Human Rights Advisor - 536315

The Office of Security and Human Rights (DRL/SHR) is responsible for ensuring the alignment of U.S. national security policy – including security sector assistance, arms sales, counterterrorism and countering violent extremism, and conflict prevention and mitigation – with laws, policies, and principles related to human rights and democracy.  DRL/SHR is responsible for ensuring that the Leahy law is complied with by both the Department of State and the Department of Defense, a vetting process which requires credible and timely human rights information and analysis to inform policy and legal decisions, as well as ensuring human rights is a key consideration in the Department of State’s process to adjudicate licenses for sales and related exports of U.S. arms and dual-use commercial products.  

• Familiarity with the principles, theories, and practices of international relations and human rights.     

• Ability to apply these to participation in Bureau activities to promote the values of democracy and human rights throughout the world.    

• Familiarity with security forces, military organizations, and equipment, especially of nondemocratic countries.    

• Familiarity with the human rights and democracy records of foreign governments especially of non-democratic countries.  

• Familiarity with Security Assistance programs.   

• Develop thorough knowledge of Departmental organizations, functions, programs, relationships, and resources.  Broad-based knowledge of organizations and programs that constitute the U.S. foreign affairs community.    

• Ability to develop professional working relationships with officers throughout the Department and with the foreign policy community.  

• Proficiency in computerized tracking of action requests, and information searches – both classified and open source.  

• Knowledge of research and analytical methods to validate, evaluate, and interpret information obtained from a variety of sources.  

• Ability to plan and organize activities to independently accomplish assignments according to established policies and practices.  

• Ability to establish liaison with officials in other organizations to provide opportunities for exchanging information of mutual interest.    

• Skill in oral and written communications to prepare and present analysis, to defend recommendations and proposals, and to participate in meetings and discussions.  

• Skill in using open source and classified information sources for geographical and trend analysis.  

• Detailed knowledge of the INVESTc system.  

• Broad experience in vetting USG assistance to foreign security forces.  

• Knowledge of research and analytical methods to validate, evaluate, and interpret information obtained from a variety of sources.  

• Skill in oral and written communications to prepare and present analysis, to defend recommendations and proposals, and to participate in meetings and discussions.  

• Skill in using open source and classified information sources to map foreign security force units and actions geographically and functionally.  

• Familiarity with individuals, organizations, and other sources of expertise in the field of  human rights in security assistance activities in the academic and non-governmental sector.  

• Familiarity with drafting, clearing, and publishing cables, memos, reports, and other documents for the Department of State  

• Expertise, defined as at least two years of experience in foreign policy analysis, is essential.   

Duties and Responsibilities  

• Research, draft, and clear State Department responses to Congressionally-mandated reports, Congressional inquiries, and FOIA requests pertaining to security and human rights issues, and serve as an advisor for others in the office on the clearance process.  

• Draft, clear, publish, and implement ALDACs, bulletins, and other documents related to implementation of the State Leahy law and implementation policies, and provide ongoing guidance to posts in complying with these instructions.  

• Advise on Leahy workflow at posts worldwide, reviewing posts’ Leahy Vetting Standard Operating Procedures and providing policy and procedural advice on routine Leahy vetting matters.   

• Provide advice to posts on vetting best practices, based on existing policy, including the adoption of more unit vetting and proactive vetting.   

• Promulgate changes to vetting policy and procedures to posts.   

• Draft and clear Leahy Vetting Guide updates at State and DOD, including changes based on INVEST deployment and future system updates.   

• Update FSI Leahy policy training materials as needed.    

• Provide advice to posts on Leahy remediation policies and procedures, schedule and facilitate State remediation review panels, and review and assist in drafting State remediation recommendations. Routinely review and update the State Leahy Vetting Fast Track list and provide guidance to posts that are added or removed from the Fast Track list.  

• Routinely develop and update State Leahy law and implementation policy training materials and provide Leahy-related training to a wide variety of U.S. Government, public, and international audiences as needed.  

• Assist posts and the Department in complying with Leahy implementation related OIG, GAO, and other audits of posts and Department bureaus as needed.  

Benefits Include:

• Covers 100% of employee benefit premiums, including Medical (PPO or HDHP Option), Vision, Dental
• Matching 401K
• Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Pet Insurance
• Professional Development/Education Reimbursement
• Parking and Transit Benefits for NY, NJ, ATL, and DC Metro areas

Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.