(Just received) U.S. CONSULATE MERIDA WARDEN MESSAGE: CANCUN CONSULAR AGENT POSITION OPEN TO: ALL INTERESTED U.S. CITIZEN CANDIDATES POSITION: 98-899000 Consular Agent Cancun / FZ95 OPENING DATE: December 15, 2008 CLOSING DATE: January 21st, 2009 WORKING HOURS: 38 hours/week SALARY: Starting Salary and Position Grade FZ-95/1 to be confirmed by Washington. NOTE: ALL ORDINARILY RESIDENT APPLICANTS MUST OBTAIN THE REQUIRED WORK PERMIT AND/OR MUST HAVE THE APPROPRIATE RESIDENCY PERMIT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City is seeking applicants for the Position of Consular Agent for Cancun, Quintana Roo. BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION: The Consular Agent is responsible for providing emergency consular services as authorized by 22 USC Section 3943 (Section 303 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980) and the U.S. Department of State regulations in Title 22, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 71.1 and 71.6. QUALIFICATIONS NOTE: The successful applicant will be a United States citizen who meets the following requirements: * At least two years of post secondary study (college, university, vocational school, or in the U.S. Armed Forces). * At least two years experience in managing an office and staff, experience in customer services, or two years experience in U.S. government service is required. Be willing to work on an irregular schedule. * Level IV (fluent) spoken and written English * Level III (fluent) spoken and written Spanish Level III. * Skilled in using computer programs, including Microsoft Word and the Internet. All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed above with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item. SELECTION CRITERIA AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT The selected candidate must be a U.S. citizen, year-round resident of or will re-locate to Cancun (Benito Juarez), Quintana Roo, Mexico with authorization to work in Mexico (FM-3 or equivalent status). The selected candidate must demonstrate fluency in the Spanish and English languages. Although the Consular Agent may be informally accorded "Honorary Consul" status by the Government of Mexico, the Consular Agent is not a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States. Therefore, the Consular Agent is not entitled to the full privileges and immunities that the diplomatic or consular officers enjoy under international law. During the first year of employment, the Consular Agent is initially appointed as an "Acting Consular Agent" pending completion of a suitability and background check (3 FAM 8912.4) required for a Public Trust Certification security clearance. Required forms and procedures will be provided prior to entry on duty. After the first year of employment, limited appointments of up to three years at a time, with no limit on the number of extensions, may be requested by the supervising Post and approved by the Department of State. SUPERVISION: The Consular Agent is under the direct supervision of the U.S. Consulate in Merida, Mexico, reporting to the Consular Section Chief. The incumbent receives an annual performance evaluation rated by the Consular Section Chief and reviewed by the Principal Officer. Training, supplies, and logistical support will be provided by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Consulate in Merida. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSABILITIES: The Consular Agent ensures that all American citizens are provided with prompt and courteous service to the extent allowed by U.S. law, regulations, and instructions provided by the Supervising Consular Officer. Emergency services provided by a Consular Agent include, but are not limited to, assisting destitute Americans, attempting to locate missing American citizens, relaying emergency messages from family members, visiting and assisting injured or hospitalized American citizens, reporting the arrests of American citizens, and notifying the Consulate of deaths of American citizens and assisting the decedent's next-of-kin with funeral arrangements. Provides notarial services as authorized and provides passport services to American Citizens. The Consular Agent accepts for forwarding to the U.S. Consulate in Merida the personal effects of deceased American citizens if local authorities are unwilling to do so, or arranges for the safeguarding of these effects under the direct supervision of the supervising consular officer. The Consular Agent visits and reports to the U.S. Consulate in Merida on the welfare and whereabouts of children who are subjects of international child custody disputes. Under the supervision of the U.S. Consulate in Merida, the Consular Agent is expected to develop a network of contacts among local officials and community members who can be of assistance in the performance of the Consular Agent's official duties. In exceptional circumstances, as determined by the Consular Section Chief or Principal Officer, the Consular Agent may be required to provide back-up assistance to the Consular Agencies in Playa del Carmen or Cozumel. The Consular Agent maintains a written record of all consular services performed on behalf of American citizens and submits a monthly report to the Supervising Consular Officer at the U.S. Consulate in Merida. The Cancun Consular Agent supervises a staff of three Locally Employed Staff. Within the assigned territorial jurisdiction, the Consular Agent performs a wide range of emergency services for American citizens. The services that a consular agent performs are described in detail in the Consular Agent's Guidebook, which the incumbent will be provided upon entry on duty. The incumbent is expected to be familiar with Volume 3 Section 8900 and all of Volume 7 of the Foreign Affairs Manual. Copies of these references will be provided at entry on duty. SELECTION PROCESS: * When equally qualified, U.S. Veterans will be given preference. * Management will consider nepotism/conflict of interest, budget, and residency status in determining successful candidacy. * Current employees serving on probation are not eligible to apply. TO APPLY Interested candidates for this position must submit the following: * Application for Federal Employment (Click here: OF-612 ); or * A current resume or curriculum vitae that provides the same information as an OF-612; plus * Candidates who claim U.S. Veteran's preference must provide a copy of their form DD-214 with their application. * Copy of current drivers license. * Any other documentation (e.g., essays, certificates, awards, copies of degrees earned) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above. SUBMIT APPLICATION TO: Human Resources Office American Consulate Merida Calle 60 No.338-K por 29 y 31 Col. Alcalá Martín 97050 Merida, Yucatan. Mexico. FAX: (999) 942-5777 Please check the U.S. Embassy web site for future vacancy announcements: www.usembassy-mexico.gov CLOSING DATE FOR THIS POSITION: JANUARY 21st, 2009 The US Mission in Mexico 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. The Department of State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs. The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation. Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.
oooh lots of red tape and bureaucratic talk...but remarkably few actual qualifications needed...interesting...of course this job will be filled by someone on an inside track anyway...I'm sure it's just being publicized because they have to do so.
I'm not so sure, RG. I had a friend here years ago. She had no connections, was from the U.S., basic Spanish, and experience in teaching and diving in here in Cancun. She got the job and has parlayed it into a diplomatic career, spending her first posting in Cuba and is now stationed in Paris.
I'm sure that the jobs don't always go to people on the inside track. I am sort of impressed at how few requirements there are tho. I know that the Consul has to deal with Immigration here when a US Citizen gets picked up by them. Seems like it would be good to at least make sure the Consul has a background in law or something... But maybe it doesn't matter because from what I hear the INM agents just ignore the phone if they think a Consul is calling...
If I am reading/understanding this job posting correctly, I find it interesting that one of the requirements is that an applicant already have a "work" FM3. For some reason I would think that there might/should be some assistance from the US gov't to help whomever may apply and be chosen for this type of position with whatever representive Visas and appropriate permissions that may be required... IMO, yet another mystery....
I find it amazing that: Why? Still, looks like a good job for someone. What kind of money does this type of job pay?
Seems like they don't want to have to qualify someone to INM, they want someone who is on an FM2 and is either Inmigrado or already has the automatic permission that you get from Inmigrante Familiar status...at least that's how I'm reading it. I don't think they want someone with an FM3 b/c FM3 holders won't have permission to work w/o a job offer in place.
LOL I just googled it and it wasnt much help since this thread is the #2 posn of a massive 6 results.
job Although the Consular Agent may be informally accorded "Honorary Consul" status by the Government of Mexico, the Consular Agent is not a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States. Therefore, the Consular Agent is not entitled to the full privileges and immunities that the diplomatic or consular officers enjoy under international law. If I can't have diplomatic immunity then what's the point?? :wink:
I was trying to look up that pay level as well, and can't find it. When I look at the foreign service pay scales they seem to start with FS, not FZ and go up to class 9 and step 14. If that "95" means class 9, step 5, the pay would be in the high 20,000s to low 30,000s annually. But then I don't know what the "/1" means at the end. Some of the foreign service jobs seem to get housing allowances as well. I wonder if consulate jobs in Mexico do?
