What are the responsibilities and job description for the Policy Analyst position at Legislative Branch - Agency Wide?

Summary

Created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent bipartisan U.S. legislative branch agency that monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad, using international standards to do so, and makes policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. More information about USCIRF is available at https : / / www.uscirf.gov / .

USCIRF is an equal opportunity employer.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens may apply to this posting.

Duties

USCIRF seeks a Policy Analyst to monitor religious freedom conditions on Latin American countries and / or cross-cutting issues as assigned and develop policy recommendations for the U.S. government to advance freedom of religion or belief abroad; evaluate and report on events or opportunities that could be effective inflection points for achieving implementation of USCIRF-recommended policy; draft research policy reports, annual report materials, briefing materials, testimony, and content for USCIRF's traditional and social media engagement; and build and maintain extensive contacts with relevant policy counterparts.

The Policy Analyst's primary responsibilities involve the following :

1. Monitoring and Policy Recommendation Formulation - monitor religious freedom conditions in assigned countries and propose policy recommendations, including :

Collecting, analyzing and documenting information related to freedom of religion or belief and U.S. government foreign policy in the assigned countries / region;

Developing strategies and recommendations for U.S. government policy to encourage improvement in the protection of freedom of religion or belief in the assigned countries;

Briefing and Advising Commissioners, the Executive Director, and senior staff on country developments, related policy recommendations, and U.S. government efforts to promote freedom of religion or belief, as well as foreign government activities limiting this freedom;

Preparing and participating in policy-related trips, including Commissioners' delegations, to gather firsthand information from relevant stakeholders; and

Tracking implementation of USCIRF's policy recommendations in assigned countries.

2. Reporting - report on religious freedom conditions in assigned countries to advance USCIRF's mission and strategic objectives, including :

Drafting research publications, including Annual Report chapters for assigned countries, ensuring they communicate policy priorities and recommendations and religious freedom conditions effectively and persuasively;

Drafting, reviewing and editing press releases, op-eds, website posts, and social media posts relating to assigned countries to ensure credibility and accuracy; and

Drafting Congressional testimony, briefing memos, and talking points for Commissioners, the Executive Director, and senior staff on assigned countries.

3. Outreach - participate in research and policy related outreach initiatives and events to advance USCIRF's mission, including :

Preparing, organizing and participating in USCIRF's public events;

Preparing research-related materials for events, meetings, hearings, and travel in support of USCIRF's mandate, including for Commissioners, the Executive Director, and senior staff; and

Developing new and strengthening current relationships with relevant stakeholders inside and outside the U.S. government.

4. Other Duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Desired Qualifications

Spanish language fluency.

Qualifications

Must be a U.S. citizen;

Possess an advanced degree in a relevant field to the position requirements (candidates with an undergraduate degree only will not be considered);

Possess at least four (4) years' substantive experience of regional politics, jurisprudence, culture, economic development, security trends, U.S. interests, and human rights in general;

Strong research and analytical skills, particularly those applied in a work setting (i.e., not only university coursework);

Ability to proactively develop, synthesize, and articulate effective and actionable policy recommendations;

Ability to multi-task and work in a fast-paced setting, defining and meeting deadlines;

Ability to synthesize information from various sources;

Ability to work independently and as part of a team;

Strong written and verbal communication skills; and

Attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, and collegial demeanor.

Education

Advanced degree.

Additional information

Benefits

USCIRF offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, Federal holidays, life insurance, and medical benefits. Please visit https : / / www.opm.gov / for more information on benefits.

Other Information

Selective Service. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify at the time of appointment that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under Selective Service law.

Reasonable Accommodation. USCIRF provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact USCIRF at jobs@uscirf.gov . Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Equal Employment Opportunity. The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Benefits

Review our benefits

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

This job is excepted from the competitive civil service. Applicants will be evaluated and deemed either eligible or ineligible based on the relevance and quality of their experience and education and on the desired qualifications described above.

Pursuant to section 204(c) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, as amended, USCIRF staff members are hired "on the basis of professional and nonpartisan qualifications."

Benefits

Review our benefits

Required Documents

As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

cover letter;

resume;

three references; and

writing sample (no more than five pages).

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements :

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and / or degrees from

schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

To apply, candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, three references, and a writing sample (no more than five pages) in this order and within a single PDF file via email to : jobs@uscirf.gov .

Applications not provided in a PDF file will not be considered.

Applications will be held in strict confidence. After submitting your application for this position, you will receive an e-mail confirming receipt of your application materials. USCIRF will contact you if we wish to schedule an interview or if we require additional information or references.

Please email all questions about the position to jobs@uscirf.gov .

No calls please

Agency contact information

Thomas Kraemer

jobs@uscirf.gov

Address

US Commission on International Religious Freedom

732 North Capitol Street, NW

Suite A-714

Washington, DC 20401

Next steps

Fair and Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Criminal history inquiries

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

Financial suitability

New employee probationary period

Privacy Act

Reasonable accommodation policy

Selective Service

Signature and false statements

Social security number request

Required Documents

cover letter;