US Department of State

Summary

The position is located in the Interpreting Division of the Office of Language Services, European Interpreting Branch of the Department of State. The Division traditionally handles the most difficult interpreting assignments in the Federal Government, including service for the President, cabinet members, and congressional leaders. The Incumbent functions as a first level supervisor over a staff in the European Interpreting Branch.

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Duties

• Assigns interpreting tasks to staff and contract interpreters.
• Directs scheduling and logistical support by project managers, assigning officers, and event team leaders where applicable. Supervises direct-hire Branch staff.
• Performs administrative duties, as required, such as planning the assignment of contract interpreters to various projects and assisting with post-assignment procedures.
• Provides authoritative guidance on language and terminology for target language in its spoken and written form. Serves as linguistic and cultural advisor to clients as appropriate.
• Serves, as required, as a cultural interpreter for high-ranking foreign leaders or on escort missions of particular difficulty or sensitivity.

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
• This position requires the applicant to pass a Language Proficiency Test.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit: www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement.

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level in the Federal service which provided you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: Experience in translating, interpreting, or other work requiring the use of English and the other language; or a combination of work (that required English and the other language) and training at the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Service Institute, or comparable training.

IN ADDITION, this position requires the following additional specialized experience:

• Experience leading a team of interpreters and project managers and managing interpretation projects.
• Experience communicating effectively with clients and partners at all levels to meet organizational goals and resolve issues.
• Experience in using data and analysis as management reporting and decision-making tools.
• Experience in strategic planning, e.g., developing organizational objectives that improve efficiency and effectiveness in work processes by applying technology.
• Experience with interpretation practices and technology to lead major initiatives designed to introduce new technology and tools in support of interpretation and translation programs.
• Experience with simultaneous and consecutive interpreting at the conference level for the senior level of Government or international organizations, including one-on-ones, bilateral meetings and press events.
• Experience with contemporary US foreign affairs and international relations.

THE FOLLOWING SELECTIVE FACTOR IS REQUIRED: Must have experience in interpreting a Foreign Language into English and English into a Foreign Language.

The following are examples of work in the required language that may have provided the required abilities: translator; interpreter; librarian or information specialist required to make abstracts, screen, index, and scan material; intelligence; writer or editor; international organizational work, such as the Peace Corps, World Bank, United Nations, business, or other organizations; or professor, teacher, or instructor work at the high school or college level that required use of the foreign language.

• ALL APPLICANTS WILL BE TESTED BY THE AGENCY FOR PROFICIENCY ON A PASS/FAIL BASIS PRIOR TO APPOINTMENT.**

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-15 position.

In addition, applicant's experience must also demonstrate that the candidate possesses the following qualities:

• Ability to assign, review, and supervise the work of others;
• Objectivity and fairness in judging people on their ability, and situations on the facts and circumstances;
• Ability to adjust to change, work pressures, or difficult situations without undue stress;
• Willingness to consider new ideas or divergent points of view; and
• Capacity to "see the job through."

Education

Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement.

Additional information

• For reasonable accommodation at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations at (202) 663-3474 or OAA@state.gov.
• If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.
• Benefits
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• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
• Review our benefits
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume will be conducted and compared against your responses to the assessment questions to determine if you are qualified for this job. Note: Responses to questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, will be assigned to one of three quality categories:

1. Qualified - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate a basic level of the required competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) for the position.
2. Well Qualified - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must demonstrate proficiency in some but not all of the required competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) for the position.
3. Highly Qualified - In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, applicants must fully demonstrate proficiency in all of the required competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities) for the position.

Highly Qualified applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities) required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies:

• Ability to apply leadership traits/skills.
• Skill in strategic and tactical planning process.
• Ability to coach organizational leaders.
• Knowledge of and skill at applying leadership techniques.
• Skill in planning, distributing, coordinating, and monitoring others' work.
• Skill interpreting a foreign language into English and English into foreign language.

Veterans: Qualified veterans who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the Highly Qualified category. Other 10-point preference eligible and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligible applicants within the category in which they qualify. View information on veterans' preference on OPM’s Fed Hire Vets website.

Agency and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP and ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never been a Federal employee, you are not CTAP or ICTAP eligible. View information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category for this position and submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this job announcement to receive consideration for selection priority.

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How to Apply

Prepare your application in USAJOBS

To start your application, click Apply and we’ll walk you through the process to attach a resume and any required documents.

During the application process you can review, edit, delete, and update your information. We’ll automatically save your progress as you go, so you won’t lose any changes. You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement to complete the application process.

STEP 1: Select the "Apply" button and follow the instructions to register or sign into USAJOBS.

STEP 2: Submit your resume. Please see the Required Documents section for specific information that should be outlined in your resume.

STEP 3: Complete the online assessment questions.

STEP 4: Submit all required documentation applicable to you, as listed in the Required Documents section.

To learn how to view the status of your submitted supporting documentation and application, visit the Application Instructions section of our agency’s Civil Service selection process site.

Technical assistance with your on-line application is available through the Help Desk at mgshelp@monster.com or by calling (866) 656-6830 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET

Alternate Application Procedures

If applying online poses an extreme hardship, you may request alternate application procedures to submit your application package. Contact the Human Resources office listed on the announcement between the business hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET at least 2 working days prior to the closing date of this announcement. The application package for alternate application procedures must be submitted and received in the Human Resources office no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on the closing date of this announcement. Paper applications and information sent by mail will not be accepted.

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Agency contact information

Melissa Cines

Phone

202-571-6007

Fax

000-000-0000

Email

CinesMH@state.gov

Address

U.S. Department of State

600 19th Street, NW

SA-17, 5th Floor

Attn: A-DT/EX/HRD

Washington, District of Columbia 20522-1705

United States

Next steps

After all application packages are received, we will review applications and evaluate applicants’ qualifications. Then, in approximately two weeks after this announcement closes, we will refer candidates, as described in the “How You Will Be Evaluated” section, to the hiring manager for selection consideration. Your application status will be updated up to four times during the following hiring phases:

1. After applications are received.
2. After applications are assessed to determine qualifications.
3. After candidates are referred to the hiring manager.
4. After a selection is made.

For the selected candidates who receive a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability review and/or security background investigation that generally takes an average of at least two to six months.

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