VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
United States Department of State

An Equal Opportunity Employer
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AMENDMENT

Announcement No.: FMS-99-1
Opening Date: June 14, 1999
Closing Date: INDEFINITE

Position Title: FOREIGN SERVICE FACILITIES MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST

Starting Salary Range: FP-04 $47,682 - $70,023

Number of Vacancies: The Department of State is developing a rank order hiring register of eligible candidates to fill a limited number of entry-level Foreign Service Facilities Maintenance Specialists vacancies. The specific number to be hired depends on the needs of the Foreign Service.

Area of Consideration: All Sources

Location: Initial assignment will be in Washington, D.C. for orientation and training. After applicable training appointees will be assigned overseas for periods of two-years or more.

Effective Date: December 19, 2002

This amends the salary scale for Facilities Maintenance Specialist which was incorrectly reported, to reflect the correct starting salary of FP 04 grade step 1- $43,934 on the vacancy announcement.

• FP-04, step 1 $43,934

AMENDMENT

Announcement No: FMS-99-1
Opening Date: June 14, 1999
Closing Date: Indefinite

Position Title: FACILITIES MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST

Grade and Starting Salary Range: FP-04 $47,682 - $70,023

Additional Benefits: TaxFree Housing overseas, Tax Free Educational Allowance, etc. plus benefits package

Number of Vacancies: The Department of State is developing a rank order hiring register of eligible candidates to fill a limited number of entry-level Foreign Service Facilities Maintenance Specialists vacancies. The specific number to be hired depends on the needs of the Foreign Service.

Area of Consideration: All Sources

Location: Initial assignment will be in Washington, D.C. for orientation and training. After applicable training, appointees will be assigned overseas for periods of two years or more.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Facilities Maintenance Specialists (FMS) are highly skilled and trained facilities managers accountable for daily administration of maintenance and repair operations at overseas Embassies or Consulates. FMS administer large holdings of United States Government-owned or long-term leased properties, and maintain them within accepted U.S. standards, and in a safe and operable condition.

A CAREER IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE

Facilities Maintenance Specialists plan and direct comprehensive programs for operations, maintenance, repair and improvement of overseas U.S. Government properties. Facilities Maintenance Specialists are accountable for the listed facilities operation activities:

• Determine operating and maintenance requirements.
• Forecast material and manpower needs.
• Organize and direct program resources.
• Prepare cost estimates, and equipment needs, manage work schedules and priorities.
• Evaluate the facilities program effectiveness through inspections, budget controls, and management improvement studies.
• Direct and supervise facilities' operating activities performed in-house, as well as outsource services, such as electrical, HVAC, plumbing, water and sewage treatment, emergency power generation equipment, and elevator service; and building maintenance and repair, facilities operational equipment, grounds upkeep, and roadways.
• Maintain accountability for and provide directions, or provide direct hands-on troubleshooting/repair expertise when complex equipment (domestic water treatment, electrical, power generation equipment, heating, and cooling plants) malfunctions.
• Plan physical plant alterations and improvements to accommodate increased or changing energy consumption patterns.
• In countries where acceptable maintenance and repair skills and services are not available or are difficult to obtain, the Facilities Maintenance Specialist is accountable for and provides directions or troubleshooting/repair expertise required to accomplish these difficult tasks. Typical assignments include performing journeyman-level services and repairs on complex architectural, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems.

INITIAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT ASSIGNMENTS:

Actual Facilities Maintenance Specialists' managerial responsibilities vary from one post to another, but in most cases the listed significant responsibilities apply:

• Maintenance program planning, including evaluating the condition of facility components (e.g., buildings, grounds), determining total maintenance and improvement requirements, evaluating operation and maintenance capability in terms of manpower and materials, and planning project priorities to provide optimum service to occupant organizations.
• Financial planning and control, including determining (several years in advance) funding requirements for facility operation and maintenance, justifying budget requests to higher authority, and controlling all program expenditures.
• Facilities planning, including evaluating existing usage patterns of buildings, equipment, and other facilities; and projecting future requirements in terms of expanding or changing tenant requirements.
• Determining manpower requirements to operate and maintain facilities, evaluating employee effectiveness, identifying training needs, and providing for formal or on-the-job instruction in building operation and maintenance.
• Gathering and organizing varied data, prioritizing and planning for future contingencies, setting up and controlling paperwork, financial records systems, assigning and delegating authority.
• Maintaining the Real Estate Management computerized database which tracks maintenance task accomplishments, work-orders, maintenance and repair costs.
• Administering service contracts and managing special projects, developing cost estimates, evaluating bid proposals, reviewing construction documents, conducting on-site visits, and preparing technical specifications, statements of work for property renovations, and improvement projects.
• Evaluating, and when authorized, negotiating and approving change-order proposals. Verifying and approving payments to contractors. Inspecting construction during various project stages for contract compliance.
• Preparing and administering budgets for in-house maintenance and repair activities and for special projects.
• Implementing and administering post's energy management program.
• Formulating maintenance staff position descriptions and conducting employee evaluation reports annually.
• At some posts, serving as Fire Marshall and/or as Occupational, Safety and Health Officer.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF DUTIES:

Facilities Maintenance Specialists are "essential personnel" in most overseas missions, requiring "stand-by" or "on-call" duty (24-hours, seven days a week).

Some posts' operations never shut down, requiring 24-hour rotating shifts. In other instances, extended hours may be dictated by high-level official visits or the political climate of the host country.

Facilities Maintenance Specialists operate independently with little or no supervision or technical guidance. Therefore, Facilities Maintenance Specialists are required to be highly proficient and are required to possess extensive general experience and expertise in one or more of the basic building maintenance disciplines, such as electrical or HVAC and refrigeration systems. The Facilities Maintenance Specialist role varies from supervising the activities of Foreign Service nationals to performing as a hands-on technician. At some overseas posts, FMS also provide direction, evaluation, and coordination in related facilities areas such as janitorial, housekeeping, pest control, landscaping, trash removal, delivery and storage of fuel, and security.

CAREER TRACK MOVEMENT:

The Facilities Maintenance Specialist career path requires achieving progressive professional designation at various pay-grade levels. Facilities Maintenance Specialists must receive professional accreditation or continuing education certificates necessary to obtain the following credentials.

For promotion consideration to the FP-03 and FP-02 levels, the Facilities Maintenance Specialists must earn certifications from the Arnold, Maryland-based Building Owners and Managers International Institute (BOMI). Promotion eligibility for the FP-03 level requires professional designation (by completing the course-of-study and achieving a passing grade) as Systems Maintenance Administrator (SMA) from BOMI. The FP-02 promotion eligibility requires professional designation as Facilities Management Administrator (FMA) from BOMI. Promotion eligibility to the FP-01 level requires designation as Certified Plant Engineer (CPE) from the Association of Facilities Engineering of Cincinnati, OH. Additionally, promotion eligibility requires completion of 40-hour Management Training courses at various pay-grade levels.

Once promotion eligibility is met for a specific pay-grade level, the Facilities Maintenance Specialists' names are submitted to the Promotion Selection Board. Promotion Selection Boards meet annually and review each Specialist's annual employee's evaluation reports (EER). FMS compete against each other at the same pay-grade level. Available promotions are awarded to those whose EERs have demonstrated the ability and the potential to perform at a higher level of responsibility.

In general, persons with good EERs will receive a within-grade increase annually up through step 10 and biennially from step 10 through step 14 if they have not received an equivalent increase during that period.

INITIAL SALARY AND SALARY INCREASES AND TENURE:

Initial salaries for new employees range from the first through the fourteenth step of the FP-4 level, depending on such factors as education received from an accredited institution of higher education and specialized experience. To be creditable, such education and specialized experience must be in excess of that which is required to qualify as described under  Education Requirements,   Substitution of Education for Experience ,  Work Experience  and under the  General  and  Specialized Experience Requirements.  Salaries are determined at the time of offer of employment. A Tenure Board considers Facilities Maintenance Specialists for tenure after a minimum of 2 years experience in the Foreign Service. Performance is evaluated in writing annually by a supervisor.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

*At least one year of supervisory and management experience must be demonstrated in either general or specialized experience.

GENERAL EXPERIENCE:

General experience must have provided the applicant expertise in the building or facility maintenance profession; as well as skills in reading and interpreting engineering drawings and specifications, using test instruments, formulating cost/planning estimates, and maintaining facilities/equipment maintenance records. The following are illustrative types of qualifying general experience:

Completion of a four-year apprenticeship program in a construction, facilities-related trade, or equivalent military MOS/Rating

• Quality Assurance/Control Inspector or Construction Inspector
• Draftsperson
• Production Controller

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

Specialized experience must demonstrate the applicant possesses in-depth knowledge, skills and abilities to perform effectively as a Facilities Maintenance Specialist at any U.S. Department of State overseas post. Such experience must have been gained through actual work in the facilities maintenance or facilities management profession with increasing responsibility. The total experience must be of a progressively responsible nature. Qualifying specialized experience is that which was gained while working in any listed capacity:

• Professional Engineer, Engineering Technician, Facility Manager, Facility Management Specialist, Building Management Specialist
• Equipment Specialist, Construction Representative, Manufacturer Field Service Representative
• Foreman or journeyman in facilities maintenance, or in the electrical or mechanical trades
• E-6 and higher rating in a military engineering MOS/Rating
• Public Works Superintendent, Maintenance Foreman, Buildings and Maintenance Engineer, Facilities Shop Planner and Estimator
• Staff Civil/Base/Station Engineer in a military organization

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE:

The following are desirable skills/capabilities that applicants should list in their Supplemental Qualifications Statement:

• Excellent administrative and managerial skills, and knowledge of technical aspects of buildings and grounds maintenance and operations.
• Ability to interact effectively with others, particularly the capacity to gain cooperation and confidence from supervisors and subordinates.
• Ability to logically and objectively analyze problems and apply sound judgement in assessing alternative solutions.
• Ability to work in a self-directed environment to resolve problems independently and to complete complex tasks.
• Familiarity with Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) software package. Computer literacy, specifically with database software, spreadsheet software, and word-processing software.
• Ability to write detailed Statements of Work sufficient to negotiate a contract.
• Ability to deal with professionals (i.e., Architect, Engineer, etc.).
• Ability to manage large, multi-faceted, diverse work force through intermediate subordinates.
• Ability to set up and direct comprehensive facility maintenance programs (corrective, preventive, and predictive).
• Ability to manage construction and renovation projects from conception through closing using acceptable industry standard project management methods.
• Experience/qualifications in safety practices and hazardous materials.
• Experience/knowledge of Federal contracting procedures, and Federal acquisitions regulations.

EDUCATIONAL FACTOR:

If a bachelor's degree is not used to substitute for general experience, one step may be given for a bachelor's degree, in any field of study, awarded before the date of appointment as a Foreign Service Specialist.

If graduate studies are substituted for required experience:

One step may be given for the first (and only the first) graduate degree below the doctoral level, in a work-related field, awarded before the date of appointment as a Foreign Service Specialist; and one additional step may be given for a doctoral degree, in a work-related field, awarded before the date of appointment as a Foreign Service Specialist. Credit may be given for graduate work only for studies directly related to the Specialist category for which the applicant is being hired.

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE:

Applicants with strong technical and managerial backgrounds may substitute educational achievements, vocational or military training courses for general experience according to one of the following:

1. Each full time academic year of education above the high school level in a technical discipline may substitute 9 months of general experience.
2. A Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree from an accredited college or university in a major technical discipline, construction engineering or construction management, electrical engineering, or mechanical engineering may be substituted for the 3 years of the general experience.
3. Equivalent military technical training, for which a college degree was obtained (or may be issued), may also substitute for the generalized experience requirement.

EVALUATION OF EXPERIENCE:

Total experience must demonstrate knowledge, skills, and ability of the following:

• Technical and practical knowledge of construction, maintenance standards and techniques, operations of building equipment, machinery, tools, and materials.
• Organize, direct, and coordinate efforts of a variety of skilled tradesmen and craftsmen.
• Ability to adapt to an overseas environment, including understanding unique cultural differences of varied countries/locations and the ability to deal with these differences in a positive manner.
• Knowledge of various aspects relating to maintenance, repairs, and servicing of overseas facilities and real properties.

Additionally, applicants will be evaluated on demonstrated knowledge, skills, and ability to:

• Develop, administer, monitor, coordinate, and evaluate programs and procedures involved in operating and maintaining a variety of government buildings and properties.
• Establish and maintain financial, work order, contract and record systems sufficient to administer maintenance funds, estimate future material and funds requirements, and evaluate use of resources.
• Supervise diverse work crews with varying degrees of expertise, education, and English language usage.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUALIFICATIONS STATEMENT:

PURPOSE: The purpose of the Supplemental Qualifications Statement is to provide an opportunity to describe examples of your experience which relate to skills listed below, and which best show your ability to handle various aspects of facilities maintenance. The information you give may be used to structure your oral examination/interview should you be invited to one, and is an important factor in the competitive evaluation of applicants.

The data provided in the Supplemental Qualifications Statement must show progressive responsibility, which provides evidence that the applicant has demonstrated competency in the 10 areas listed under "Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities" below.

INSTRUCTIONS: Using plain white paper and either a typewriter or word processor, individually address each of the four items listed below, limiting each response to 200 words or less for each item. Describe how you have used the following abilities and/or knowledge, indicating the source from which the work-related experience was acquired. Examples can be drawn from any part of your experience. You should compose your replies carefully, as one of the skills necessary to succeed as a Foreign Service Facilities Maintenance Specialist is the ability to write clearly and concisely.

Describing how you meet these qualifications, please adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Describe achievements or activities in short and concise statements.
2. Use language geared to professional and technical levels of understanding but avoid undefined acronyms.
3. The same achievements or activities may be used as evidence for more than one qualification.
4. Describe each achievement or activity from an engineering/maintenance standpoint and clarify the role, dates, and problem solved or objective met.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

For each listed KSA, provide one or more examples, illustrating the level of competence in the identified subject area. Examples may be of previous job experience, volunteer service, or pursuit of a hobby.

1. Knowledge of building systems (lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, structure, electrical distribution, fire alarm and protection systems, etc.).
2. Ability to read and interpret engineering blueprints, schematic diagrams, and building plans.
3. Ability to organize and manage a preventive maintenance program.
4. Ability to conduct cost/budget analysis and project out-year maintenance budget and funding requirements.
5. Ability to inspect utility systems, buildings, equipment, and grounds for effective and economical operation.
6. Knowledge of construction and renovation to include documentation and presentation.
7. Ability to manage projects and contractors, develop cost estimates, evaluate bid proposals, review construction documents, and develop standards for special projects involving renovations.
8. Ability to communicate effectively, in a clear and concise manner, both orally and in writing.
9. Computer literacy to include word-processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
10. Knowledge of office management procedures and practices.

PROCEDURES FOR APPLYING

1. The following materials are required from all applicants: A completed Application for Federal Employment (DS-1950) and a completed Employment Data Form (enclosed).
   • A copy of your latest Personnel Action (SF-50), if you are presently a federal employee.
   • The completed Supplemental Questionnaire.
   • A two- to three-page typed narrative autobiography which discusses your:
     1. Personal history (background)
     2. General work experience not included in the application, which is related to this position.
     3. Personal interests and hobbies.
     4. Motivation for wanting a career in the Foreign Service facilities maintenance profession.
   • Official college or university transcripts.
   • A copy of your most recent annual performance report.

*Confirming award of degrees(s). A copy of the transcript(s) may be used pending issuance of the official documentation.

Submitted materials become the property of Department of State and will not be returned.

These documents should be submitted to the following address:

U.S. Department of State
Application Evaluation Branch
Attn: Facilities Maintenance Specialist Program
2401 E Street, NW, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20522

Overnight or Federal Express mail should be sent to:

U.S. Department of State
Application Evaluation Branch
Attn: Facilities Maintenance Specialist Program
2401 E Street, NW, Room H-518
Washington, DC 20522-0108

For additional information please refer to our web site at www.state.gov.

Applications which are received through State's inter-office mail system or mailed in Government-franked envelopes will not be processed.

Executive Branch agencies are barred by 5 US Code 3303 as amended from accepting or considering prohibited political recommendations and are required to return any prohibited political recommendations to sender. In addition, as mandated by 5 US Code 310, sons and daughters of federal employees cannot be granted preference in competing for these employment opportunities.

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