Director, Security and Foreign Affairs

POSITION TITLE: Director, Security and Foreign Affairs

VACANCY NUMBER: 007-2024-DSFA        

SALARY: $147,500 to $184,500 per year

POSITION INFORMATION: Administratively Determined, Full-Time, Term-Appointed Position 

(The initial term of appointment is one year and is generally renewed annually by mutual agreement. This position is not covered by provisions of 5 USC that apply to Executive Branch employees regarding appointment, termination, competitive service selection, and pay related rules and regulations.)

DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC

WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED: Open to all qualified U.S. Citizens

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:  

(1) All candidates must be available to work in-person in Washington, DC.

(2) Applicants must be eligible for a Top Secret//SCI security clearance. A previous or current active clearance is not a prerequisite for applying for or initiating employment.

OPEN & CLOSING DATES: Monday, September 30, 2024 to Monday, October 14, 2024

Applications may be reviewed and interviews conducted on a rolling basis as applications are received, so we encourage applicants to submit applications as early in the process as possible.

CONTACT: Email: Opportunities@uscc.gov

**This announcement is a readvertisement which changes the qualification of professional proficiency in Mandarin Chinese from required to highly desired. If you previously applied, you do not need to reapply if you wish to be considered for the position.**

ABOUT THE COMMISSION

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission is a Congressional advisory commission mandated to monitor, investigate, and report to Congress on the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. The Commission’s full mandate is posted at: https://www.uscc.gov/charter.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direction of the Executive Director, the position is responsible for leading, managing, and developing a small team of 5–6 policy research staff (analysts, fellows, and research assistants), specifically overseeing the unclassified work in Security and Foreign Affairs subject matter areas. Also contributes to the broader staff as one of the directors providing cross-functional coordination and leadership across the Commission staff.

1.      Lead and manage a diverse team developing policy-relevant analysis within the Commission’s mandate. Lead the team’s efforts to: generate ideas; research and draft the Commission’s Annual Report; prepare staff papers and issue briefs; develop hearings; draft talking points and editorials, etc.

2.      Develop and mentor junior and mid-career policy analysts to build subject matter expertise and produce substantive and effective written and oral assessments of issues in the team’s portfolio. 

3.      Collaborate with the Economics and Trade Team to ensure research in support of the Commission’s mandate is comprehensive and coordinated across all relevant issue areas.

4.      Ensure the team’s analytic work is accurate, timely, and well written; satisfies the requirements of Commissioners and Congress; reflect the Commission’s positions; is relevant to Congressional policy-making; and meets professional standards.   

5.      Serve as a subject matter expert for Commissioners, to Congressional staff, and in support of the Commission’s advice to Congress, in the subject matter areas assigned to your team (see areas of expertise identified in the requirements and qualifications listed below). 

6.      Develop and sustain a professional network with officials in the U.S. government who create or carry out China-related strategy, policy, or plans; and China analysts in the U.S. government, private sector, and academia.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

1.      An established record of policy-relevant professional experience on issues related to Chinese national security and foreign affairs.

2.      Experience supervising and leading people and teams in conducting research and analysis.

3.      Strong and demonstrated ability to present information clearly and concisely through both written and oral communication.

4.      Advanced research, analytical, and evaluative skills, including the ability to mentor and develop in analysts the skills necessary to synthesize and analyze large amounts of disparate data on emerging and/or controversial issues and clearly communicate their implications to a policy audience.

5.      Expert knowledge of five or more of the following areas:

a.      China’s foreign policy and global diplomatic activities;

b.      China’s domestic politics and policy-making;

c.      China’s military strategy and the organization, capabilities, and activities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA);

d.      China’s development of technologies for defense applications, the defense research and development (R&D) ecosystem, and military-civil fusion initiatives;

e.      China’s internal security policies and apparatus, to include CCP inspection and discipline organs, the Ministry of State Security (MSS), the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), the People’s Armed Police (PAP), and the judicial, procuratorial, and penal systems;

f.       China’s policies and activities relating the transnational security challenges, including drug flows, cybersecurity, nonproliferation, public health, information control, transnational repression, and others;

g.      China’s relations with Taiwan;

h.      China’s policy toward Hong Kong; and

i.       U.S. foreign policy related to China and the Indo-Pacific (including U.S. alliances and other partnerships in the region) and U.S. military strategy, capabilities, and activities in the Indo-Pacific.

HIGHLY DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

(Not required, but may be considered in the selection process)

1.      Professional proficiency in Mandarin Chinese, to include ability to effectively utilize original language sources of electronic and print information, and guide the use of such resources by other analysts, in developing policy-relevant original research and analysis.

2.      Experience working in or engaging with Congress on matters related to national security and foreign affairs policy.

3.      Experience living and/or working in China, Taiwan, or Hong Kong, or in a U.S. government department or agency that conducted or oversaw national security and foreign affairs policy with China.

4.      Academic degree(s) in a relevant field, such as Asian Studies, International Relations, Political Science, Security Studies, or Asian History.

HOW TO APPLY

Submit a complete application package containing all of the below required documents in one PDF file via email to Opportunities@uscc.gov. Incomplete application packages or information not received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date will not be considered.

1)     Cover letter, to include:

a.      Position title

b.      Vacancy number

c.      Brief statement outlining your interest in the Commission and this position and how you heard about the position

d.      Concise response on how you meet the requirements and qualifications set out in this vacancy

e.      Your availability to begin work in-person in Washington, DC

f.       Your salary requirements

g.      Name and contact information for two professional references, one of whom must be a current or recent past supervisor

2)     Resume

3)     Recent Writing Sample

The writing sample can be on any topic; writing relevant to the position being sought is strongly preferred; writing and editing must be your own work and should not exceed 5 pages.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER APPLYING

After submitting your application package you will receive an email confirming receipt of your application materials. Please note this email confirmation is not automated and may take 2–3 business days to receive. You will be contacted via email if we wish to schedule an interview or require additional information. All applicants will be notified once the position has been filled.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED

The Commission will evaluate your cover letter, resume, and writing sample to assess your qualifications and experience. The Executive Director and appropriate staff will interview the top candidates. Interviews will consist of two parts: 1) interviews with the Executive Director and appropriate staff; and 2) a writing test.

The Chairman and/or Vice Chair may interview the final candidates. The final hiring decision will be made by the Executive Director.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The Commission actively seeks a diverse applicant pool and values having a variety of views, backgrounds, and experiences on the team. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of that individual’s protected characteristics, including: race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, and childbirth), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, uniformed service, or sexual orientation.

The Commission will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities as appropriate. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

The Commission participates in the E-Verify Program established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA). If you are hired by the Commission, the Commission will verify with the DHS and the SSA that you are eligible for employment in the United States.

Benefits. As federal government employees, Commission employees are eligible to participate in federal employee benefits programs, to include: health insurance; dental and vision insurance; life insurance; and a retirement plan (FERS), including the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), a 401k-like retirement savings program. Employees accrue and may use annual and sick leave in accordance with Commission policies and procedures. For more information, please visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/benefits.