagements. Develops and maintains relationships with foreign embassies, international organizations, trade associations, and other stakeholder groups to support EXIM's outreach objectives. Represents EXIM at meetings, conferences, and events as assigned.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience (Credit for Specialized Experience on resume must reflect 40 hours/Full-time per week for each period of work): GS-13: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Government or other equivalent pay systems. Specialized experience includes: Experience planning and executing official visits, diplomatic engagements, executive meetings, conferences, or other high-profile events involving senior government officials, foreign dignitaries, industry leaders, or external stakeholders; Experience supporting senior executives or principals by developing briefing materials, coordinating engagements, providing protocol guidance, and facilitating interactions with domestic and international stakeholders; Experience coordinating with embassies, federal agencies, international organizations, or external partners to support protocol activities, executive travel, stakeholder engagement, or official events; Experience supporting federal advisory committees, councils, boards, or similar stakeholder groups, including coordinating meetings, engaging members, and ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies; AND Experience managing logistics and operational support for executive travel, official visits, conferences, meetings, and stakeholder engagement activities, including scheduling, transportation, security coordination, vendor support, representational activities, and administrative requirements. Education cannot be substituted for experience at the GS-13 grade level. For qualification determinations, your resume must contain the following for each work experience listed: Organization/Agency's Name Title Salary (series and grade, if applicable) Start and end dates (including the month and year) Number of hours you worked per week Relevant experience that supports your response to the specialized experience that is stated in the job announcement If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you will not receive consideration for this position. NOTE: Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications and your application may be marked as incomplete/ineligible and you will not receive consideration for this position. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week. Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. Please visit the following links for more information: http://www.naces.org http://www.fceatlanta.com Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined here. Time-in-grade requirements must be met by 09/11/2026, the closing date of the announcement.

How to apply

Effective September 27, 2025, federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in accordance with the Merit Hiring Plan. If you have not already done so, please update your resume under your profile before applying for any federal job. For additional details, visit click the following link. Applications will only be accepted online; however if you are unable to apply online, please contact the Agency Contact Person listed below. To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The following is a link to preview the occupational questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13050454 The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/11/2026 to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account here, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.