Costa Rica
OPEN TO: All Interested Candidates
POSITION: Commercial Specialist – Head Of Section Fsn-12; Fp-3*
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OPENING DATE: September 26, 2012
CLOSING DATE: October 10, 2012
WORK HOURS: Full-time; 40 hours/week.
SALARY: * Not-Ordinarily Resident: US$65,413 annual (Starting salary)
(Position Grade: FP-3 is confirmed by Washington)
* Ordinarily Resident: ¢1,932,384.00 monthly (Starting salary)
(Position Grade: FSN-12)
Note: all ordinarily resident applicants must have the required work and/or residency permits to be eligible for consideration.
Basic Function Of The Position
The U.S. Embassy in San Jose is seeking an individual for the position of Commercial Specialist-Head of Section for the U.S. Department of Commerce. The incumbent is a Head of Commercial Service section at the Embassy and directs a wide range of commercial programs, consistent with U.S. Commercial Service (CS) requirements in the Central American region. Serves as the principal advisor to the Ambassador and the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) and the Regional Senior Commercial Officer (RSCO) on commercial and U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC) matters in Costa Rica. The functions supervised by the incumbent include, but are not limited to: a) Exploitation of trade and investment opportunities; b)Assistance to U.S. firms in obtaining representation, licensing, joint venture and franchise arrangements; c) Providing marketing information, market research and reports on the business climate and economic and foreign trade trends, for use by the American Business community; d) Assistance to U.S. firms in bidding for tenders and contracts; e) Protection of U.S. firms against discriminatory practices; f) Resolution of commercial trade disputes and complaints; g) Promotion of foreign buyers visits to the United States; h) Support of United States Department of Commerce trade fair exhibits, trade missions, and other business promotion initiatives; i) Representation of U.S. Commercial Service to Government of Costa Rica entities; j) Support of the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica mission and participation in all commercial-related initiatives in partnership with all U.S. Government agencies represented at post.
A copy of the complete position description listing all duties and responsibilities is available in the Human Resources Office. Contact Tel. 2519-2374.
Qualifications Required
NOTE: All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item.
1. Master’s degree in Marketing, Economics, Business Administration, International Trade or International Affairs is required.
2. Six years of progressively increasing responsibilities related to international trade in governmental or private sector is required. Two years of managerial experience are also required. Must have commensurate experience and qualifications, including: proven managerial abilities; experience in the formulation and implementation of commercial policy decisions; experience in discussions and negotiations with foreign governments; and experience in commercial assignments encompassing commercial reporting and trade promotion responsibilities.
3. Level IV (fluent) in both written and spoken English and Spanish is required. This will be tested
4. Must have expert knowledge of and be intimately familiar with Costa Rica’s economy and its prevailing business trade and investment practices, including in relation to the U.S., in order to provide knowledgeable advice and support to the Ambassador, DCM, RSCO, USDOC, and U.S. business. Must also be capable of engaging in numerous representational activities and effectively explaining and promoting commercial policies and objectives to business and other audiences throughout the host country. Must also have the ability to develop and maintain a broad range of senior level contacts in government and the private sector; to communicate clearly developments, challenges, and opportunities in a wide range of commercial sectors; and to communicate effectively how to do business in Costa Rica.
5. Advanced leadership and communications skills and proven track record of supervisory and management experience. Must be able to engage in public speaking, in both languages, English and Spanish. Must be computer literate in word processing, database, and spreadsheet applications and must have a valid driver’s license.
6. Candidates must be Costa Ricans or foreign citizens legally residing in Costa Rica.
Selection Process
When fully qualified, U.S. Citizen Eligible Family Members (USEFMs) and U.S. Veterans are given preference. Therefore, it is essential that the candidate specifically address the required qualifications above in the application.
Additional Selection Criteria
1. Management will consider nepotism/conflict of interest, budget, and residency status in determining successful candidacy.
2. Must be legally residing in Costa Rica.
3. Current employees serving a probationary period are not eligible to apply.
4. Current Ordinarily Resident employees with an Overall Summary Rating of Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory on their most recent Employee Performance Report are not eligible to apply.
5. Currently employed U.S. Citizen EFMs who hold a Family Member Appointment (FMA) are ineligible to apply for advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment.
6. Currently employed NORs hired under a Personal Services Agreement (PSA) are ineligible to apply for advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment unless currently hired into a position with a When Actually Employed (WAE) work schedule.
To Apply
Interested candidates for this position must submit the following for consideration of the application:
1. Universal Application for Employment as a Locally Employed Staff or Family Member (DS-174); or
2. A current resume or curriculum vitae that provides the same information found on the DS-174.
3. Candidates who claim U.S. Veterans preference must provide the copy #4 of their Form DD-214 with their application. Candidates who claim conditional U.S. Veterans preference must submit documentation confirming eligibility for a conditional preference in hiring with their application.
4. Any other documentation (e.g., essays, certificates, awards) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above.
Submit Application To
Human Resources Office
Email: jobsembassysanjose@state.gov
Point Of Contact
Human Resources Office
Telephone: (506) 2519-2374
Closing Date For This Position: October 10, 2012
The U.S. Mission in San Jose, Costa Rica provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation. The Department of State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.
The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation. Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.
Definitions
1. Eligible Family Member (EFM): An individual related to a U.S. Government employee in one of the following ways:
• Spouse or same-sex domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610);
• Child, who is unmarried and under 21 years of age or, regardless of age, is incapable of self-support. The term shall include, in addition to natural offspring, stepchildren and adopted children and those under legal guardianship of the employee or the spouse when such children are expected to be under such legal guardianship until they reach 21 years of age and when dependent upon and normally residing with the guardian;
• Parent (including stepparents and legally adoptive parents) of the employee or of the spouse, when such parent is at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support;
• Sister or brother (including stepsisters and stepbrothers, or adoptive sisters or brothers) of the employee, or of the spouse, when such sibling is at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support, unmarried, and under 21 years of age, or regardless of age, incapable of self-support.
2. U.S. Citizen Eligible Family Member (USEFM): For purposes of receiving a preference in hiring for a qualified position, an EFM who meets the following criteria:
• U.S. Citizen; and,
• EFM (see above) at least 18 years old; and,
• Listed on the travel orders of a direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member assigned to or stationed abroad with a USG agency that is under COM authority, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; and either:
1. Resides at the sponsoring employee's or uniformed service member's post of assignment abroad or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; or
2. Resides at an Involuntary Separate Maintenance Allowance (ISMA) location authorized under 3 FAM 3232.2
3. Appointment Eligible Family Member (AEFM): EFM (see above) eligible for a Family Member Appointment for purposes of Mission employment:
• Is a U.S. citizen; and Spouse or same-sex domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610) or a child of the sponsoring employee who is unmarried and at least 18 years old; and
Is listed on the travel orders or approved Form OF-126, Foreign Service Residence and Dependency Report, of a sponsoring employee, i.e., a direct-hire Foreign Service, Civil Service, or uniformed service member who is permanently assigned to or stationed abroad at a U.S. mission, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), and who is under chief of mission authority; and
Is residing at the sponsoring employee's post of assignment abroad or, as appropriate, office of the American Institute in Taiwan.
Does not receive a Foreign Service or Civil Service annuity.
4. Member of Household (MOH): An individual who accompanies a direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member permanently assigned or stationed at a U.S. Foreign Service post or establishment abroad, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan. An MOH is:
• Not an EFM; and,
• Not on the travel orders of the sponsoring employee; and,
• Has been officially declared by the sponsoring USG employee to the COM as part of his/her household.
A MOH is under COM authority and may include a parent, unmarried partner, and other relative or adult child who falls outside the Department’s current legal and statutory definition of family member. A MOH does not have to be a U.S. Citizen.
5. Not Ordinarily Resident (NOR) – An individual who:
• Is not a citizen of the host country; and,
• Does not ordinarily reside (OR, see below) in the host country; and,
• Is not subject to host country employment and tax laws; and,
• Has a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN).
NOR employees are compensated under a GS or FS salary schedule, not under the LCP.
6. Ordinarily Resident (OR) – A Foreign National or U.S. citizen who:
• Is locally resident; and,
• Has legal, permanent resident status within the host country; and,
• Is subject to host country employment and tax laws.
EFMs without U.S. Social Security Numbers are also OR. All OR employees, including U.S. citizens, are compensated in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan (LCP).
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