Director, Economics and Trade

POSITION TITLE: Director, Economics and Trade

VACANCY NUMBER: 007-2024-DET        

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. The 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. Candidates outside of the Washington, DC National Capital Region should expect to relocate if selected.

(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: Wednesday, December 11, 2024 to Monday, January 13, 2025

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

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 research, policy analysis, writing and editing, and policy recommendation development work in Economics and Trade 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.      Structure, organize, and supervise the team’s work, ensuring team work products are completed on time and meet the Commission’s standards.

3.      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.

4.      Collaborate with the Security and Foreign Affairs Team to ensure research in support of the Commission’s mandate is comprehensive and coordinated across all relevant issue areas.

5.      Ensure the team’s analytic work is accurate, timely, and well written; satisfies the requirements of Commissioners and Congress; reflects the Commission’s positions; is relevant to Congressional policymaking; and meets professional standards.   

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

7.      Develop and sustain a professional network with officials in the U.S. government who create or carry out China-related strategy, policy, or plans; regulators involved in executing economic or trade relations with China; 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 U.S. economic and trade relations with China and their implications for U.S. national security.

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

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.      U.S.-China bilateral trade and investment flows, and their impact on U.S. national security, industries, and workers;

b.      Trade laws, regulations, procedures and goals of the U.S. Congress and Executive Branch, especially those pertaining to the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan;

c.      U.S. laws and regulations relating to the control of exports and to inbound investment, outbound investment, and financial markets, especially those relating to the People’s Republic of China;

d.      The overall state of China’s domestic economy;

e.      China’s laws, regulations, policies and goals relating to its financial system, including its banking system and capital markets;

f.       China’s evolving policy and regulatory landscape, including market access for foreign companies, protection of intellectual property rights, data security, food and product safety, energy, and technology development;

g.      China’s economic diplomacy and statecraft, including its participation in international economic governance and standards organizations;

h.      Trade policies and practices of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, as well as which agencies within these jurisdictions are responsible for determining, implementing, supervising, and conducting such policies;

i.       China’s adherence to U.S.-China bilateral trade and investment commitments, its obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization, and other multilateral agreements; and

j.       The overall composition of international trade, and the application of economic principles in U.S. bilateral and multilateral trade, financial, and economic relations.

HIGHLY DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

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

1.      Experience working in or engaging with Congress on matters related to economics and trade policy.

2.      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.

3.      Experience working in a U.S. government department or agency that conducts, oversees, or regulates economic or trade relations with China.

4.      Experience living and/or working in China, Taiwan, or Hong Kong.

5.      Academic degree(s) in a relevant field, such as Economics, Political-Economy, Asian Studies, International Relations, Political Science, or Law.

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 description of how your experience relates to the requirements and qualifications listed above; 

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

f.       Your salary requirements; and

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

2)     Resume

3)     Current 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 8 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 be conducted with the Executive Director and appropriate staff. The process may include a writing and/or editing 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.