[job vacancy] Visa Assistant at the U.S. Consulate General

The U.S. Mission to Nigeria comprises of the Embassy in Abuja, FCT, and the Consulate General in Lagos. U.S. Consulate General Lagos is the Mission’s representative to the Nigerian people in the southern region.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Visa Assistant – All Interested Candidates

Announcement Number: Lagos-2022-124
Location: Lagos
Hiring Agency: Consulate General Lagos
Series / Grade: LE – 1415 7
Work Schedule: Full-time – 40 hours per week
Promotion Potential: LE-7
Telework Eligible: No

Overview

• Hiring Path: Open to the public
• Who May Apply/Clarification From the Agency:
  • For USEFM – FP is 07.  Actual FP salary determined by Washington D.C.
  • All Interested Applicants / All Sources
• Security Clearance Required: Public Trust – Background Investigation
• Appointment Type: Permanent
• Appointment Type Details: Indefinite subject to successful completion of probationary period.

Summary

• The work schedule for this position is: Full Time (40 hours per week)
• Start date: Candidate must be able to begin working within a reasonable period of time (6 weeks) of receipt of agency authorization and/or clearances/certifications or their candidacy may end.
• Supervisory Position: No
• Relocation Expenses Reimbursed: No
• Travel Required: Not Required.

Duties

• The job holder rotates through Immigrant Visa (IV), Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) and Correspondence (CU) Units, consisting of Locally Employed (LE) staff responsible for processing more than 170,000 Non-immigrant Visa (NIV) and 9000 Immigrant Visa (IV) applications annually.
• Screens incoming documentation and information from a variety of sources (public counters, the National Visa Center (NVC), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), mails, phone calls).
• Checks documents submitted by pending IV and NIV applicants, organizes and tracks visa requests according to a complicated set of laws and procedures so that a Consular Officer can make decisions and ensure that they legal requirements of the application have been met.
• Works in a teams to manage the day-to-day functions of the units. The jobholder is required to assist and provide support for all officers and Team Leads as needed.
• Incumbent performs highly complex work for CU, including providing NIV and IV information to the public and responding to inquires.

Qualifications and Evaluations
Education Requirements:

• Completion of two (2) years of college or university studies is required. 

Experience:

• Three (3) years of experience in area related to customer service or work applying regulatory material is required.

Job Knowledge:

• Must develop a detailed knowledge of U.S. immigration laws, regulations and procedures. 

Evaluations:

• This may be tested. Please specify in your application your level of proficiency in language(s) listed.

Language:

• Fluent speaking / reading / writing in English is required. Fluent speaking/reading/writing in one of the following local languages is required: Yoruba, Igbo, or Hausa.

Skills and Abilities:

• Must be familiar with general office management procedures and be able to use consular and other computer applications.
• Must be able to deal with customers in a professional and courteous manner and work under high pressure.
• Ability to draft correspondence in Level IV English and interpret in at least one local language.
• Must be able to withstand external pressure from persistent applicants and petitioners and work under pressure and priority work to meet team requirements. 

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO):  

• The U.S. Mission provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation.

Qualifications:

• All applicants under consideration will be required to pass medical and security certifications.

Other Information:

• For the current COVID-19 Requirements please visit the following link.
• Hiring Preference Selection Process: Applicants in the following hiring preference categories are extended a hiring preference in the order listed below.  Therefore, it is essential that these applicants accurately describe their status on the application. Failure to do so may result in a determination that the applicant is not eligible for a hiring preference.

Hiring Preference Order:

• AEFM / USEFM who is a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran*
• AEFM / USEFM
• FS on LWOP and CS with reemployment rights **

* Important

• Applicants who claim status as a preference-eligible U.S. Veteran must submit a copy of their most recent DD-214 (“Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty”), equivalent documentation, or certification.  A “certification” is any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days after the certification is submitted by the applicant. The certification letter should be on letterhead of the appropriate military branch of the service and contain (1) the military service dates including the expected discharge or release date; and (2) the character of service.  Acceptable documentation must be submitted in order for the preference to be given.
• ** This level of preference applies to all Foreign Service employees on LWOP and CS with re-employment rights back to their agency or bureau.
• For more information (i.e., what is an EFM, USEFM, AEFM, MOH, etc.?) and for additional employment considerations, please visit the following link.

Marketing Statement:

• We encourage you to read and understand the Eight (8) Qualities of Overseas Employees before you apply.

Salary

• N7,298,859 or (USD38,894) annually

Benefits
Agency Benefits:

• Locally Employed Staff, including Members of Household (MOHs), and Third-Country Nationals (TCNs), working at the U.S. Mission in Abuja, Nigeria may receive a compensation package that may include health, separation, and other benefits.
• For EFMs, benefits should be discussed with the Human Resources Office.
• The pay plan is assigned at the time of the conditional offer letter by the HR Office.

How to Apply
Interestes and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

Application Deadline  7th November, 2022.

Important Information

• All candidates must be able to obtain and hold a Public Trust clearance. 
• To apply for this position click the “”APPLY TO THIS VACANCY” button at the top of the page. Click on the “Submit Application” button to complete your application process.  For more information on how to apply visit the Mission internet site

Required Documents
In order to qualify based on education, you MUST submit the requested diploma and / or transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to provide requested information, or the information you submit is insufficient to verify your eligibility, you will not be considered for this position.

• Residency and/or Work Permit
• Degree with transcript

For EFMs, in addition to the above:

• Copy of Orders/Assignment Notification (or equivalent)
• DD-214 – Member Copy 4, Letter from Veterans’ Affairs, or other supporting documentation (if applicable)
• SF-50 (if applicable)

Next Steps:

• Applicants who are invited to take a language or skills test, or who are selected for an interview will be contacted via email. 
• For further information – the complete position description listing all of the duties, responsibilities, required qualifications, etc. may be obtained by contacting the Human Resources Office.
• Thank you for your application and your interest in working at the U.S. Mission in Lagos, Nigeria