Strategic Public Engagement Specialist

Duties

Basic Function of Position: The Strategic Public Engagement Specialist is responsible to work under the direct supervision of the Public Affairs Officer (PAO) or PAO designee and advises the PAO (or PAO designee) on cross-cutting Public Diplomacy (PD) research, planning, and evaluation for the U.S. Consulate General Lahore Consular District (Lahore urban district; province of Punjab). Coordinates closely with Embassy Islamabad and Consulates General Karachi and Peshawar to help ensure that PD tools and resources are effective in advancing Mission Pakistan and Consulate General Lahore goals among priority audiences throughout the Consulate General Lahore Consular District. The incumbent is responsible for directing and overseeing audience analysis research, identifying engagement opportunities, and using continuously updated data-driven analysis to inform, target, and drive PD public engagement in the Consulate General Lahore Consular District. Uses advanced data analysis tools (e.g., data mining, analytics, modeling, trend analysis, and visualization) to shape PD programs and campaigns (e.g., educational opportunities, exchange programs, social media outreach, press interviews) in support of U.S. policy priorities. As lead monitoring and evaluation specialist for the PD Section, advises PD Section leadership and staff on monitoring and evaluating PD programs and campaigns and using results to shape future engagement. Advises the PAO (or PAO designee) on the effective use of human, financial, and program resources to reach diverse PD audiences. Coordinates PD Section development of research, monitoring, and evaluation principles into PD programs.

Qualifications and Evaluations

Requirements:

All selected candidates will be subject to a background investigation and may be subject to a pre-employment medical exam. Selected candidate must be able to begin working within a reasonable period of time upon receipt of agency authorization and/or clearances/certifications or their candidacy may end.

Education Requirements: See the requirement section above for the education requirements.

HR has issued this vacancy announcement Lahore-2023-135-RA3-S with two options for education requirements. Option 1 with the original education and experience requirements and Option 2 with the substitution of experience for education for those interested applicant who do not meet required education mentioned under Option 1.

Please upload all education certificates i.e. academic degree(s)/transcript(s)/diploma(s)/detailed mark sheet/school leaving certificate and/or any other document related to the education as a single attachment using tab "Other Document".

Evaluations:

• You will be evaluated against the qualifications and requirements in this vacancy announcement.
• You may be asked to complete a pre-employment language or skills test.
• You must complete the application form and provide the required documents. Your application must address all the position qualifications and requirements including education, experience, language, and any knowledge/skills/abilities listed. If you fail to submit a complete application, then your application may be disqualified for this position.

Qualifications:

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

Option 1

EXPERIENCE: Minimum of four (4) years of experience with public engagement, communications, or market research and analysis as components of the work is required. Experience must include designing and executing multimedia campaigns in digital and traditional formats.

EDUCATION: Completion of university degree (16 years of education) in Communications, Business, Marketing, International Relations/Political Science, Sociology, or local equivalent is required.

OR

Option 2

EXPERIENCE: Minimum of six (6) years of experience with public engagement, communications, or market research and analysis as components of the work is required. Experience must include designing and executing multimedia campaigns in digital and traditional formats.

EDUCATION: Completion of College or University Studies (14 years of education) is required.

Please upload all professional and job-related experience certificates/letters of all previous work experiences and any proof of current employment (last drawn salary slip along with appointment letter/offer letter etc. that clearly indicates employment dates) as a single attachment using tab "Other Document 2".

Language: Fluent - Speaking/Reading/Writing in English and Urdu is required. English language skills may be tested.

Please enter all the required languages with the appropriate level of Reading/Writing/Speaking you have.

Job Knowledge: The incumbent should have detailed knowledge of U.S. foreign policy objectives and American interests in Pakistan. Should have a good understanding of U.S. historical, political, economic, and cultural forces that shape U.S. foreign policy. Must have detailed knowledge of the cultural, academic, and media landscapes and the traditional and digital communication preferences of public diplomacy (PD) target audiences in the Consulate General Lahore Consular District is required. Should have strong knowledge of project management and budgets, including defining project objectives, identifying and allocating financial resources, developing assessment methods, and determining and measuring outcomes.

Knowledge of trends in regional and international communications patterns and how they affect the Pakistani communications landscape within the Consulate General Lahore Consular District is required. Must have knowledge of commercial and regulatory aspects of digital marketing and advertising products and services. Must be able to gain detailed knowledge of all sources of United States Government (USG) strategic content, including Department of State (DOS) guidance, functional and regional bureau. Comprehensive knowledge of the public diplomacy (PD) mission its role in the overall U.S. Mission Pakistan is required.

Skills And Abilities:

Analytic Skills: The incumbent should have strong analytic skills to identify and segment target audiences within the Consulate General Lahore Consular District, understand their sensitivities, and identify the best strategic public diplomacy programs, tools, content, and delivery means to influence them in support of United States policy objectives. Should be able to analyze Pakistani audience trends in the Consulate General Lahore Consular District as the basis for projecting future human resource skill and budget requirements.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills: The incumbent should be able to lead public diplomacy (PD) and other Consulate General Lahore discussions of priority engagement; strategic public diplomacy programs, tools, and content; and appropriate dissemination to reach consensus and to recommend the optimal course of action to the Public Affairs Officer (PAO) (or Public Affairs Officer designee) and Consulate General leadership, in consultation with Public Affairs Officer PAO (or Public Affairs Officer designee). Should have excellent customer relations, interpersonal, key influencers from the private sector and academia; non-governmental organizations (NGOs); and regional/provincial officials. Should be able to facilitate structured interviews and focus groups with public diplomacy (PD) beneficiaries. Should be able to brief United States officers and visitors on local audience preferences and the impact of public diplomacy tools in influencing target audiences within the Consulate General Lahore Consular District.

Management Skills: The incumbent should have strong management skills, including the ability to develop policies, procedures, and guidelines. Should be able to build strong internal and external partnerships, including with Mission public diplomacy colleagues and Consulate General locally employed staff from other offices and agencies. Should be able to advance work with minimal direction; manage projects; and oversee budgets, schedules, and daily operations to produce, adapt, and oversee public diplomacy programming within the Consulate General Lahore Consular District. The incumbent should be able to develop and organize training for Consulate General Lahore public diplomacy personnel on using data to monitor and evaluate programs to ensure maximal impact and outcomes in advancing U.S. policy among target audiences.

Technical Skills: The incumbent should have ability to use data analytics software. Should have excellent numerical skills. Should have good keyboarding and data-entry skills and excellent familiarity with electronic discovery tools (e.g., the internet and Google Analytics) and standard information retrieval practices and procedures are required. Should be able to use Microsoft Office and PD-specific software, databases, and reporting tools. The incumbent must be able to learn public diplomacy specific funding authorities and their planning and reporting tools.

Skills and abilities may be tested.