General AND Specialized Experience

General Experience is work at the professional, technical, or administrative level, which has been progressively more responsible in nature. General Experience includes:

Obtaining and providing a variety of services to an organization,

Managing a multifaceted operation,

Supervising a multidisciplinary workforce, or

Other similar work.

Specialized Experience demonstrates that the applicant has acquired, and is able to apply, a combination of specific knowledge, skills and abilities appropriate to a GSO position. All qualifying Specialized Experience must demonstrate that their job-related experience has been at progressively increasing levels of performance and responsibility through such indicators as promotions, raises, increases in duties and responsibilities, and organizational and employee impact.

To qualify as Specialized Experience, 60% or more of the duties must include experience in three or more of the general areas listed below:

Procurement practices and procedures.

Negotiating contracts.

Supervision of contractual services for utilities and equipment.

Responsibility for scheduling large shipments of domestic or overseas freight, and managing customs clearances.

Supervision of inventory of supplies and equipment.

Supervision of motor pool operations, including management, and servicing of vehicles.

Negotiating for the purchase and leasing of real property.

Managing a pool of housing, developing space assignments, and maintaining individual units.

Managing an employee travel program encompassing a wide variety of types of travel and destinations.

In addition to meeting the requirements above, applicants must possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills and strong customer service orientation.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA)

Education, work experience, and other qualifications evaluated for evidence of the following knowledge, skills, abilities and other requirements have been identified as important to successful job performance as a General Services Officer based on extensive job analysis research. Not all of these attributes need to be met by an applicant; the attributes will be used as a set to evaluate applicants.

Knowledge of Procurement and Contracting including procurement and contracting regulations and procedures, and working to oversee or actively manage procurement and contracting requirements in a professional environment.

Knowledge of Finance and Accounting including basic financial and accounting principles in order to act as a post contracting officer and to ensure budgeting of monetary resources for the General Services section are handled correctly.

Knowledge of Construction Maintenance and Repair functions in order to work effectively with and to oversee the work of skilled specialists and contractors, to understand the dimensions of the work needed and the resultant demands.

Knowledge of Property Management and Warehousing at a supervisory level in order to oversee procedures and processes involving equipment and office supplies receipt and issuance, warehousing, inventory, and disposal of goods.

Knowledge of Transportation of Materials including export, import or customs regulations, and the transportation of materials across borders to move material efficiently and legally.

Knowledge of Motor Vehicle Operations including basic motor vehicle operation, maintenance and repair requirements, and procedures at a level sufficient to effectively communicate with and to oversee the work of the professional motor vehicle specialists and contractors employed in a motor pool.

Knowledge of Travel Regulations and the ability to interpret and explain travel regulations and policy to customers

Knowledge of Human Resources Practices including supervision, assignment, and performance monitoring to counsel U.S. and Locally Employed Staff on job performance at a level sufficient to identify possibilities and problems, and to discuss solutions for personnel issues.

Skill in Analyzing Complex, Abstract Written Information including written material such as contracts, deeds, leases, and other legal documents so as to understand proposals, to perform successfully the contract management duty and, if needed, to advise others about contracts.

Skill in Leading a Diverse Workforce including leading, coordinating, motivating, and directing a diverse, sometimes large, usually multinational, group of people with a variety of skills as they work, and identifying the best people for a job, so that the work is accomplished in the most efficient fashion.

Skill in Time and Project Management including identifying resources, anticipating challenges, establishing milestones, defining beginning and end states, so as to efficiently and knowledgeably accomplish projects.

Skill with Computers using computer software programs including word processing, managing files/records/databases, and office computer programs such as Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and SharePoint.

Superior Oral and Written Communication skills: Applicants must demonstrate a strong command of the English language to include grammar, spelling and punctuation. Foreign Service Specialists must consistently meet a high standard for English, both written (overall structure as well as grammar, spelling and punctuation) and spoken (overall structure as well as delivery, clarity and succinctness).