OPEN TO:  All Interested Candidates

POSITION:  Commercial Specialist, FSN 10
                (Full Performance Level)
                                   
OPENING DATE: June 5, 2008 

CLOSING DATE:  June 19, 2008
 
WORK HOURS: Full-time; 40 hours/week
                                  
SALARY:   *Ordinarily Resident (OR):  RMB 166,998 (Starting salary with allowances)   (Position Grade:  FSN-10)

This position is advertised under the Locally Employed Staff Program of the United States Mission in China. Interested applicants must be residing in country to be eligible for consideration. In addition, non-Chinese citizen applicants may hold a tourist, student or work visa at the time of the selection, but must be physically present in China at the time of application with the intention to make this their legal residence for at least one year.

The U.S. Consulate in Shanghai is seeking an individual for the position of Commercial Specialist in FCS Section. 

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION

As professional analyst and advisor to the U.S. staff in planning, organizing and administering programs to facilitate the marketing of U.S. goods and services, assists U.S. firms by developing and organizing marketing strategies, marketing market research and reporting, planning trade events and opportunities and bringing U.S. and host country business representatives together.  Analyzes market trends and evaluates market research involving the sealers for which responsible. 

A copy of the complete position description listing all duties and responsibilities is available in the Human Resources Office.  Contact 6433-6880 ext. 2221.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item.

Education:
• Bachelor’s Degree in business management, economics, marketing, finance, international trade or similar field. 

Experience:
• Minimum of four years of progressively responsible experience in business; government, or NGOs in the field of marketing, trade promotion, economic or international trade. 

Language:
• Level IV in both English and Chinese is required. 

Knowledge:
• Thorough knowledge of the domestic economy and trading practices; comprehensive understating of foreign trade policy and issues affecting the domestic economy’s bilateral trade relations with the United States; understanding of USG trade policies and export promotion programs; working knowledge of international trade.

Skills and Abilities:
• Ability to: develop and maintain an extensive range of appropriate mid-and senior-level contacts in the host government and private sector; to plan, organize, and execute complex commercial research projects and to prepare practice and accurate factual and analytics reports; and to render advice with detachment and objectivity.  Employing sound professional judgment.

SELECTION PROCESS

When fully qualified, US Citizen Eligible Family Members (USEFMs) and US 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. Current employees serving a probationary period are not eligible to apply.
3. 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.
4. Currently employed US 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.
5. 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 applicants for this position must submit the following or the application will not be considered:

1. Application for US Federal Employment (SF-171 or OF-612); or
    a current resume or curriculum vitae that provides the same information as an OF-612; plus
2. Candidates who claim US Veterans preference must provide a copy of their Form DD-214 with their application.
3. Any other documentation (e.g., essays, certificates, awards, copies of degrees earned) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above.

SUBMIT APPLICATION TO

Human Resources Office
Attention: Bi Jiayu
U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai, China
No. 1469 Huai Hai Zhong Road, Zip Code: 200031
FAX:  6474-6869

DEFINITIONS

1. US Citizen Eligible Family Member (USEFM) – For purposes of receiving a preference in hiring for a qualified position, an EFM who meets the following criteria:

• US 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.

2. EFM:  An individual related to a US Government employee in one of the following ways:

• Spouse;
• 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.

3. 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, 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 US Citizen.

4. 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 US Social Security Number (SSN). 

NOR employees are compensated under a GS or FS salary schedule, not under the LCP.

5. Ordinarily Resident (OR) – A Foreign National or US 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 US Social Security Numbers are also OR.  All OR employees, including US citizens, are compensated in accordance with the LCP.

CLOSING DATE FOR THIS POSITION:  IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED, APPLICANTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY HUMAN RESOUCES OFFICE BY 5 PM SHANGHAI LOCAL TIME ON JUNE 19, 2008

The US Mission in Shanghai 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.