Public Engagement Assistant (Lagos-2022-031) at the U.S. Consulate General

The U.S. Mission to Nigeria comprises of the Embassy in Abuja, FCT, and the Consulate General in Lagos. U.S. Consulate General Lagos is the Mission’s representative to the Nigerian people in the southern region.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Public Engagement Assistant – Employees of Mission-All/or USEFMs, EFMs or MOHs (Experiential Learning Coordinator)

Announcement Number: Lagos-2022-031
Location: Lagos
Hiring Agency: Consulate General Lagos
Series/Grade: LE – 6510 9
Work Schedule: Full-time – 40 hours per week
Promotion Potential: LE-9

Overview

• Hiring Path: Open to the public
• Who May Apply/Clarification From the Agency:
  • For USEFM – FP is 5/1.  Actual FP salary determined by Washington D.C.
  • Current Employees of the Mission – This includes U.S. Citizen Eligible Family Members (USEFMs); Eligible Family Members (EFMs); Declared Members of Household (MOHs), dependents of U.S. Personal Services Contract (USPSC) who are assigned under COM – All Agencies
• Security Clearance Required: Public Trust – Background Investigation
• Appointment Type: Permanent
• Appointment Type Details: Indefinite subject to successful completion of probationary period.

Summary

• The work schedule for this position is: Full Time (40 hours per week)
• Start date: Candidate must be able to begin working within a reasonable period of time (6 weeks) of receipt of agency authorization and/or clearances / certifications or their candidacy may end.
• Supervisory Position: No
• Relocation Expenses Reimbursed: No
• Travel Required:
  • 50% or less
  • Incumbent must be available to travel throughout the host country to support EXPL projects and activities.

Duties

• The Experiential Learning Coordinator works under the direct supervision of the Cultural Affairs Officer.
• The incumbent coordinates Mission Public Diplomacy outreach to Emerging Voices audiences through Experiential Learning (EXPL) projects and events, typically “learning through experience” activities such as tech or entrepreneurship camps, music and sports programs, journalism training, and other focused community engagement programs. Incumbent designs, develops, identifies co-sponsors and funding sources, plans and oversees a range of outreach activities in support of Mission goals. 

Qualifications and Evaluations

Requirements
Education Requirements:

• University Degree in Communications, International Relations, Management, Education, Marketing or local equivalent is required.
• Note: NYSC Certificate or Exemption document is required.

Experience:  

• Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in a multilingual, multicultural, multinational, government, or museum environment with marketing, public relations, communication, or education duties as a significant part of the job is required. 

Job Knowledge:  

• Detailed knowledge of U.S. foreign policy and American interests as they apply to the host country and especially to the EV sector is required. General knowledge of USG and DOS structure, as well as of PD Bureaus within the Department, is required. Detailed understanding of the full range of PD tactics and tools designed to engage EV audiences, and general knowledge of cross-cultural communications is required.
• Must have knowledge of Department standards for project management, including defining project objectives, outcomes, and assessment methods.
• Full understanding of PD-specific funding authorities and their planning and reporting tools is required.
• A thorough understanding of the attitudes and preferences of the EV audience sector in host country, including the regional, ethnic, socio-economic, cultural, and linguistic factors and the religious and educational institutions that shape those attitudes, is required.
• Knowledge of typical customer service and marketing tools designed to engage specific audience segments, particularly the EV sector, in the host country is required.
• Knowledge of latest trends in EXPL engagement in related public service institutions such as schools, museums, and training institutes, as relevant for the EV sector, is required.
• Knowledge of the types of technical and regulatory requirements associated with arts, sports, technical learning camps or other public engagement activities in the host country is required.
• Must have knowledge of the primary influencers in popular culture, as well as host-country institutions, government structures and policies that shape local attitudes toward experiential teaming techniques and/or EV audiences, particularly youth.
• Must be a practitioner of digital communication tools and practices trending with youth audiences, as well as those used by cultural or idea leaders influential with the host country’s EV sector.
•  Understanding of the complex and changing nature of the information environment, including current trends in international and host-country communications landscape is required.

Evaluations:

• This may be tested. Please specify your level of proficiency in the language listed.

Language:  

• Fluency in reading / writing / speaking of English is required.

Skills and Abilities:

• Analytic skills: Must have strong analytic skills and the ability to conceptualize how best to use innovation and cutting edge experiential teaming opportunities to attract EV audiences and engage them in positive ways.
• Must be able to advise senior leaders of opportunities to promote Mission EXPL outreach objectives; identify, analyze, predict and assess EV audience attitudes; evaluate the impact of activities and projects and modify approaches for best outcomes.
• Must be able to perceive the emergence of new trends and new sources of influence on EV audiences and adjust operations and programming accordingly.
• Communication / Interpersonal skills: Must have excellent customer relations, interpersonal cross-cultural communication skills, and be able to identify and engage key figures critical to developing EXPL priority initiatives.
• Must have the capacity to quickly tailor communications to fit formal and informal situations and different ethnic, religious and linguistic cultural groups; must also have excellent written and oral communication skills including public speaking, interviewing for evaluation purposes and writing reports and material for publication.
• Management skills: Strong project management skills are required, including the ability to establish credibility and lead group participation in projects such as workshops, seminars, conferences, sports and cultural programs, and camps, including activities conducted virtually.
• Must be able to negotiate agreements with partner institutions and manage their fulfillment.
• Technical skills: Good keyboarding and data entry skills, and excellent familiarity with electronic discovery tools, in particular the Internet, and standard information retrieval practices and procedures are required.
• Thorough, detailed knowledge of various computer software programs, specifically Microsoft Word, Excel, and PD-specific software, databases, and reporting tools is required.
• Must be practiced in using social media and mobile platforms, podcasts, basic photo and video tools to generate group interest and participation.
• Must have good numerical skills to be able to develop and oversee project and grant budgets; must be able to develop descriptive statistical analysis of target audience segments and impact of EXPL activities and initiatives.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO):  

• The U.S. Mission 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.

Qualifications:

• All applicants under consideration will be required to pass medical and security certifications.

Benefits and Other Info

Benefits
Agency Benefits:

• Locally Employed Staff, including Members of Household (MOHs), and Third-Country Nationals (TCNs), working at the U.S. Mission in Abuja, Nigeria may receive a compensation package that may include health, separation, and other benefits.
• For EFMs, benefits should be discussed with the Human Resources Office.
• The pay plan is assigned at the time of the conditional offer letter by the HR Office.

Other Information:

• For the current COVID-19 Requirements please visit the following link.
• Hiring Preference Selection Process: Applicants in the following hiring preference categories are extended a hiring preference in the order listed below.  Therefore, it is essential that these applicants accurately describe their status on the application. Failure to do so may result in a determination that the applicant is not eligible for a hiring preference.

Hiring Preference Order:

• AEFM / USEFM who is a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran*
• AEFM / USEFM
• FS on LWOP and CS with reemployment rights **

* Important

• Applicants who claim status as a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran must submit a copy of their most recent DD-214 (“Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty”), equivalent documentation, or certification.  A “certification” is any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted by the applicant. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service.  Acceptable documentation must be submitted in order for the preference to be given.
• ** This level of preference applies to all Foreign Service employees on LWOP and CS with re-employment rights back to their agency or bureau.
• For more information (i.e., what is an EFM, USEFM, AEFM, MOH, etc.?) and for additional employment considerations, please visit the following link.

Marketing Statement:

• We encourage you to read and understand the Eight (8) Qualities of Overseas Employees before you apply.

Salary
NGN10,908,677 (USD48,667) Annually.

Application Closing Date
1st April, 2022.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Important Information

• All candidates must be able to obtain and hold a Public Trust clearance. 
• Incumbent will be subject to polygraph upon selection.
• To apply for this position click the “APPLY TO THIS VACANCY” button at the top of the page. Click on the “Submit Application” button to complete your application process.  For more information on how to apply visit the Mission internet site.

Required Documents
To qualify based on education, you MUST submit the requested degree and / or transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to provide requested information, or the information is insufficient to verify eligibility, may result in disqualification for this position.

All Applicants:

• Residency and/or Work Permit
• Degree (not transcript)
• NYSC Certificate or Exemption Document

Eligible Family Member Applicants:

• Copy of Sponsor’s Orders / Assignment Notification (or equivalent)
• DD-214 – Member Copy 4, Letter from Veterans’ Affairs, or other supporting documentation (if applicable)
• SF-50 (if applicable).

Next Steps:

• Applicants who are invited to take a language or skills test, or who are selected for an interview will be contacted via email.
• For further information – the complete position description listing all of the duties, responsibilities, required qualifications, etc. may be obtained by contacting the Human Resources Office.
• Thank you for your application and your interest in working at the U.S. Mission in Lagos, Nigeria.
• For More Info: HR Section – 000-000-0000,  [email protected]