Education Outreach Assistant at U.S. Embassy

The U.S. Mission to Nigeria comprises of the Embassy in Abuja, FCT, and the Consulate General in Lagos. U.S. Consulate General Lagos is the Mission’s representative to the Nigerian people in the southern region.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Education Outreach Assistant - All Interested Candidates (Public Engagement Assistant)

Announcement Number: Abuja-2023-117S
Location: Abuja
Work Schedule: Full-time - 40 Hours Per Week
Hiring Agency: Embassy Abuja
Series / Grade: LE - 6510 8
Promotion Potential: LE-NA

Overview

• Hiring Path: Open to the public
• Who May Apply/Clarification From the Agency: For USEFM - FP6 is 6/1 ($45,290).
  • Actual FP salary determined by Washington D.C.
  • All Interested Applicants / All Sources
• Security Clearance Required: Public Trust - Background Investigation
• Appointment Type: Permanent
• Appointment Type Details: Indefinite subject to successful completion of probationary period

Summary

• The work schedule for this position is:Full Time (40 hours per week)
• Start date: Candidate must be able to begin working within a reasonable period of time (6 weeks) of receipt of agency authorization and/or clearances/certifications or their candidacy may end.
• Supervisory Position: No
• Relocation Expenses Reimbursed: No

Duties

• The Education Outreach Assistant provides program support and performs administrative duties related to all education outreach programs in the Embassy Abuja consular district.
• Supports the Education Outreach Coordinator in coordinating Embassy Public Diplomacy (PD) education engagement with Emerging Voices (EV) audiences in the Embassy Abuja consular district, reaching youth, minorities, and those who influence them through targeted Embassy outreach to secondary schools; promotion of American Studies content and curricula in institutions of higher learning; and promotion of academic study in the United States through Education USA advising programs.
• Supports the Country Education Specialist (or Country Public Affair Officer [CPAO]) with grants administration.

Qualifications and Evaluations
Educations:

• A University Degree in Education, American Studies, International Relations, Communications, Marketing, or local equivalent is required. (NYSC Certificate/Exemption/Exclusion document is required)

Experience:

• Two (2) years of experience in education, communications, marketing, or public outreach is required.

OR

Education : 

• Two (2) years of University Studies certificate in any field.

Experience:

• Five (5) years of experience in education, communications, marketing, or public outreach is required.

Job Knowledge:

• Detailed knowledge of the U.S. higher education system, the college application process, standardized entrance exams, and financial aid is required. Knowledge of the U.S. political system, American history, literature, culture, and geography is required.
• General knowledge of the latest trends within the academic field of American Studies is required. Familiarity with virtual applications and technologies, including Massive Open Online Courses and digital tools used by students, teachers, and professors, is required.
• General knowledge of project management, including defining project objectives, outcomes, and assessment methods is required. 
• A thorough understanding of the attitudes and preferences of the EV audience sector in Nigeria, including the regional, ethnic, social, cultural, linguistic, and other factors and institutions that shape those attitudes, is required.
• Detailed knowledge of Nigerian secondary and tertiary academic institutions, standards of instruction and curriculum relating to the United States, and general standards and practice for education systems and NGOs is required.
• Knowledge of typical customer service standards and marketing tools designed to engage specific audience segments in Nigeria, particularly the EV sector, is required. Knowledge of the latest trends in audience engagement in related public service institutions, such as think tanks, museums, academic institutions, and professional training institutes, as relevant for the EV sector, is required.
• Understanding of communication trends in the region and internationally is required. Must be familiar with digital practices and procedures used by or influential with the Nigerian educational and broader EV sectors.

Evaluations:

• This may be tested. Please specify your level of proficiency in the language listed.

Language:

• Fluent Speaking/Reading/Writing English is required.

Skills and Abilities:
Analytic Skills:

• Must have strong analytic skills.
• Must be able to identify, analyze, predict, and assess EV audience attitudes and evaluate the impact of activities and projects and modify approaches for the best outcomes.
• Must be able to perceive the emergence of new influencers and adjust operations and programs accordingly.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills:

• Must have excellent customer relations, interpersonal, and cross-cultural communication skills and be able to identify and engage key figures critical to shaping local educational priorities and practices.
• Must have excellent written and oral communication skills, including public speaking, interviewing for evaluation purposes, writing reports, and contributing materials for publication in English and Yoruba, Hausa, or Igbo.
• Must be able to tailor communications to fit formal and informal situations and different ethnic, religious, and linguistic cultures.
• Must be able to brief U.S. officers and visitors on a variety of issues and interpret between English and Yoruba, Hausa, or Igbo for public programs.

Management Skills:

• Strong management skills are required, including the ability to support the Country Education Specialist (or CPAO designee) and Education Outreach Coordinator as they develop and oversee project budgets and organize, run, and present projects such as workshops, seminars, digital and in-person conferences, panel discussions, lectures, and camps.

Technical Skills:

• Good keyboarding and data entry skills and excellent familiarity with electronic discovery tools, in particular the internet, and standard information retrieval practices and procedures are required.
• Thorough knowledge of various computer software programs, specifically Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, is required.
• Must be able to use social media and mobile platforms, MOOCs, podcast creation tools, and basic photo and video tools.
• Must have good numerical skills to be able to develop and manage project and grant budgets.

Qualifications:

• All applicants under consideration will be required to pass medical and security certifications.

Hiring Preference Selection Process:

• Applicants in the following hiring preference categories are extended a hiring preference in the order listed below. 
• Therefore, it is essential that these applicants accurately describe their status on the application. Failure to do so may result in a determination that the applicant is not eligible for a hiring preference.

Hiring Preference Order:

• AEFM / USEFM who is a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran*
• AEFM / USEFM
• FS on LWOP and CS with reemployment rights **

* Important

• Applicants who claim status as a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran must submit a copy of their most recent DD-214 (“Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty”), equivalent documentation, or certification. 
• A "certification" is any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted by the applicant.
• The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service.  Acceptable documentation must be submitted in order for the preference to be given.
• ** This level of preference applies to all Foreign Service employees on LWOP and CS with re-employment rights back to their agency or bureau.
• For more information (i.e., what is an EFM, USEFM, AEFM, MOH, etc.?) and for additional employment considerations, please visit the following link.

Marketing Statement:

• We encourage you to read and understand the Eight (8) Qualities of Overseas Employees before you apply.

Remuneration

• USD24,328 Annually.

Agency Benefits:

• Locally Employed Staff, including Members of Household (MOHs), and Third-Country Nationals (TCNs), working at the U.S. Mission in Abuja, Nigeria may receive a compensation package that may include health, separation, and other benefits.
• For EFMs, benefits should be discussed with the Human Resources Office.
• The pay plan is assigned at the time of the conditional offer letter by the HR Office.

Application Closing Date
7th December, 2023.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Important Information

• All candidates must be able to obtain and hold a public trust clearance. 
• To apply for this position click the "APPLY TO THIS VACANCY" button at the top of the page.
• Click on the "Submit Application" button to complete your application process.
• For more information on how to apply visit the Mission internet site.

Required Documents
To qualify based on education, you MUST submit the requested degree and / or transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to provide requested information, or the information is insufficient to verify eligibility, may result in disqualification for this position.

All Applicants:

• Residency and/or Work Permit
• Degree (not transcript)
• NYSC Certificate/Exclusion/Exemption (For option 1)

Eligible Family Member Applicants:

• Copy of Sponsor's Orders/Assignment Notification (or equivalent)
• DD-214 - Member Copy 4, Letter from Veterans’ Affairs, or other supporting documentation (if applicable)
• SF-50 (if applicable)

Next Steps:

• Applicants who are invited to take a language or skills test, or who are selected for an interview will be contacted via email.
• For further information - the complete position description listing all of the duties, responsibilities, required qualifications, etc. may be obtained by contacting the Human Resources Office.
• Thank you for your application and your interest in working at the U.S. Mission in Abuja, Nigeria.