Department of State Headquarters logo

Program and Policy Analyst

Department of State Headquarters

Washington, DCFull-time$122–158K/yrPosted 2 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$122–158K/yr
Location
Washington, DC
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Security clearance

Job overview

The Program and Policy Analyst works in the Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism, Office of Programs. The role plans and oversees counterterrorism-funded foreign assistance, manages a portfolio of countries or regions, and coordinates with government agencies and external partners. It also supports program oversight policies, tracks regional threats and policy developments, and conveys program activities to inform U.S. government policy.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Contract and Grant OversightForeign Assistance Program EvaluationProgram RecommendationsCounterterrorism PolicyCapacity-Building ProgramsPolitical ScienceInternational RelationsSecurity PolicyEconomicsHistoryGeographyOral CommunicationWritten CommunicationNegotiationLiaisonAnalytical Advisory ServicesCounterterrorism PrinciplesPolicy FormulationPolicy ExecutionProblem SolvingTeamworkTechnology OrientationCustomer ServiceAttention to DetailSelf-Management

Qualifications

One Year Specialized Experience52 Weeks at Next Lower Grade

Full job description

Summary

This job is in the Department of State's Bureau of Counterterrorism, Office of Programs. The Bureau strengthens national security by creating and running counterterrorism programs that protect the U.S. homeland, citizens, and its interests overseas. The Office of Programs monitors emerging terrorism threats, identifies areas for program improvement, ensures projects align with national security goals, and follows State Department rules for monitoring, evaluation, and public oversight laws.

Duties

  • Serves as Program and Policy Analyst, planning, implementing, and overseeing CT-funded foreign assistance activities.
  • Manages a portfolio of countries/regions, including development, planning, and coordination with the Bureau, other agencies, and external partners.
  • Coordinate development and revision of the Bureau's program management and oversight procedures and policies with other U.S. agencies and implementing partners.
  • Responsible for conveying counterterrorism program activities to shape USG policy; tracks and analyzes regional threats, operations, and issues.
  • Monitor and analyze legislative and policy developments shaping U.S. counterterrorism and international relations responses

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement. NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F. Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following: 1. Experience overseeing the performance of contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or interagency agreements. 2. Experience evaluating the effectiveness of foreign assistance programs. 3. Experience developing program recommendations for senior officials. There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-13 position.

Education

Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement. How You Will Be Evaluated

The evaluation process consists of the ApplyGov Competency Based Assessments and a crediting plan for which applicants will be assigned a score between 70 and 100. A resume review will be conducted for minimum qualification requirements, as described in the “Qualifications” section of this announcement, of the top qualified candidates based on combined total score. Resumes longer than two pages will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further. Responses to questions that are not fully supported by your resume may result in a rating adjustment. You will be assessed on the following job-related competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Non-Supervisory: Oral Communication, Writing, Interpersonal Skills, Problem Solving, Teamwork, Technology Orientation, Customer Service, Attention to Detail and Self-Management. Set aside at least 2 hours to take the external assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. There are timed sections that must be completed within the allotted timeframe. Your score from the external assessment (Non-supervisory) will remain on file for 180 days, allowing you to apply for multiple DOS-announced positions without needing to retake the assessments. Top applicants may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. The assessment is used to measure the degree in which your background matches the competencies and KSAs required for this position. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies: 1. Knowledge of U.S. counterterrorism policy and capacity-building programs to assess global social, political, economic, and military developments shaping U.S. foreign policy formulation and execution. 2. Knowledge of political science, international relations, security policy, economics, history, or geography to develop, implement, and monitor country/regional CT capacity-building programs. 3. Skill in oral/written communication to present analyses, negotiate, liaise across foreign policy/intelligence communities, and advise officials on analysis interpretation. 4. Knowledge of Department goals, CT programs, and relationships to provide expert analytical/advisory services responsive to organizations' needs. 5. Knowledge of the theories and principles of counterterrorism. U.S. Foreign policy 6. Ability to formulate and execute counterterrorism policy and program issue. Applicants found to be among the top qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. Qualified non-competitive candidates must be deemed best qualified based on the applicant assessment in order to be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and possible interview. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We do not make assumptions regarding your experience. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application may result in your removal from consideration. You may preview questions for this vacancy. Other Information

To request a reasonable accommodation for additional time on the timed sections of the assessment, please submit your request using the “Request a Reasonable Accommodation” button within the Assessment Application. For all other reasonable accommodations at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations (OAA) at [email protected]. OAA is responsible for reviewing and adjudicating reasonable accommodation (RA) requests for the Assessment Battery being used for this announcement. The following applies to all RA requests: RA requests cover additional time on timed sections only. Applicants submitting a RA request MUST attach supporting medical documentation signed by a licensed, treating medical provider. The documentation should describe the nature, severity, and expected duration of the condition, identify the relevant medical condition or diagnosis, and explain the basis for the requested extension. RA requests that do not contain supporting medical documentation attachments at the time of initial request may be subject to further review. Note: the following documents do not, on their own, qualify for automatic approval of the RA request: Schedule A letters, VA benefits letters, or SSA letters. Applicants MUST submit their application before the vacancy closes, even if pending an accommodation decision. Applicants are encouraged to carefully follow instructions related to medical documentation provided in the vacancy announcement prior to beginning the RA process. Applicants will have 48 hours after their RA request is adjudicated to complete the assessment battery. Scores generated after the allotted timeframe will not be admissible and the applicant will not be considered further for the vacancy. If a different type of RA is needed, please contact OAA directly at [email protected]. If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in other Bureaus/Offices in the Department for up to 240 days and may require a higher or lower security clearance. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions. Agency & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP & ICTAP): View OPM's CTAP & ICTAP eligibility website for more information. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category and submit supporting documents under the required documents section of this announcement to receive selection priority consideration. To be considered Well-Qualified applicants must: score an 85 or above, meet Minimum Qualifications, and demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all major aspects of the position.

How this job compares

Set against the 1,020 open Program Analyst jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 31, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$122–158K/yr
  • Washington, D.C. median$102–158K/yr67 salary ranges
  • US median$92–134K/yr590 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $140K, is 7% above the Washington, D.C. median midpoint ($130K) — in the middle half of Program Analyst salary ranges in Washington, D.C..

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 103 open Program Analyst jobs in Washington, D.C. and 1,020 across the US. 2% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Washington, D.C.
Experience
This posting asks for at least 1 year of experience; Program Analyst postings that state a minimum ask for 3 years at the median (913 postings).
Education
289 of the 1,020 open Program Analyst jobs (28%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 31, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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