Jobs at AFSA

In This Section

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 Broadcasting Board of Governors. 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.

Coordinator, Member Events and Marketing

The American Foreign Service Association is recruiting an individual with a background in event management and marketing for a full-time position at its Washington, D.C. headquarters. The position will be on full-time telework until AFSA staff returns to the office once the COVID-19 pandemic is under control. Applications will be accepted until December 31, 2020. The start date will be in January 2021.

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 Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

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 cases.

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

The Position and Its Principal Responsibilities

The Coordinator, Member Events and Marketing is responsible for overseeing all member events, to include recruitment events for active-duty and retired Foreign Service members. They also work with other colleagues in the member services department to assist with general membership tasks.

  • Member Events: Responsible for all aspects of event management for virtual and in-person events for AFSA members. This includes author talks, panel discussions, happy hours, expert presentations and board-led town halls. Incumbent will oversee event planning and management including, coordinating with stakeholders, creating marketing content, planning logistics and handling day-of site management, including catering and set-up.
  • Recruitment Events: Responsible for planning and executing all recruitment events, whether virtual or in-person. Incumbent will plan events, coordinate with stakeholders, create marketing content, plan logistics and handle day-of site management, including catering and set-up. This includes events at AFSA as well as the Foreign Service retiree receptions generally held off-site.
  • Marketing: In collaboration with the membership team and other stakeholders create marketing content and collateral for member and recruitment events as well as other membership collateral, including flyers, handouts, graphics, etc.
  • Messaging: Assist with writing content for email marketing and messaging around events and recruitment.
  • Member Services: Assists with membership inquiries, data entry and accuracy, and phone and walk-in requests.

Required Skills and Characteristics

  • High school diploma or equivalent required.
  • The ability to obtain a State Department badge.
  • Superb oral and written communication skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, to include email and phone.
  • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Experience working with a database.
  • Well versed with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
  • Must be experienced and comfortable running events via videoconferencing, including on both the Zoom and Microsoft Teams platforms.

Preferred Education and Experience

  • A college degree.
  • Experience in or knowledge of the Foreign Service.
  • Prior experience with event management, from conception to completion.
  • Prior marketing experience.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $47,000-52,000, depending on experience, with excellent benefits.

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.

AFSA Employee Handbook