Director of Space International Affairs Job in Pentagon, Arlington, VA

Vacancy No. MRL2024-46 Department Department of the Air Force - Agency Wide
Salary $180,359.00 to $204,000.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/30/2024 Close Date 11/12/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Pentagon, Arlington, VA


Summary

The Director of Space International Affairs serves as a principal advisor for the Secretary of the Air Force, Space International Affairs Directorate (SAF/IA), developing, advocating, and facilitating plans, programs and requirements involving Space Security Cooperation (SC), Building Space Partnerships, and Space International politico-military affairs.

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below for IMPORTANT additional information.

Duties

The Director of Space International Affairs is responsible for developing and coordinating the Department of the Air Force's (DAF) international long-range strategies, ensuring effective collaboration with the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), the Department of State (DoS), and a broad array of international partners on critical space-related issues. This leadership position is central to driving DAF's global space engagement initiatives and shaping strategic international cooperation on space policy and programs.

Further, the Director of Space International Affairs will:

  • Assist in building the DAF Space Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Program Objective Memorandum and represent the Secretary of the Air Force's International Affairs (SAF/IA) division at Space Force boards. Provide strategic direction on both near-term and long-term Security Cooperation initiatives and programs.
  • Provide comprehensive oversight of the DAF's Space International Affairs portion of strategic products, such as the Security Cooperation Engagement Guidance, International Engagement Plan, and Key Leader Engagement Framework.
  • Oversee the planning, programming, budgeting, and execution of the Space International Affairs portion of SAF/IA's budget and manage the Space Security Cooperation portfolio, leveraging an annual $85B in foreign investments.
  • Lead the DoD/DAF international agreements process, from evaluating individual project arrangements to setting policy and direction for international armaments cooperation across the DAF.
  • Lead collaboration with the Legislative Liaison office to maintain Space Security Cooperation interests throughout the legislative cycle and coordinate responses to Congressional inquiries.
  • Oversee the civilian International Affairs Career Field Functional Manager and Career Field Manager in recruitment, retention, and professional development of civilian employees in the International Affairs Career Field.
  • Serve as a senior DAF point of contact for international matters with DoS, OSD, and other military departments. Advise the Deputy Under Secretary on space-related policy issues stemming from international proposals impacting the Department of the Air Force.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • U.S. citizenship is required
  • Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov
  • Disclosure of Political Appointments
  • Mobility is a condition of employment and appointment for SES members will be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligations Agreement
  • Selected candidate must file a Executive Personnel Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 278) in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978
  • Position has been designated Critical-Sensitive and the selectee must have or be able to obtain a Top Secret clearance.
  • Drug testing designated position. The incumbent is subject to random testing for drug use IAW Exec. Order 12564, dated 14 Sep 86. Position requires that the incumbent sign a Drug Testing letter and pass urinalysis testing prior to appointment.
  • Position requires travel under conditions specified in the DoD Joint Travel Regulations. Incumbent is expected to travel on short notice to attend high-level meetings.
  • Position may require incumbent to be available for other than normal duty hours to include weekends to support exercises and crisis planning.
  • An initial SES career appointment becomes final only after the individual successfully completes a 1-year probationary period.
  • Attendance to the Air Force's Senior Leader Orientation Course (SLOC) is generally required within 12 months of appointment, subject to course availability.
  • Position may be subject to the post-government employment restrictions of Sections 207(a) and (f) of Title 18, United States Code.
  • Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants.

Qualifications

Eligibility will be based upon a clear showing the applicant has training, education and experience of the scope and quality sufficient to effectively carry-out the duties of the position. Candidates must exemplify the corporate perspective, leadership vision, broad experience and character needed in the SES corps not only to satisfy the immediate vacancy, but future vacancies which will occur in a variety of organizations, functions and locations.

MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): (NTE 2 pages - PDF format) A supplemental statement must be submitted separately addressing each TQ. TQs must provide specific examples that address relevant experience and accomplishments. Applicants should focus on recent experience, education, and training, as some Recruitment Panel and Executive Resources Board members may consider experience that's over 10 years old to be outdated. Applicants must reflect superior technical qualifications demonstrated through leadership and management in the following:
  1. Demonstrated executive experience leading and guiding multidisciplinary teams with in-depth knowledge of United States Space Force (USSF) operations, strategic objectives, and associated international activities. Demonstrated experience in coordinating Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and engaging with allied and partner nations.
  2. Demonstrated executive experience in the Security Cooperation enterprise, leading workforce management and talent development initiatives to enhance operational effectiveness. Demonstrate expert knowledge in designing and implementing strategies that achieve the Department of the Air Force's long-range objectives in international programs.
In addition, DoD requires an Enterprise Perspective. The individual must possess a broad point of view and an awareness and understanding of individual or organizational responsibilities in relation to DoD or government-wide strategic priorities. Executives should demonstrate ability to work with internal and external partners to support national security objectives. This perspective is typically gained through a variety of diverse work experiences. A separate narrative statement is not required--this information should be embedded within the application package [Resume (not to exceed 5 pages) and Technical Qualifications (not to exceed a combined total of 2 pages)].

Education

Education: A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution is desired. A master's or advanced degree from an accredited institution is highly desired.

Additional information

Veterans' Preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to the SES.

Relocation Authorized: Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is authorized in accordance with the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR).

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: May be offered.

Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.

Tax Law Impact for PCS: On 22-Dec-2017, Public Law 115-97 - the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017" suspended qualified moving expense deductions along with the exclusion for employer reimbursements and payments of moving expenses effective 01-Jan-2018 for tax years 2018 through 2025. The law made taxable certain reimbursements and other payments, including driving mileage, airfare and lodging expenses, en-route travel to the new duty station, and temporary storage of those items. The Federal Travel Regulation Bulletin (FTR) 18-05 issued by General Services Administration (GSA) has authorized agencies to use the Withholding Tax Allowance (WTA) and Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA) to pay for "substantially all" of the increased tax liability resulting from the "2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act" for certain eligible individuals. For additional information on WTA/RITA allowances and eligibilities please click here. Subsequently, FTR Bulletin 20-04 issued by GSA, provides further information regarding NDAA FY2020, Public Law 116-92, and the expansion of eligibility beyond "transferred" for WTA/RITA allowances. For additional information, please click here.

If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here.

Benefits

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.

A Resume-based Senior Executive Service (SES) Hiring Method will be used for this recruitment. This method provides an alternative to traditional submissions that requires applicants to submit a resume and 10-page written Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) narrative statement. A well-written resume for this announcement should demonstrate to Senior Hiring Officials that you possess the essential ECQs with supporting accomplishments. Applicants should incorporate ECQs and technical competencies as they write their resumes and can refer to the following OPM Link for additional guidance on SES Executive Qualifications: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/reference-materials/guidetosesquals_2012.pdf. In addition, the Department of the Air Force highly encourages applicants to seek mentoring assistance from a current SES member in preparing and/or reviewing their package.

PLEASE NOTE: This position will be filled under the FY2021 NDAA Section 1118, "Pilot Program for Initial Appointments to Senior Executive Service Positions in the Department of Defense (DoD)." This authority allows us to appoint qualified individuals to initial career appointments into the Senior Executive Service of the DoD without regard to 5 U.S.C. 3393(c).

A career SES appointment made under this authority does not guarantee that you will be eligible to transfer to another career SES appointment outside of the DoD without the need for you to compete. Other Federal agencies may require you to submit ECQs to OPM's QRB prior to your appointment in that agency.

Applications will be evaluated against the qualification's requirements. Failure to meet the Mandatory Technical Qualifications standards will eliminate a candidate from further consideration. Candidates will be evaluated for this position by a screening panel composed of a diverse mix of senior executives and/or general officers selected for organizational and/or functional backgrounds relevant to this position. The panel discusses each application and reaches consensus on the resume packages demonstrating a high degree of the executive core qualifications and technical competencies. Only those applicants whose packages demonstrate a mastery of ECQs and technical competencies are selected for interviews. Post interview, the panel will then make a recommendation of those Best Qualified candidates who should be referred to the selecting official, in priority order. Final selection is contingent upon the Air Force Executive Resources Board and the Under Secretary of the Air Force.

REMINDER: Before uploading your required PDF documents (Resume, Technical Qualification narrative), please ensure they DO NOT EXCEED the noted page limits.

Required Documents

To receive full consideration, each applicant must submit the documents in the format as designated. Packages that do not include all of the required documents or meet format requirements will not be forwarded for consideration.

**************ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE UPLOADED IN PDF FORMAT*******************

The Qualifications Documents must be formatted using Times New Roman, size 12 font, with 1-inch margins. Do not use borders, provide photos, or list a Social Security Number on any of the Qualifications Documents. DO NOT COMBINE DOCUMENTS.

A. A resume-based application method will be used. Do NOT submit traditional ECQ narratives. Instead, applicants are required to submit a resume, not to exceed 5 pages, that shows possession of the ECQs. (See preferred format below). Upload in PDF format. PLEASE DO NOT USE USAJOBS RESUME BUILDER

B. Mandatory Technical Qualifications Statement addressing each of the TQs (NTE 2 pages Total). Upload in PDF format and include the MTQ statement as indicated in the announcement.

C. Most recent completed Performance Appraisal (current and/or former federal employees) or Performance Report (OPR or EPR). For applicants in the private sector, please provide a copy of your equivalent Evaluation Report.

D. Current or Former Senior Executives (SES) must provide a copy of their Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certification (applies only to CDP graduates).

E. Most recent Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50, noting your current position, grade level and salary level (applies only to current or former civilian government employee).

F. College transcript(s) (copy is acceptable) which demonstrates the acceptable combinations of education and experience as noted by OPM.

G. Military: Retired - a copy of your DD214 and/or Retirement orders; Active Duty - Are you an active-duty service member with a statement of service showing you expect to be discharged or released from the armed forces under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after submitting your application? Please note: you will be ineligible for consideration if your statement of service is not submitted with your application or it shows an expected discharge or release date greater than 120 days from the date of the submission of the certification. Documents are required.

H. (Optional): Ethnicity and Race Identification, SF-181 -- Form available at: https://www.opm.gov

I. (Optional): Self-Identification of Disability, SF-256 -- Form available at: https://www.opm.gov

DO NOT SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Extraneous materials such as copies of position descriptions, award certificates and transmittal letters will not be forwarded for review.

How to Apply

Please follow the below instructions to submit applications. Any applications received that do not include all of the required documents or do not meet format requirements will not be forwarded for consideration.

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/12/2024.

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.

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.

PREFERRED RESUME FORMAT: (Limit 5 pages/Times New Roman 12-font) (Do Not Use the USAJOBS Resume Builder) - Please submit a typewritten resume (upload as a PDF), including the following information:

Job Information: Announcement number (MRL2024-46) and title of the position to which you are applying.

Personal Information: Full name, mailing address (with zip code), day and evening phone numbers (with area code) and complete e-mail address where you would like to receive correspondence regarding your application. **PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER**

Active-Duty/Retired Military: State highest rank held, date of promotion and date eligible to retire or date of retirement, (e.g., Colonel/June 2006/December 2014). NOTE: IAW 5 U.S.C. 3326, a 180-day waiver will be required for retired or retiring members of the armed forces during the period of 180 days immediately after retirement. Please note: you will be ineligible for consideration if your statement of service is not submitted with your application or it shows an expected discharge or release date greater than 120 days from the date of the submission of the certification.

Education: Educational information, including the name, city and state of colleges or universities you attended, as well as the type and year of any degree received. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For more information, you may refer to the following U.S. Department of Education website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

Work Experience: Give the following information for your paid and non-paid work experience related to the job for which you are applying: (Do not send job descriptions).
- Starting and ending dates (month and year)
- Job title (for government position, include civilian series and grade or military rank)
- Employer's name and address
- Supervisor's name and phone number, please indicate if we may contact your current supervisor
- Salary (current)

HELPFUL HINTS FOR YOUR RESUME:
- Reflect on the ECQs and think about how your past experiences and education relate to each ECQ.
- Read the vacancy announcement carefully.
- Adhere to the 5-page limitation (in PDF format and 12 point font)
- Quantify your accomplishments.

* Applicants should focus on recency of experience - Recruitment Panels, Executive Resources Boards, and Hiring Officials may consider experience over 10 years outdated.
* Seek mentoring assistance from a current SES or equivalent to review your package before submission.

References: Provide the names, addresses and telephone numbers of three individuals who can comment on your qualifications for this position. Please do not list supervisors already listed above.

This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please notify this office. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be on a case-by-case basis.

SAF/MRL CONTACT INFORMATION: Questions regarding this announcement may be directed to Ms. Kendra Davis at kendra.davis.2@us.af.mil.

Agency contact information

Kendra Davis
Address
AF Senior Executive Management
1040 Air Force Pentagon Room 4D
Washington, DC 20330
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your application package is received an acknowledgement email will be sent.

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility and qualifications for consideration. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select My Applications, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

If you do not provide an email address, you are responsible for checking status updates and notifications in USAJOBS. Hard copy notifications will not be sent to you.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.