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Employment at AFSA

The Foreign Service Act of 1980, the legal foundation for the Foreign Service, opens by declaring that “a career Foreign Service, characterized by excellence and professionalism, is essential in the national interest.” AFSA speaks for its members individually, ensuring that the law is upheld and due process followed, but also, crucially, for the long-term health and vigor of the Foreign Service as an institution, certain in the conviction that a career Foreign Service, characterized by excellence and professionalism, is in America’s national interest.

AFSA’s membership include active-duty and retired Foreign Service officers and specialists at the Department of State, as well as members of the Foreign Service from the U.S. Agency for International Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, Foreign Commercial Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and U.S. Agency for Global Media. AFSA exists to support the United States Foreign Service, which deploys worldwide to protect and serve America’s people, interests and values. The Foreign Service is the only U.S. government entity that is globally deployed with an enduring physical presence in almost every country in the world, creating an enormous competitive advantage for America and for Americans from all walks of life. AFSA’s members are career professionals who spend roughly two thirds of their careers abroad representing America to the people and leaders of other countries. Members of the Foreign Service are posted to more than 270 U.S. embassies, consulates and other missions around the globe—most in difficult and many in dangerous environments.

Our AFSA staff are hired from across the Foreign Service and international affairs communities. If you are interested in supporting the Foreign Service mission and working for AFSA, please keep an eye on our website below for available jobs. In the meantime, we have posted our Employee Handbook here for your information.

Program Coordinator

The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), the professional association and exclusive bargaining agent for the United States Foreign Service, seeks a Program Coordinator to work within the Membership department at its Washington, D.C. headquarters located at 2101 E St NW, Washington, DC. The position reports to the Director of Programs and Member Engagement. The position includes the option of flexible telework, but the incumbent must be in the office a minimum of 2 days a week. Applications will be accepted through June 5, 2024. The start date will be Aug 5, 2024.

Compensation and Benefits

  • Annualized salary of $70,000 - $76,000 across 26 pay periods, depending on experience.
  • Optional telework up to 3 days a week once onboarding has been fully completed.
  • Full-time employees have access to a health care and retirement benefits package.
    • Subsidized Health, Dental, and Vision insurance
    • Disability (short and long), Life, and AD&D Insurance paid in full by AFSA.
    • 401(k) and/or Roth 401(k) with up to 5% matching
    • Paid Sick, Vacation and Parental leave.

The Organization

The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), created in 1924, is the professional association for the U.S. Foreign Service. AFSA’s 16,800 members include active and retired Foreign Service officers and specialists primarily at the Department of State as well as at the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Foreign Agricultural Service, the Foreign Commercial Service, the U.S. Agency for Global media, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

AFSA is also a labor union, serving as the exclusive representative of members of the Foreign Service. AFSA negotiates with the management of the principal U.S. Government foreign affairs agencies on personnel policies and practices affecting members’ working conditions, and represents members in formal grievance proceedings, office of security and inspector general investigations, disciplinary proceedings, and EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) cases.

The Position and Its Principal Responsibilities

The primary duties of the incumbent are to coordinate programs available to AFSA members, primarily the association’s scholarship programs for Foreign Service youth and AFSA’s professional recognition awards. The incumbent will work closely with the Director of Programs and Member Engagement and other colleagues across the organization on these initiatives and other member focused activities.

Specific duties include:

  • Coordination of AFSA’s annual scholarship program for Foreign Service youth.
    • Responsible for design of the application, marketing of the scholarships, and creation of a project plan and timeline to ensure all deliverables and deadlines are met.
    • Manage application software including design and scheduling of communication to applicants.
    • Recruit, train, and facilitate volunteer judging panels.
    • Plan a ceremonial event for scholarship winners.
    • Responsible for distribution of all scholarship disbursements.
    • For context, in 2024, AFSA will give out $130,000 in merit awards and $240,000 in financial aid.
  • Coordination of AFSA’s awards program, which recognizes excellence in the Foreign Service.
    • Responsible for design of applications, marketing of awards nomination period, and ensuring all nominations meet eligibility criteria.
    • Organize judging panels to evaluate nominations and select award winners working closely with donors and partners and the AFSA awards committee.
    • Plan the annual high-level AFSA Awards Ceremony at the Department of State, coordinating with protocol office, vendors, recipients, guests, principal presenters and building security to allow for a well-executed event.
    • Track and distribute awards and prize money to recipients.
  • Responsible for coordinating AFSA memorial plaques and memorial ceremony held each year on Foreign Service Day in early May.
    • Work with the awards committee to consider names of fallen U.S. diplomats for inclusion.
    • Act as liaison with appropriate offices at the State Department and USAID to coordinate the annual memorial event.
    • Help draft speeches and talking points.
  • Create, edit, and update communications and all collateral for these primary programs.
  • Other duties as required as a key member of the membership and events team, including assisting with in-person events, recruitment campaigns, and member communications.

For more information about AFSA, please go to www.AFSA.org.

Required Skills, Education and Characteristics

  • College degree.
  • Excellent organizational and project management skills.
  • Analytical and strong problem-solving skills.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Strong interpersonal skills.
  • Capable of quickly and effectively learning and managing software systems, including the application platform (CommunityForce) and membership database (NetForum).
  • Well versed with Microsoft Office tools, particularly Excel.
  • The ability to obtain and maintain a State Department badge.

Preferred Skills, Education and Characteristics

  • 2+ years of relevant work experience.

Work Environment

  • Prolonged periods sitting at a desk working on a computer. Will occasionally need to move heavy equipment and furniture. Primary work location will be AFSA HQ located at 2101 E St NW, Washington DC 20037.
  • The position includes the option of flexible telework, but the incumbent must be in the office a minimum of 2 days a week.

To Apply

Please email a detailed cover letter that explains why you are interested and qualified in this position and your resume, along with a brief writing sample, to jobs@afsa.org. The deadline is 5:00 p.m. EDT on June 5, 2024.

AFSA Employee Handbook