Summary
The U.S. Department of State is developing a rank-ordered list of eligible hires for a limited number of Foreign Service Facility Manager positions. Visit https://careers.state.gov/obo for more information on a career with the Bureau of Overseas Building Operations (OBO).
Joining the Foreign Service is more than just salary. Refer to the Benefits section for more information on total compensation.
This is a 6217 Foreign Service position equivalent to the 1640 CS Series.
Clarification from the agency
Must be a U.S. citizen. Applicants may only apply for this position ONCE in a 365 day period. If a State Department Suitability Review Panel has denied your suitability in the last two years, you may not apply. Applicants should read the entire announcement to ensure that they meet all requirements and understand a Foreign Service career.
[Note: Candidates who were denied Diplomatic Security Special Agent (SA) positions based on SA requirements may apply for non-DS positions.]
Duties
Facility Managers (FMs) are the professional facilities, technical, and operations experts at U.S. diplomatic missions around the world. Assigned to more than 200 worldwide locations, FMs support the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) in delivering a wide range of building-related services, managing critical building systems, and directing operations in official and residential properties at U.S. industry-level standards. FMs are key members of the Management teams at our Embassies and Consulates, leading large and diverse teams of engineers, technicians, and tradespersons. FMs may be assigned as Regional Facility Managers, with responsibilities for program activities in several countries at once.
The duties of this position include:
Facility Operation and Maintenance and Asset Management
- Coordinate facility management activities supervising American and Locally Employed professional, technical, and trade staff with a variety of skill levels and diverse backgrounds.
- Oversee operation, maintenance, repairs, schedules, and modifications of the physical plant, physical structures and grounds.
- Develop comprehensive preventative maintenance and repair programs and schedules, to include maintenance and repair resource estimates. Ensure physical maintenance of security systems.
- Initiate and assist with contract development, draft scopes of work, and oversee contractor performance. Serve as the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for Facilities-related contractors.
- Institute maintenance policy, determine facility condition indexes, perform annual facility condition surveys, and perform annual inspection surveys.
- Manage energy resources by monitoring and improving post energy use. Ensure continuous availability of utilities.
- Maintain real property inventory and ensure that the computerized maintenance management system is accurate. Monitors performance metrics.
- Monitor building automation systems such as complex HVAC systems and load build-up in chillers and generators.
Management of the Facility Management Office and Strategic Planning
- Perform FM-related long-range planning, maintain post’s mission requirements/master plan, establish performance goals and objectives, analyze and advocate for resources.
- Manage project development. Design, and oversee construction work.
- Plan Facility budget, allocate funds, and manage sustainment, restoration, and modernization funds. Prepare written documents and deliver briefings.
- Manage customer service, monitor performance standards, institute quality control procedures, and oversee customer surveys. Support U.S. Direct Hire (USDH) tenants from other agencies.
- Track effectiveness of FM program using key performance metrics and demonstrate that maintenance funds and assets are efficiently used.
- Develop staffing plans, write position requests, position descriptions, train and mentor staff, prepare employee evaluations, and participate in hiring and separating of staff.
- Contribute to real estate decisions. Conduct space planning and management.
Safety Management
- Serve as the safety officer and oversee safety training to ensure safe work practices. Report, review, and investigates mishaps. Manage the continuous fire prevention program. Perform safety certifications of leased properties. Support emergency preparedness, prepare emergency contingency plans.
- Ensure CDC and EPA cleaning and disinfecting guidance is followed. Oversee testing of post water and ambient air quality. Manages environmental controls and abatements and proper handling of HAZMAT.
FMs are considered “essential personnel” and are on call to provide services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Conditions of Employment
- Be a U.S. citizen and accept assignments based on the needs of the FS.*
- Be able to obtain a Top Secret Security Clearance.
- Be able to the minimum medical qualification standard.
- Be able to obtain a favorable Suitability Review Panel determination.**
- Be at least 20 years old to apply; at least 21 years old to be appointed.
- Be appointed prior to age 60 (preference eligible veterans excepted).***
A Foreign Service Facility Manager (FM) in the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) manages the operations and maintenance of the Department of State's real property assets abroad.
A Facility Manager must adhere to the highest standards of integrity, dependability, attention to detail, teamwork, and cooperation while accepting the need to travel, to live overseas, and when necessary, to live away from family.
Qualifications
Specialized Experience demonstrates that the applicant has acquired, and is able to apply, a specific combination of knowledge, skills and abilities appropriate to this position. Qualifying experience must have been performed within the last 10 years. To qualify as Specialized Experience, the duties MUST have a combination of the components listed below for at least 60% of the work duties. Part-time work experience will be prorated.
- Facility Management: Managing facility operations and maintenance activities at commercial office and/or residential apartment buildings and/or inventory of multiple properties to include grounds. Planning maintenance activities. Developing and overseeing preventative and non-preventative maintenance and repair programs.
- Project Management: Initiating, planning, executing, and monitoring projects such as construction, renovation, rehabilitation and/or maintenance and repair projects.
- Contract Management: Drafting scopes of work and specifications, managing contracts and monitoring contractor performance.
- Supervision and Talent Management: Supervising and leading teams of three or more staff in facility management, facility engineering, engineering in general, architectural design, construction, or project management. Assigning work and setting goals, justifying position requests, writing position descriptions, hiring, training and evaluating.
- Resource Management: Advocating for resources, preparing budget estimates and plans, and managing budgets.
- Management and Technical: Versed in technical/engineering operations and facilities management best practices. Working knowledge of building systems and equipment to include Building Automation Systems. Working with projects that require specialized knowledge of engineering drawings and design. Familiarity with safety, physical security, environmental safety and health practices and procedures. Working knowledge of Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) and project management software.
Knowledge, Skills, and Other Abilities
- Knowledge of facility maintenance management planning, safety and physical security practices and procedures, environmental safety and health practices and procedures, acquisition and contracting procedures to include service contracts, contractor performance and statements of work, basic facility accounting, computer applications, facility management fundamentals, physical plant operations, and technical expertise, knowledge of physical plant operation, building structures, and grounds, architectural and engineering drawings, facility condition inspection, EEO policies, construction methods, human resources/talent management policies, building codes, facility warranty process, machines and tools, cost analysis, and principles of real property inventory and methods. Familiarity with design applications such as CAD is desirable.
- Specialized skills in customer service; being adaptable and resilient; leadership; interpersonal relationships; active listening; project management; time management; working with others with diverse backgrounds; motivating employees and others; managing laterally and upward; resource management; building relationships; critical thinking; leading a multinational workgroup; risk analysis; self-development; formulating cost and planning estimates; personnel evaluating and interviewing; computer technology; writing statements of work; architectural and engineering drawings; managing installation; data analysis; and negotiation.
- General skills in persuasion, mathematics, monitoring, social perceptiveness, coordination, service orientation, management of financial resources, learning strategies, instructing, operations analysis, management of personnel resources, active learning, management of material resources, complex problem identification, equipment selection, science, negotiation, systems evaluation, judgment and decision making, systems analysis, quality control analysis; operation monitoring, operation and control, troubleshooting, installation, equipment maintenance, technology and design, and repairing.
- Superior communication skills: in order to perform the duties of an FM, successful applicants must consistently meet a high standard for English, both written and spoken (overall grammatical structure as well as delivery, clarity and brevity).
- Other requirements: cross-cultural interest, tolerance of travel, tolerance of working overseas, tolerance of varying work environments, worldwide availability, tolerance of living away from family, continuous learning, attention to detail, dependability, accountability, integrity and willingness to perform other duties.
Essential Physical Requirements:
Some of the essential functions of the Facility Management job have a physically demanding component. In the execution of the duties and tasks listed above, Facility Managers MUST have:
- Mental Endurance: Ability to maintain attention for extended periods or work long hours.
- Speaking: Ability to speak clearly enough so others will understand, including speaking to groups.
- Hearing: Ability to hear speech or other sounds, possibly including sufficient sensitivity to hear sounds of low volume or in noisy environments.
- Mobility: Ability to walk moderate distances, climb stairs, or access workstations and vehicles.
- Climbing: Ability to climb stairs, ladders, and other inclines.
- Vision: Ability to see objects that are near, far, and at varying degrees of brightness and low light.
- Tolerance for varied environmental conditions: Ability to tolerate excessive heat, cold, noise, and pollution.
- Physical Endurance: Ability to perform repeated or continual movements, the ability to sit or stand for extended periods; e.g. taking long trips by plane or vehicle.
- Crawling: Ability to crawl under, around, or over objects.
- Torso Flexibility: Ability to bend, stretch, stoop, twist, or reach.
- Strength: Ability to lift, push, pull, carry, climb ladders, or balance.
- Dexterity: Ability to manipulate small objects with hands or fingers.
Education
At the time of application, applicants MUST have one of the following:
- Bachelor’s degree in any major and three years of Specialized Experience in the last 10 years; or
- Master’s degree or higher in any major and two years of Specialized Experience in the last 10 years; or
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Facility Management/Facilities Engineering (does not require Specialized Experience).
Part-time work experience will be prorated.
You must submit a copy of your university transcript(s) with your application. If you do not submit this documentation to demonstrate your educational achievements, your candidacy will not continue.
Official or unofficial transcripts may be submitted with your application. Your transcript must include your name, the school’s name, and the degree and date awarded. A transcript missing pages or any of these elements will not pass minimum qualifications and the candidacy will not continue. Copies of diplomas may not be submitted in lieu of transcripts.
Education from a program or institution within the United States must be accredited at the time of completion by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation, in order to be credited towards qualifications.
Education completed in foreign high schools, colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying, submitted in addition to your foreign university transcript. Only accredited organizations recognized as specializing in the interpretation of foreign education credentials that are members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE) are accepted. If documentation from an accredited organization is not provided, your candidacy will not continue.
NACES: www.naces.org/members.htm
AICE: www.aice-eval.org/members
For further information on the evaluation of foreign education, please refer to the Office of Personnel Management and the U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. Department of State neither endorses nor recommends any individual evaluation service.
OPM: www.opm.gov
U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov
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.
Agency Benefits
Benefits include health and medical coverage, federal retirement benefits, and paid leave. Overseas benefits include tax-free housing overseas, tax-free education allowance for dependent children between K-12 overseas, and an unrivaled opportunity to see the world and experience different cultures.
The salary listed comes from the Foreign Service Overseas pay scale at the low end and the Washington D.C. pay scale at the high end. For information on Foreign Service salary, visit https://careers.state.gov/faqs/faqs-wiki/foreign-service-salary-matching-pay-tables-danger-pay-overseas-moving-expenses-and-taxes.
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Candidates will be evaluated based on how well they meet the qualifications above. Review will include experience, education, awards, training, and self-development as it relates to the position. Part-time work experience will be prorated. Selection for this position will be made only from among candidates possessing the best qualifications. You may preview questions for this vacancy.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all required documents are uploaded and the application is complete before the closing deadline of this announcement. Missing documents or incomplete applications will result in the discontinuation of your candidacy.
- Résumé from USAJobs Résumé Builder, which is the only résumé format that is accepted for this Vacancy Announcement.
- Complete online application including the required Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest narratives in the online application.
- All required supporting documentation, including proof of educational achievements, certifications, professional licenses, or completed forms as required in this Vacancy Announcement. PDF documents are strongly recommended; illegible documents will not be accepted.
- Veteran’s Preference documentation for applicants aged 60 to 64. If claiming a 5 pt. Veteran’s Preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or Certification of service at the time of your application. If claiming a 10 pt. Veteran’s Preference, you must submit your VA letter and SF-15, in addition to your DD-214 or Certification of service at the time of your application. A Certification must be from the armed forces certifying the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days after the Certification is submitted by the applicant and should include military service dates, date of expected discharge or release, and character of service and disability rating, if applicable.
Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest
These required questions provide an opportunity to describe examples and accomplishments from your education, life, and/or work experience that demonstrate your qualifications for becoming a Foreign Service Specialist. Examples can be drawn from any part of your professional, school, or other personal experience. Each response allows for up to 2,000 characters (approximately 300 words). Compose your replies clearly and carefully. Answers to ALL of the items in the Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest are required and must be fully complete, or your candidacy will not continue.
- Substantive Knowledge: Using your knowledge of facility management, give what you consider to be the best example of a situation where you found a solution to a practical facility management problem. Indicate the nature of the problem, who was affected by the problem and in what way, and the results or benefits of your solution.
- Intellectual Skills: Describe a time when you had to analyze a complex facility management-related situation and make a quick decision. What process did you follow for making the decision, and what might you have done better?
- Interpersonal Skills: Provide an example that demonstrates you are good at working with others in difficult situations. What exactly did you do that shows you have this skill?
- Communication Skills: Describe a situation in which you used your communication skills to describe a technical issue to a non-technical audience. How did you translate the technical concepts to laypersons so they would understand without “dumbing it down”?
- Managerial Skills: Facility Managers are required to manage projects, demonstrating the ability to plan and organize, set priorities, employ a systematic approach, and allocate time and resources efficiently. Describe a project that you managed and how you demonstrated these skills to achieve the project’s goals.
- Leadership Skills: Describe a time when you identified a serious problem involving facility management services that required immediate action where you had to exhibit leadership to motivate and guide others to solve the problem. What leadership principles did you use?
Required narrative Statement of Interest which discusses your:
- Motivation for joining the Foreign Service.
- Relevant work experience, including any unique strengths not described elsewhere such as special skills (e.g. computer), current licenses, certifications, honors, awards, special accomplishments, and/or training (with date completed) relating to this position.
- Experience living or working in a multicultural environment, whether overseas or in the United States.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Application packages must be complete, submitted, and received by the closing date/time to be considered. There are no exceptions.
- From this Vacancy Announcement, click on “Apply.” Go to the USAJobs Login screen to use an existing account, or follow the link and instructions to create a new account.
- Follow the USAJobs Application Process and provide the required USAJobs federal online resume.
- USAJobs will automatically connect to the State Department online application site, Monster Government Service (MGS). Follow the instructions and answer the online questions. The Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest responses must be completed in the online application. Progress can be saved and edited on USAJobs at any time prior to the deadline.
- Upload all required documentation. PDF documents are strongly recommended. Illegible documents are not accepted.
- After attaching all required supporting documentation, answering all required application questions, and completing the application steps, review your entire application, including submitted documents.
- Confirm and submit your application package, which will be used to evaluate your qualifications for this position.
The application submission deadline is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all required documents are submitted and the application is complete before the closing deadline. Any missing required documents or incomplete applications will result in your application not being considered further. There are no exceptions.
Submit your application early and verify that all required documents are attached. Changes can be made until the closing date of the announcement.
If you experience technical difficulties with the application process, please contact the Monster Help Desk by calling 1-866-656-6830 or, email MGSHelp@monster.com. The Monster Help Desk is available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
For more information on Foreign Service Specialist hiring processes, visit https://careers.state.gov/career-paths/foreign-service/specialist/fss-selection-process/. For questions regarding Foreign Service careers, please visit our Careers website.
Next steps
After the close of the announcement, the application status in USAJobs will say "Reviewing Applications." This status on USAJobs will not be updated further. Click on "Track this application" for more information. Applicants will be notified by e-mail from the U.S. Department of State about the outcome of the initial application review and if they will be further considered for this Foreign Service position. We recommend adding the Department of State domain (@state.gov) as an approved sender.
Due to the high volume of applications, we ask all applicants to remain patient and await communication. It is not uncommon for several months to pass before you are informed of the results of your applications.
The Department will invite candidates who pass the qualifications evaluation process to participate in the Virtual Foreign Service Specialist Assessment. For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page at https://careers.state.gov/faqs.
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