Foreign Area Officer Jobs
Foreign Area Officer jobs are open across the U.S. military, federal agencies, and defense contractors, from junior analyst to senior officer level, with specializations in regional studies, human intelligence, and strategic advising. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Discover your future at Citi
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Job Overview
Citi does business in more than 180 countries and jurisdictions, providing corporations, governments, investors, institutions and individuals with a broad range of financial products and services.
This new role within Government Affairs (GA) is Citi’s lead representative to U.S.-based government officials working on U.S. foreign policy affecting transatlantic relations between the United States and Europe, particularly those impacting financial services. Based in Washington, D.C., the role reports to the practice head leading the GA U.S. Foreign Policy team and leads political engagement with policymakers who shape the firm’s policy operating environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as Citi’s lead advocate on U.S. foreign policy with officials focused on U.S.-Europe relations across the U.S. administration, U.S.-based multilateral institutions (e.g., the United Nations), and U.S.-based European embassies as well as thought leaders at relevant think tanks.
- Build and maintain productive relationships with external leaders shaping public policy. Engage leaders directly and strengthen relationships between Citi business leaders and senior government officials by developing and executing political engagement plans, including annual meeting plans, writing advocacy briefs, and talking points.
- Represent Citi’s public policy positions and advocate for the firm’s interests with portfolio officials. Develop and execute government engagement strategies to address policy issues prioritized by the practice head based on their business impact to Citi, with a focus on achieving outcomes that advance Citi’s policy objectives.
- Advise GA and business leaders on the business implications of government actions. Provide timely insight on political, legislative and policy developments, as well as emerging risks, and brief the practice head and internal colleagues as appropriate.
- Represent Citi at external events and public fora as appropriate.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
- Minimum 10 years of experience in government affairs or related field, including in government, a major corporation, trade association, or other business organization.
- Experience working on foreign policy related to financial. services and the transatlantic relationship. Familiarity with the intersection of tech and financial services a plus.
- Experience engaging senior business and government leaders
- Strong existing relationships with U.S. government officials.
- Demonstrated ability to work with coalitions, peers, consultants and external partners including trade associations and political organizations.
Competencies
- Public Policy and Political Insight and Business Acumen. Strong understanding of how government actions impact business decisions. Significant knowledge of the intersection of U.S. and European political trends and their implications for financial services policy. Demonstrated ability to translate political risk into effective advocacy strategy.
- Leadership. Team player able to build trusted relationships with senior-level policymakers and business partners. Experience coordinating and engaging colleagues and networks across geographies and functions. Effective communicator who can engage comfortably with a wide range of audiences.
- Results Orientation. Self-motivated, strategic, and outcomes-focused professional able to manage multiple priorities, operate effectively in ambiguity, and deliver high-quality work independently while partnering closely with senior leadership. Able to balance strategic thinking with tactical execution to advance government affairs objectives. Demonstrated ability to translate relationships, insights, and advocacy efforts into meaningful policy outcomes for the business.
This job description provides a high-level review of the types of work performed. Other job-related duties may be assigned as required.
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Job Family Group:
Communications and External Relations-
Job Family:
Government Affairs-
Time Type:
Full time-
Primary Location:
Washington District Of Columbia United States-
Primary Location Full Time Salary Range:
$182,400.00 - $273,600.00
In addition to salary, Citi’s offerings may also include, for eligible employees, discretionary and formulaic incentive and retention awards. Citi offers competitive employee benefits, including: medical, dental & vision coverage; 401(k); life, accident, and disability insurance; and wellness programs. Citi also offers paid time off packages, including planned time off (vacation), unplanned time off (sick leave), and paid holidays. For additional information regarding Citi employee benefits, please visit citibenefits.com. Available offerings may vary by jurisdiction, job level, and date of hire.
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Most Relevant Skills
Please see the requirements listed above.-
Other Relevant Skills
For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter.-
Anticipated Posting Close Date:
Nov 19, 2026-
Automated Processing and AI
We use automated processing, including artificial intelligence, for our legitimate business interests (or our reasonable and appropriate business purposes) to identify and align the candidate's skills and abilities with a specific job opening. Additionally, if you so choose, or consent, we can match your skills and abilities to other suitable roles at Citi.
Importantly, all our hiring processes and decisions, including determining your suitability for a role, are conducted, checked, and decided by individuals. Our automated processing and AI do not involve relying on automatic or autonomous decision-making. Please refer to any Jurisdictional Considerations, with specific provisions for your country (where relevant) for further details.
Illinois residents – AI Notice and Right (opens in new window)
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Citi is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Foreign Area Officer Jobs by Experience Level
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Find Foreign Area Officer JobsForeign Area Officer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- CVS Health250

- Adams Communication & Engineering Technology8
- Neurodiagnostics4N
- USD3
- E. L. Blake3E
Top Industries Hiring
- Insurance31
- Education4
- Aerospace & Defense1
- Banking & Financial Services1
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in foreign area officer jobs.
- Active Top Secret or SCI security clearance with polygraph eligibility
- Demonstrated regional expertise in a specific geographic area or combatant command
- Interagency Language Roundtable proficiency rating in at least one foreign language
- Bachelor's or master's degree in international relations, area studies, or a related field
- Prior military service or federal government experience in an interagency environment
- Experience writing and briefing intelligence or policy assessments to senior leadership
Tips for Your Foreign Area Officer Job Search
Tailor your resume to regional expertise
Foreign area officer roles prioritize demonstrated expertise in a specific geographic region. Lead your resume with your area of focus, language proficiency, and in-country experience before listing broader military or federal credentials. Generic resumes get screened out fast.
Highlight language proficiency with proficiency codes
Defense agencies and contractors expect Interagency Language Roundtable ratings, not vague self-assessments. List your ILR or DLPT scores for every relevant language directly on your resume. Missing this detail signals a lack of familiarity with how the community evaluates candidates.
Target postings that match your geographic specialization
Foreign area officer postings are often tied to a specific combatant command or regional bureau. Filter openings by your area of focus rather than applying broadly. A EUCOM-focused role and an INDOPACOM role have very different operational requirements and culture.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists foreign area officer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare for interagency and policy interview questions
Interviews for these roles frequently test your understanding of how military and civilian agencies coordinate on regional policy. Prepare specific examples of times you worked across organizational boundaries, briefed senior officials, or translated regional intelligence into actionable recommendations.
Negotiate clearance and assignment timing upfront
Many foreign area officer roles require an active Top Secret or SCI clearance. If yours is current, confirm the adjudication date and sponsoring agency early in the offer conversation. Clearance reinstatement timelines can affect your start date and your leverage on other offer terms.
Foreign Area Officer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most foreign area officers?
The most active employers for foreign area officers right now are CVS Health, Adams Communication & Engineering Technology, and Neurodiagnostics, and the most openings are in Texas, Minnesota, and Maryland, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Defense contractors and federal agencies with large regional bureaus tend to post the most consistently throughout the year.
How many foreign area officer jobs are remote?
About 49% of foreign area officer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the security and in-person collaboration requirements most of these roles carry. Research, analysis, and policy advisory roles are the most likely to offer hybrid arrangements, while operational and attaché-focused positions almost always require on-site presence.
How do you become a foreign area officer?
Most foreign area officers begin with active-duty military service or a federal position that exposes them to international or regional work. From there, the typical path involves formal designation through a service branch's foreign area officer program, completion of regional studies coursework, an in-region immersion assignment, and language training validated by proficiency testing. Civilian pathways typically run through federal agencies with strong regional bureaus, where relevant degrees and language skills open the door to entry-level analyst or attaché support roles.
Can you get a foreign area officer role without direct military experience?
Civilian foreign area officer roles do exist, particularly at the State Department, Defense Intelligence Agency, and defense contractors supporting regional analysis. These postings prioritize regional expertise, language proficiency, and experience working in or on a specific geographic area over a military background. Starting in a research analyst or regional desk role and building a record of published assessments or policy work is the most common civilian entry point.
What does the foreign area officer interview process look like?
The process typically starts with a resume screen and a panel interview focused on your regional knowledge and language background. A second round often includes a written exercise, such as drafting a policy brief or summarizing an intelligence scenario, followed by questions from a senior panel about interagency dynamics and past advisory experience. Security clearance verification runs in parallel and can extend the overall timeline significantly.
Where can I find and apply to foreign area officer jobs?
You can find and apply to foreign area officer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Find roles that match your regional expertise and language background, then apply directly to each listing. The page is updated continuously so checking back regularly gives you an edge on newly posted positions.
See All 378+ Foreign Area Officer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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