Political Specialist

**Duties**:
Incumbent is Mission France's lead specialist on domestic politics, establishing networks of contacts and reporting with expertise on French political and legislative developments and their potential impact on U.S. interests and partnership with France. Technical grasp of issues and intellectual rigor are critical to analyze the interplay of a shifting political landscape, public opinion, and policy development and to provide insights on the workings of French electoral, legislative, and judicial systems and implications for government stability, political leadership, etc., including as pertains to France's overseas territories. Facilitates strong relations with French parliament and other levels of government. Organizes visits of U.S. government officials. Drafts a wide range of briefing materials, and reports, including the Congressionally mandated Trafficking in Persons Report. Oversees and provides training on Mission biography resources.

**Qualifications and Evaluations**:

- Requirements:
**EXPERIENCE**: Five years of progressively responsible experience in professional social science activities, such as research and analysis, reporting on political matters, journalism, or other work requiring gathering information from a variety of sources and compiling and analyzing results for a diverse audience.

**JOB KNOWLEDGE**: Must have extensive knowledge of French domestic politics, political parties and actors, and understanding of electoral, legislative, and judicial systems. Must have broad understanding of the workings of the institutions of the French government and cultural and historical frameworks impacting domestic political and legislative developments, as well as of U.S.French relations and U.S. government priorities and actions in context of the relationship.
- Education Requirements:
Bachelor’s Degree - Possession of a university degree in history, international relations, political science, law, journalism or related major is required.
- Evaluations:
**LANGUAGES (These will be tested):
FRENCH - Fluent; speaking/reading/writing, may include the ability to translate.

ENGLISH - Fluent; speaking/reading/writing, may include the ability to translate.

**SKILLS AND ABILITIES (these may be tested):
Ability to interpret the needs of the USG and other information consumers for coverage of political developments in France.

Ability to develop and maintain an extensive range of mid-level and senior contacts in the government, academia, and civil society.

Ability to obtain material from varied sources and prepare reports of both a factual and analytical nature in precise and accurate form. **(This may be tested)**

Strong writing skills and ability to draft complete and well-edited products quickly. **(This may be tested)**

Strong interpersonal skills and ability to broaden and develop contact network.

**EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO)**: The U.S. Mission 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.
- Qualifications:
All applicants under consideration will be required to pass medical and security certifications.

**Benefits and Other Info**:

- Benefits:

- Agency Benefits:
**SALARY**: the **annual gross salary includes**: the profit-sharing allowance, the vacation allowance, the bonus allowance and the “Comité d’Entreprise” allowance.

**MEAL TICKETS**: Meal tickets have a face value of EUR 8.25/day. 60% of the daily amount is paid by the U.S. Government. An employee contribution of EUR 3.30 per ticket will be deducted in payroll. The number of meal tickets is limited to 202 workdays per year.

**TRANSPORTATION**:Employees are eligible for a reimbursement of 50% of the cost of public transportation passes purchased for commuting purposes.

**HOLIDAYS**: The U.S. Missions in France observe eleven U.S. holidays per year and up to ten French holidays.

**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.
- Other Information:
HIRING PREFERENCE ORDER:
1. AEFM / USEFM who is a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran*
2. AEFM / USEFM
3. 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”), Letter from Veterans’ Affairs which indicates the present existence of a service-connected disability dated within the past six months, 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 su