Public Engagement Assistant (American Center) (U.S. Consulate Ho Chi Minh City)

• Announcement Number: HOCHIMINH-2023-36S

• Hiring Agency: Consulate Ho Chi Minh City

• Position Title: Public Engagement Assistant (American Center) - All Interested Applicants

• Open Period: 11/17/2023 - 12/01/2023

• Vacancy Time Zone: GMT+7

• Series/Grade: LE - 6510 7

• Salary: USD $13,827 /Per Year

• Work Schedule: Full-time - The work schedule for this position is: 40 hours per week, from Monday to Friday.

• Promotion Potential: LE-7

• Duty Location(s): 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, VM

• Deadline: 01/12/2023

Duties

The American Center Program Coordinator works under the direct supervision of the American Center Director or Public Affairs Officer (PAO) designee and has no supervisory responsibility. Coordinates visitor access, public services, and program schedules in a comprehensive program of inperson and online engagement to develop and maintain ties with audiences, primarily in the Emerging Voices (EV) sector, to support the Mission's foreign policy goals. Sustains and expands audiences for the Mission's wholly owned and operated American Center. 

Collaborates with nonCenter Public Diplomacy (PD) staff and other Mission colleagues on a range of PD activities and projects to broaden the Center's target activities and programs. This position must maintain a dynamic schedule of simultaneous activities and projects of interest to the public.

Qualifications and Evaluations

Requirements:

FOR THE EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS, APPLICANTS MUST MEET EITHER OPTION 1 OR OPTION 2 TO QUALIFY.

Option 1 (original requirements):

EXPERIENCE: This position requires a minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in a multilingual, multicultural, or multinational institution(such as a museum, public or community center, or education facility) that provides information resources or American Studies or International Relations content to the public, with communications, marketing, or public relations duties as a significant part of the job.

EDUCATION: University degree in communications, library science, education, international affairs, American Studies, project management, or local equivalent is required. [please upload degree and/or transcript as verification of educational requirement]

Option 2 (substitution):  

EXPERIENCE: This position requires a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in a multilingual, multicultural, or multinational institution(such as a museum, public or community center, or education facility) that provides information resources or American Studies or International Relations content to the public, with communications, marketing, or public relations duties as a significant part of the job. 

EDUCATION: Two years of University Study in any field is required. [please upload degree and/or transcript as verification of educational requirement]

JOB KNOWLEDGE:

Must have comprehensive knowledge of the attitudes and preferences of target audience sector(s); and understanding of regional, ethnic, socio-economic, cultural, and linguistic factors and the influence of religious, cultural, and educational institutions in shaping Vietnamese perceptions of the United States are all required. Must have general knowledge of project management, including defining project objectives, outcomes, and assessment methods.

Knowledge of marketing techniques, market analysis and analytics, and customer service standards in the United States and Vietnam; knowledge of trends in experiential learning and audience engagement; understanding of the communications/information environments in Vietnam and internationally; detailed knowledge of PD engagement tools, related policies, and procedures for each; and knowledge of multiple PD resource streams and regulations for their use are all required.

Education Requirements:

See the requirement section above for the education requirements.

Evaluations: 

This may be tested.

Language: 

• Fluency Level Speaking/Reading/Writing of English is required.
• Fluency Level Speaking/Reading/Writing of Vietnamese is required.

Please clarify level of your English language skill on your application.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Must have:

• Analytic skills:  Must have strong analytic skills and the ability to conceptualize how best to use PD programs and projects to move Vietnamese attitudes in positive ways.  Must be able to advise senior PD/Mission leaders of opportunities to promote Mission objectives; identify, analyze, predict, and continually assess target audience attitudes; evaluate the impact of projects; and modify approaches for greatest outcomes.  Must be able to perceive the emergence of new influencers and adjust operations and programming accordingly.  

• Communication / 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 Vietnamese public opinion.  Must have excellent written and oral communication skills, including public speaking, interviewing for evaluation purposes, writing reports, and contributing materials for publication in both English and Vietnamese.  Must be able to tailor communications to fit formal and information situations and different ethnic, religious, and linguistic cultures, and, as necessary, through multimedia channels.  Must be able to brief U.S. officers and visitors on a variety of issues and interpret informally between English and Vietnamese for public programs.

• Management skills:  Strong management skills are required, including the ability to develop and oversee project budgets and to organize, run, and present professional and cultural projects such as workshops, seminars, video conferences, panel discussions, lectures, and camps.  Must be able to negotiate agreements with partner institutions and manage their fulfillment.

• 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, detailed knowledge of various computer software programs, specifically Microsoft Word, Excel, graphic design and photo editing software, and PD-specific software, databases, and reporting tools, is required.  Full understanding of PD-specific funding authorities and their planning and reporting tools is required.  Detailed knowledge of and ability to use social media and mobile platforms, photo and video sharing sites, podcast creation, and basic photo and video skills are all required.  Must have good numerical skills to develop and manage project and grant budgets; must be able to develop descriptive statistical analysis of target audience segments and impact of American Space activities and initiatives.

• Availability:  Must be available for occasional weekend or after-hours program support at the American Center or for virtual programming; must be available to travel throughout Vietnam in support of American Spaces projects and activities as needed.

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

Agency Benefits:

Locally Employed Staff working at the U.S. Mission in Vietnam will receive the following allowances and benefits in addition to the annual basic salary listed above. 

1. Allowances: Unique Conditions of Work Allowance: 7% of annual basic salary (subject to review every two years).  Miscellaneous Benefits Allowance: US$1,000 per annum for FSN-09 and below, and US$3,000 per annum for FSN-10 and above.
2. Benefits:

• Tet Bonus: one-month basic salary.  Merit Based Compensation: annual salary increase based on performance.

• Annual leave: 120 hours per year and the annual leave hours will increase every five years of creditable service according to local labor law.  Sick leave according to local labor law. Family leave: up to 5 days and other special leave as stipulated in the local labor law.  Invest in yourself:1 day.  American and Vietnamese holidays up to 21 days per year.

• Contribution to mandatory insurances according to Vietnam's Government law and regulation including social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance.

• Supplemental Health Insurance that the U.S. Mission covers 90% of the premium for employees and each eligible family member.  Mission cash award for outstanding performance. Training opportunities abroad, in-country, on-the-job and online sources for professional career development.

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 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:

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 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.

How to Apply

All candidates must be able to obtain and hold a Public Trust / Background Investigation clearance. 

To apply for this position click the “Submit Application” button in here.  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:

• Degree (not transcript)

• Proof of citizenship

• Any additional documentation that supports or addresses the requirements listed above.

Eligible Family Member Applicants:

• Copy of Sponsor's Orders/Assignment Notification (or equivalent)

• Passport copy

• 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. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City.