Peace Corps recruiting for Country Directors
Peace Corps recruiting for Country Directors
The Country Director is the senior Peace Corps official in the country of assignment. As such, the Country Director is responsible for the overall management and direction of all aspects of Peace Corps programs in that country and serves at the discretion of the Peace Corps Director. For more details about the Country Director position click here.
Country Director candidates must be United States citizens, cannot have been associated with certain intelligence activities, and should have a background of demonstrated excellence in managing a program or business of comparable size to a Peace Corps post (e.g. approximately 15-50 staff members, 50-250 Volunteers, and an annual operating budget ranging from $500,000 to $4,000,000). In addition, the candidate should have demonstrated experience mentoring staff or volunteers.
The Country Director position is classified at the FP-340-3/2/1 levels (equivalent to GS-13/14/15). The estimated base salary range for these positions is $70,023-$112,346. All Country Director applications are handled through the Director's Office in the Office of Overseas Executive Selection and Support.
Recruitment
There are two application deadlines for the Spring/Summer 2004 cycle: February 13, 2004, for the first phase and February 27, 2004, for the second phase.
In order to allow for any unforeseen difficulties (e.g. computer or fax problems) please submit your application a week prior to the deadline. After midnight, February 27th, applications will no longer be accepted.
A mandatory overseas staff training for country director designates is scheduled for June 2004. New country directors will leave for their posts in July/August 2004.
Would you like us to notify you of future application cycles? If so, please send an email with the word "notify" in the subject line to cdselection@peacecorps.gov
Country Director Selection Criteria
As the Peace Corps director's representative in the field, country directors must demonstrate a broad range of leadership qualities, management expertise, interpersonal skills, budget experience, and cross-cultural proficiencies. The country director must work in a collegial way with 90 percent host country staff and unpaid volunteers. In addition to requirements specific to the needs of a particular country, such as language, knowledge of the country, and training expertise, the Peace Corps uses the following seven criteria to evaluate country director applications to determine the suitability of candidates:
Leadership
Management and Administrative Skills
International Development Experience
Communication Skills
Cross-Cultural Experience
Human Resource Management and Support Skills
Country Representational Capability
The Application Process
After reviewing the criteria above, interested persons whose background, skills and work experience strongly qualify them for the country director position are encouraged to submit an application (see below for downloadable information). After all of the application materials are received, an application will be reviewed and applicants will be informed of their status within six weeks after the deadline. Only the most highly qualified candidates are invited to interview with senior staff.
Those candidates who successfully complete the interview process may be considered for a specific country opening. Please keep in mind that the application process for country director positions is very competitive due to the low number of available openings. Candidates chosen for current country vacancies must successfully complete overseas staff training before an official appointment to the designated country.
Application Kit
Applications may be submitted by mail, email, or by FAX. Please note that if you submit your application by email, you must FAX or mail the pages of the application that require signatures (PC Form 1336 Intelligence Background Information, and Signature, Certification, and Release of Information Form). U.S. government mail is still being re-routed and delayed, so that other means, such as FedEx, UPS, courier, FAX are encouraged.
Application Form: Download the complete CD Application Form
The document, Country Director Application, includes the documents needed to apply for a Peace Corps country director position. They are in RTF format which allows you to complete the application easily with word processing software, and either print or email the resulting completed application. The document includes:
Country Director Application Form and Description of Country Director Responsibilities
Selection Criteria
PC Form 1336 Intelligence Background Information
Signature, Certification, and Release of Information Form
Additional Documents
The following two documents are available for download as a PDF, to be printed out and completed. They may be submitted at the time of the application.
Form 256 Self-Identification of Handicap
Form 181 Race and National Origin Identification
The final two documents need only to be submitted at the time of panel interviews with senior staff. They are available for download as a PDF, to be printed out and completed.
Form 86 Questionnaire for National Security Positions
Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970 Form
Questions
If you have questions, please contact:
Michael Mikolaitis
Overseas Executive Selection and Support
Office of the Director
Peace Corps
1111 20th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20526
Phone: (202) 692-2114
Fax: (202) 692-2121
e-mail: cdselection@peacecorps.gov
