VACANCY No.: 20 - 2008

OPEN TO:  All Interested Candidates

POSITION:  INFORMATION ASSISTANT, FSN-7, FP-7 *

OPENING DATE: July 16, 2008

CLOSING DATE: July 29, 2008

WORK HOURS: Full-time, 40 hours/week

IMPORTANT NOTE:  ALL ORDINARILY RESIDENT APPLICANTS MUST HAVE THE REQUIRED RESIDENCY PERMIT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION.

The U.S. Embassy in Sofia is seeking an individual for the position of an Information Assistant in the Public Affairs Office.

BASIC FUNCTION OF THE POSITION:

The incumbent writes and edits content in both English and Bulgarian for the Embassy Home Page, Ambassador’s E-Letter, and other Internet-Based products;  helps prepare the daily press briefing for the Ambassador,  including reading the weekend papers, and helps set up interviews and other press events for the Ambassador and other Embassy staff. 

A copy of the complete position description listing all duties and responsibilities is available in the Human Resources Office, Bozhena Kumbilieva, ext. 5153.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

NOTE: All applicants are instructed to address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each criterion.

1.  Education:  University degree in journalism, politics, international relations or a related subject is required. 

2.  Language requirements:  Level 4 (fluent) speaking/reading/writing English is required. 
Level 4 (fluent) speaking/reading/writing Bulgarian is required.

3. Experience:  One year working experience in journalism or Web page development (content preparation or editing) is required.

4. Knowledge: 
• Sophisticated knowledge of news writing, and content of web pages, foreign policy, and international relations;
• knowledge of Embassy strategic goals and U.S. policy relating to Bulgaria;
• Knowledge of Bulgarian politics and political issues.

5.   Skills and abilities:
• Excellent writing and editing skills, in both English and Bulgarian;
• Ability to do written translation from English to Bulgarian, and Bulgarian to English;
• Ability to write under pressure of deadlines;
• Ability to do some traveling within country.

NOTE:    Unless you meet all specified requirements you will not be considered.

SELECTION PROCESS:

When fully qualified, US Citizen Eligible Family Members (USEFMs) and US Veterans are given preference.  Therefore, it is essential that the candidate specifically address the required qualifications above in the application.

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 US 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. Currently employed NORs hired under a Personal Services Agreement (PSA) 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.

TO APPLY:

Interested applicants for this position must submit the following or the application will not be considered:
1. Application for US Federal Employment (SF-171 or OF-612); or a current resume or curriculum vitae that provides the same information as an OF-612; plus
2.  Candidates who claim US Veterans preference must provide a copy of their Form DD-214 with their application.
3. Any other documentation (e.g., essays, certificates, awards, copies of degrees earned) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above.

SUBMIT APPLICATION TO:

Human Resources Office
Attn: BOZHENA KUMBILIEVA
# 16 Kozyak Str., 1407 Sofia
Tel: (+359) 2-937-5153, Fax: (+359)-2-937-5231

Or submit applications to: sofia_applications@state.gov

Due to the volume of responses, individual acknowledgements regarding receipt of applications cannot be made. Only those applicants who are invited for an interview will be notified regarding the status of their applications.

(Faxed applications are accepted but originals must follow by mail).

Only applications received in the Human Resources Office before the closing date of this job notice will be considered and only short–listed candidates will be contacted.

DEFINITIONS:

1. US Citizen Eligible Family Member (USEFM) – For purposes of receiving a preference in hiring for a qualified position, an EFM who meets the following criteria:
•  US Citizen; and,
•  EFM (see above) at least 18 years old; and,
•  Listed on the travel orders of a direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member assigned to or stationed abroad with a USG agency that is under COM authority, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; and either:
1.  Resides at the sponsoring employee's or uniformed service member's post of assignment abroad or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; or
2.  Resides at an Involuntary Separate Maintenance Allowance (ISMA) location authorized under 3 FAM 3232.2.

2. EFM:  An individual related to a US Government employee in one of the following ways:
•  Spouse;
•  Child, who is unmarried and under 21 years of age or, regardless of age, is incapable of self-support.  The term shall include, in addition to natural offspring, stepchildren and adopted children and those under legal guardianship of the employee or the spouse when such children are expected to be under such legal guardianship until they reach 21 years of age and when dependent upon and normally residing with the guardian;
•  Parent (including stepparents and legally adoptive parents) of the employee or of the spouse, when such parent is at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support;
•  Sister or brother (including stepsisters and stepbrothers, or adoptive sisters or brothers) of the employee, or of the spouse, when such sibling is at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support, unmarried, and under 21 years of age, or regardless of age, incapable of self-support.

3. Member of Household (MOH) – An individual who accompanies a  direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member permanently assigned or stationed at a U.S. Foreign Service post or establishment abroad, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan.  An MOH is:
•  Not an EFM; and,
•  Not on the travel orders of the sponsoring employee; and,
•  Has been officially declared by the sponsoring USG employee to the COM as part of his/her household.
A MOH is under COM authority and may include a parent, unmarried partner, other relative or adult child who falls outside the Department’s current legal and statutory definition of family member.  A MOH does not have to be a US Citizen.

4. Not Ordinarily Resident (NOR) – An individual who:
•  Is not a citizen of the host country; and,
•  Does not ordinarily reside (OR, see below) in the host country; and,
•  Is not subject to host country employment and tax laws; and,
•  Has a US Social Security Number (SSN). 
NOR employees are compensated under a GS or FS salary schedule, not under the LCP.

5. Ordinarily Resident (OR) – A Foreign National or US citizen who:
•  Is locally resident; and,
•  Has legal, permanent resident status within the host country; and,
•  Is subject to host country employment and tax laws. 
EFMs without US Social Security Numbers are also OR.  All OR employees, including US citizens, are compensated in accordance with the LCP.

CLOSING DATE FOR THIS POSITION:  COB  July 29, 2008

The US Mission in Sofia provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation.  The Department of State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.

The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation.  Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.