Jobs at U.S. Embassy to Kenya

Career Opportunities, Jobs in Kenya,

Ethiopic Languages Librarian

Job Overview

• Serves as Ethiopic language librarian (acquisitions) in the Acquisitions Section of LOC-Nairobi. Processes books and other library materials in Amharic and related Ethiopic languages from Ethiopia and Eritrea. Creates initial bibliographic records for such materials and works with staff in Monograph and Serials cataloging section providing language expertise to complete the cataloging of these materials. Documents invoices and receipts against materials and signs as receiving officer to authorize fiscal processing and approval for payments. May be assigned to perform similar tasks for books acquired from other countries and in other languages as may be required as priority for processing.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

45% Acquisitions, Receiving and Invoice Verification

• The incumbent receives incoming packages of publications in all formats, purchased or otherwise acquired from Ethiopia and Eritrea, prioritizing those in Amharic and other Ethiopic languages. Verifies contents of packages against cover letters, invoices and receipts, and packing or shipping lists from different suppliers. Determines the source and method of acquisitions (purchase, gift or exchange). Maintains records of incoming shipments for each Bibliographic Representative and country. Determines the categories of incoming information resources, i.e., serials, monographs, and non-book materials. Using specialized search knowledge and skills, searches ILS, OFORS (LOC-Nairobi’s finance and acquisitions system) as well as other Online Public Access Catalogs (OPACs) to verify LOC and AfriCAP participant holdings for all received materials. Attaches various forms or selection slips to the serial or monograph for appropriate processing by other Sections and passes them to the Library Acquisitions Specialists for selection and subject/profile assignment. If at time of receiving, an item has already been cataloged, incumbent prints the ILS catalog record for such item for onward transmission to the relevant Library Acquisitions Specialist. Certifies and authenticates documentation of received materials with formal receiving stamp, which the Finance Section uses as the receiving report authorizing payment to the source. Incumbent’s certification indicates that the materials received match the voucher, invoice or receipt and are the materials ordered in the correct amounts. 

25% Initial Descriptive Cataloging/IBC record creation

• Incumbent creates initial descriptive cataloging for all new publications approved for retention from Ethiopia and Eritrea, (as well as the other 28 Sub-Saharan countries covered by LOC-Nairobi Office, as needed) using the MARC format for new monographs in ILS and for new serials in OFORS. This requires knowledge of Resource Description & Access (RDA) and Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 2nd ed(AACR2), LOC cataloging standards, MARC tags and record formats, and a good knowledge of ILS procedures and policies.

15% Serials Check-in and Claims

• Incumbent checks Ethiopic-language serials issues into ILS using specialized software knowledge and skills to locate ILS bibliographic record, holdings, and item record, and to determine whether the item in hand matches the item in ILS before updating the holdings/item record. Notes any changes/variations in the title, volume and numbering system of each serial system. Using specialized software and knowledge, incumbent updates and/or creates holdings records summary statements in the ILS database for reference by LC Washington and other users as material awaits to be shipped to LOC Washington, thereby eliminating the possibility of acquiring duplicates. Updates location data, enumeration, chronology and status in item records and re-sequences item records. Identifies errors and uses special validation techniques to reduce errors.

15% Ethiopic Gift and Exchange Liaison

• Incumbent is a liaison responsible for the office’s Gift and Exchange program for books and other materials received from Ethiopia and Eritrea, sending formal requests for such materials on behalf of the office and acknowledging receipt when those materials arrive. Follows processing procedures for these materials as above. Tracks sources and records any balance of exchange between such exchange partners.

Note: This position description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by incumbent. Incumbent will be required to perform other duties as assigned by the agency.

Qualifications and Evaluations

Requirements:

• All selected candidates must be able to obtain and hold a: security certificate; or Public Trust security clearance.

 Education Requirements:

• College or university studies required.

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. 

Experience:

• Three years’ experience in appropriate professional environment that will include, financial sector or translation is required

Political Specialist

Job Overview

• The incumbent, a LE Staff member in the Internal Affairs Unit of the Political Section, serves as the policy advisor to the Political Section staff.  The incumbent is a member of a four-person LE Staff team covering the full spectrum of political issues in Kenya and U.S.-Kenya relations.  Within the four-person team, the incumbent is an advisor on domestic political issues.  The incumbent serves as a liaison between the Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission, and Political Section staff and leaders across the full range of Kenyan society.  The incumbent maintains the Political Section’s contacts with senior Kenyan government officials at both the national, regional, and county level, including officials in the office of the president, deputy president, members of the cabinet, parliamentarians, political party leaders, trade unions, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, religious organizations, multilateral organizations, and media houses.  The incumbent engages with these Kenyan contacts in furtherance of U.S. foreign policy goals and advises the Political Section staff on optimal ways to undertake both private and public diplomacy outreach.  In addition, the incumbent will have opportunities to brief visiting U.S. officials on the stability of the Kenyan government, attitudes toward the United States, and implications for U.S. policy objectives in the region. 
• The incumbent reports directly to and receives supervision from the Senior LES Political Advisor (position C10006) and is reviewed by the Deputy Political Counselor. 

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Brief and Advise:  30%

• The incumbent regularly monitors and analyzes the Kenyan political and security landscape to advise the Political Section staff on optimal ways to advance U.S. interests.  
• To develop specialized knowledge, the incumbent must obtain information from a variety of Kenyan government officials and civil society organizations that is unavailable in the public domain and assess the information against the known biases and agendas of those who provide it. 
•  The incumbent occasionally facilitates roundtable discussions with a broad range of participants on political topics of interest for the benefit of the Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission, and Political Section staff.  
• The incumbent briefs visiting U.S. officials on current political trends and arranges meetings for U.S. officials with their Kenyan counterparts to advance U.S. foreign policy objectives.  

Information Gathering and Reporting: 30%

• Through research and contacts in Kenyan political, media, business, and civil society organizations, the incumbent gathers information and develops written reports and regularly briefs the Political Section staff on developing trends in political issues with the objective of providing advice that helps the Political Section maintain U.S. positioning to maximize influence and access. 
•  The incumbent is responsible for gathering data in support of the drafting of the annual Congressionally mandated reports:  Human Rights Report; International Religious Freedom Report; Trafficking in Persons Report; and the Counterterrorism Report.

Contact Development: 20%

• In addition to cultivating his or her own extensive network of contacts, the incumbent guides and advises the Political Section staff on the development and maintenance of contacts with Kenyan government officials and political leaders. 
•  The incumbent is responsible for gathering data in support of the preparation of in-depth and detailed biographic reports on political figures using public sources, personal knowledge, and consultations with other U.S. mission personnel.

Field Work: 20%

• The incumbent plans for and executes field trips for the purposes of information gathering, analysis, and contact development.  The incumbent advises the Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission, and Political Section staff on the design and execution of in-country travel in furtherance of U.S. policy goals.

Note: “This position description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by incumbent. Incumbent will be required to perform other duties as assigned by the agency.”

Qualifications and Evaluations

Requirements:

• All selected candidates must be able to obtain and hold a: security certificate; or Public trust security clearance. 

Education Requirements:

• University Degree in Political Science, International Relations, Law, or Business Studies is required.

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. 

Experience:

• A minimum of five years of work experience, including senior-level Kenyan government, public service, or journalism position working in multiple regions of Kenya that includes extensive knowledge of, access to, and familiarity with public security and political sector leadership. Such experience must have involved sustained interaction with diverse social interests, the international diplomatic community, and non-governmental organizations.
• A close familiarity with issues and problems of democratization and governance in less developed countries and a demonstrated ability to analyze democracy and governance development issues is require

Discover more

Work & Labor Issues

Hospital

Psychology

Apply Now