Careers at U.S. Embassy to Kenya

Duties

• The American Citizen Services (ACS) Assistant provides both passport, citizenship, and special consular services for U.S. citizens in Post’s consular district.  Serves as one of the primary points of contact for U.S. citizens in the consular district and maintains a network of public and private sector contacts who may be able to assist U.S. citizens. 
• Communicates directly with citizenship applicants and U.S. citizens in distress and assists in the preparation of emergency messaging and website updates. 
• Works with the ACS Chief, consular officers and other Post staff on crisis preparedness and response. 
• Performs administrative duties and supports other consular section units as required. 

Qualifications and Evaluations: 

• Minimum two years of administrative work, case management, or customer service work experience is required. 

Knowledge

• Knowledge of local cultural, social, and legal environment.

Education Requirements:

• Completion of high school.
• Completion of two years of college or university studies is required
• Documentation of same must be submitted.

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Major duties and responsibilities

• Escorts couriers and pouches between the aircraft and embassy. Maintains good rapport with airline security authorities and obtains their assistance, if needed, in order to maintain uninterrupted courier operations through Nairobi when security circumstances change. When acting as an expediter assists in reformulating flight plans and booking tickets when regularly scheduled courier trips are disrupted due to unforeseen circumstances. When required, pays for the transport of diplomatic pouches and is familiar with cargo capacity of different aircraft. Is responsible for the regular maintenance of NRDCH vehicles.
• Obtains necessary customs clearances for diplomatic cargo arriving at Nairobi International Airport.
• When crossing international borders is expected to have the correct paperwork including the vehicle paperwork and personal passport in order.
• 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 clearance. 
• 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.
• All candidates must hold a valid Kenyan Driver's License
• All candidates must hold a valid Passport

Education Requirements:

• High School Education is required.

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Major Duties and Responsibilities                                                                                                                          

Special Consular Services (40%)

• With limited direction, the incumbent must handle a variety of ACS cases including deaths, arrests, destitution and repatriation cases, psychiatric and medical emergencies, child custody, abduction and welfare and whereabouts checks. 
• With experience, the employee develops expertise in recognizing U.S. citizens in need of assistance and uses good judgment and tact to provide services.  The incumbent must have good knowledge of both Kenyan and Somali law and society, knowledge of Department guidelines, and a good understanding of the workings of the State Department, other agencies at post, and other government bodies. 
• The employee frequently accompanies an American officer on jail or hospital visits, welfare and whereabouts visits involving child custody and International Parental Child Abduction (IPCA) cases, or to meeting with government and other officials.  The employee may accompany an American officer to cities throughout Kenya and Somali to assist with consular outreach and emergency and routine services.
• The employee maintains contacts with deputy-level officials from government bodies to assist U.S. citizens in times of crisis and with relevant offices in the Bureau of Consular Affairs and other agencies at post including FBI, DHS and ICE. The incumbent advises the ACS LES Team Lead and 03 ACS Unit Chief on cases of suspected fraud or criminal activity.

Routine Consular Services (40%)

• Handles passport and citizenship cases, accepting passport applications (both first-time and renewals, both regular and diplomatic) and consular report of birth (CRBA) applications and delivering newly issued documents to applicants or a contracted courier service. 
• The incumbent is knowledgeable about Department regulations that apply to these services and Kenyan and Somali law, respective to related citizenship and immigration matters, and exercises discretion in bringing cases involving suspected fraud of child custody disputes to the attention of supervisors as appropriate.
• Ensures disposal and storage of records, applications and other information in accordance with FAM guidelines and other regulations.
• Responsible for dispersing Federal Benefits (FB) checks to recipients in the consular district, accepting certain (FB) applications and conducting verifications. Monitors and enrolls registration requests of U.S. citizens for STEP overseas traveler program.

Contact and Resource Development, Correspondence and translation (20%)

• Research, identify, and develop relationships with contacts including, but not limited to, government officials, airline representatives, funeral homes, police, and others who can provide assistance to U.S. citizens during personal or large scale emergencies. Conduct outreach to U.S. citizens on the importance of documenting new children, how to vote overseas and facilitating delivering ballots to the United Sates. 
• Respond to telephone, email and written correspondence to U.S. citizen questions congressional inquiries and triage emergency cases.  Recruit and develop relationships with U.S. Citizen Liaison Volunteers (CLV) for Kenya and Somalia and coordinate Post’s American Liaison Network (ALN)  to disseminate information and assist U.S. citizens.
• Provide translation from Somali or Kiswahili to officers providing services and in meetings or during phone conversations. Must also read review, and translate documents in Kiswahili or Somali for officers.
• 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 supervisor.

Qualifications and Evaluations:

EXPERIENCE: 

• Minimum two years of administrative work, case management, or customer service work experience is required. 

Knowledge

• Knowledge of local cultural, social, and legal environment.
• Education Requirements:
• Completion of high school.
• Completion of two years of college or university studies is required.