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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 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.

Publications Coordinator

The American Foreign Service Association seeks a full-time Publications Coordinator to serve at AFSA headquarters in Washington, D.C. Applications will be accepted through January 7, 2022.

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.

The Position:

The Publications Coordinator is a critical member of AFSA’s Publications Team, which publishes The Foreign Service Journal 10 times a year and manages AFSA’s book publishing arm, Foreign Service Books. This position reports to the Managing Editor. The position’s core function is to handle operational and administrative tasks, while lending consistent support to editorial and circulation functions. The ideal candidate will possess strong communications and organizational skills, preferably with experience in publishing and an understanding of the Foreign Service.

The incumbent must be highly dependable, proactive and well organized; possess sound judgment, good humor and flexibility; have the ability to prioritize, manage deadlines and follow through; and be able to work under pressure with all levels of personnel. While this position is located at AFSA headquarters and the incumbent must be locally based in the Washington, D.C., area, limited telework is available.

Essential Functions:

  • Business Management and Administrative Support: Monitor the Journal’s public-facing email account, respond to inquiries and communicate messages to senior staff as needed. This includes acting as first point of contact for article submissions and permissions requests, recording and tracking monthly author payments and agreements, mailing complimentary copies, and creating purchase orders for author and vendor payments.
  • Circulation & Distribution Operations: Manage overall print distribution. This includes calculating the print run and generating the mailing list (utilizing the member database) for each issue. It also involves managing physical inventory at AFSA headquarters and outside facilities; expanding FSJ reach by deploying tailored supplemental distribution lists and targeted social media postings; tracking article reach and compiling monthly analytics reports.
  • Editorial Board Coordination: Prepare materials and relevant logistics for the monthly FSJ Editorial Board meeting.
  • FSJ Digital Archive Curation and Outreach: Handle internal and external requests for archival materials. This includes conducting searches to create special article collections and seeking opportunities to promote awareness of the archive as a research tool.
  • Compilations Management: Collect and track submissions for FSJ special compilations on particular themes. This includes generating and populating Excel spreadsheets, liaising with authors and reporting status to senior staff.
  • Foreign Service Books Operational and Administrative Support: Track sales and inventory of AFSA-published books, liaise with distributors, manage reprints and assist in planning for future books. This includes coordinating potential e-book production using FSJ materials.

Applicant Must Possess:

  • A bachelor’s degree.
  • Strong organizational skills.
  • Strong communications skills, including the ability to write clearly and concisely.
  • A working knowledge of the Foreign Service and diplomacy.
  • Ability to meet multiple deadlines and prioritize responsibilities and projects.
  • Competent with Microsoft Office Suite and SharePoint.
  • Ability to lift 25 lbs. for managing inventory and room setup.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust Clearance.

Experience with publications management is preferred but not required.

Due to COVID-19 and AFSA’s hard re-opening on November 1, 2021, the incumbent is required to have proof of full COVID-19 vaccination for employment and building entry. AFSA will consider reasonable accommodations for medical or religious reasons.

Compensation and Application:

The salary range for this position is $48,000 to $52,000, depending on experience. All full-time employees have access to health, dental and vision insurance, vacation and sick leave, and a 401(k) retirement account with 5 percent match. AFSA is an equal-opportunity employer.

Please send a cover letter and resume to jobs@afsa.org by January 7, subject line: Publications Coordinator Application. No calls, please.

Legal Intern/Law Clerk

Full or Part-Time:

Part Time (up to 20 hours a week) for the 2022 Spring Semester

Paid or Unpaid:

$21 - $23/hr based upon education and experience.

City:

Washington - DC (United States)

Employment Type:

Federal Labor Union

Interview Format:

In Person and/or Videoconference Interview

Practice Area:

Federal Labor & Employment

Job Description:

The American Foreign Service Association (afsa.org) is seeking a part-time law clerk to work in its Labor Management office at the Department of State. Part-time remote work is possible. AFSA is the labor union and professional association for the U.S. Foreign Service at the State Department and five other foreign affairs agencies. The law clerk will work on a wide range of labor and employment issues, primarily in the areas of administrative litigation and collective bargaining negotiations. As the exclusive bargaining agent for the Foreign Service, AFSA represents Foreign Service employees in everything from discipline proposals and grievances to financial matters and dependent family education issues. The law clerk will work alongside attorneys representing individual members and in negotiating collective bargaining agreements with the foreign affairs agencies.

Primary Job Responsibilities:

  • Research relevant statutes, regulations, Federal Labor Relations Authority, Foreign Service Labor Relations Board, and Foreign Service Grievance Board precedents, Agency regulations, collective bargaining agreements, and case comparators for the preparation of legal memoranda.
  • Draft legal memoranda on wide range of federal labor and employment issues.
  • Draft responses to proposals for discipline, grievances, grievance appeals, requests for documents, interrogatories, and requests for admissions.
  • Draft language for collective bargaining agreements.
  • Assist with administrative issues, as required.

Qualifications:

  • 2L or 3L law student with an interest in labor and employment law.
  • Strong Academic Credentials. Demonstrated interest in labor/employment preferred.

      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.

      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 Labor Management Office located at the State Department 2805 HST, 2201 C St NW, Washington, DC. 20520.

      Due to COVID-19 and AFSA’s hard re-opening on November 1, 2021, the incumbent is required to have proof of full COVID-19 vaccination for employment and building entry. AFSA will consider reasonable accommodations for medical or religious reasons.

      To Apply:

      Candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, transcript, and writing sample to afsa@state.gov. The deadline for submissions is the close of business on Monday, January 10th, 2022.

      Required Application Documents:

      • Resume
      • Cover Letter
      • Transcript
      • Writing Sample

    AFSA Employee Handbook