It can be challenging to maintain a career, or just find a job, while transferring to a new duty station with your spouse. The Fleet and Family Support Centers (FFSC) in Bahrain is here and ready to help alleviate some of that stress and help give direction to your job search while in Bahrain. A variety of services are available for family members looking for employment through FFSC, including: Employment Overview Workshops, Government Employment Tips, Getting Started Teaching English, Effective Resume Writing and critiques, Interview Techniques, Volunteer Opportunities, and Self -Paced Computer Tutorial Programs.
FFSC’s Work and Family Life (WFL) Consultants also review job applications, critique resumes, and provide informational counseling.
To contact your Work and Family Life consultant in Bahrain, please call (318-439-4046), Commercial (973) 1785-4046, or email at ffsc.Bahrain@me.navy.mil.
Helpful information can also be found at FFSC Bahrain Facebook page below:
https://www.facebook.com/Fleet-and-Family-Support-Center-NSA-Bahrain-282724796518/
Additional Information on spouse/family member employment opportunities on base
On base, you’ll find that there are several different avenues to find. They include work as a federal employee, working for a U.S. contractor on base, teaching and substitute teaching, etc. As discussed previously, it is highly encouraged to speak with or set up an appointment with a local FFSC staff member to discuss all the options available to you.
When searching for Civil Service for family member preference positions as an appropriated fund federal employee, you potentially qualify for overseas family member preference. These preferences are described below:
Overseas Family Member Preference Eligible
Once your spouse has taken his or her new position in Bahrain, you become eligible to apply for “Family Member preference” positions. You can apply for spouse preference for federal jobs as early as 30 days before your spouse’s reporting date. Spouse preference is explained below:
Dependent family members of “stateside hire” civil service employees (sponsor) may be eligible to apply for USCS positions open to Military Spouses (first priority) and Overseas Family Member meeting the eligibility requirements.
You are eligible for this hiring category if you are a spouse, or unmarried dependent child (including stepchild, adopted child, and foster child) not more than 23 years of age who:
- Resides with a member of the U.S. Armed Forces or a U.S. citizen employee of a U.S. Government Agency (including non-appropriated fund activities) whose duty station is in the foreign area: AND,
- Have not accepted or declined a permanent position or a temporary position of one year or longer at the new duty station of the sponsor.
**NOTE: This preference does not apply to family members of locally hired civilian employees.
A number of Non-Appropriated Fund (NAF) positions are available working for Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Activities or the Navy Exchange (NEX). MWR and NEX have their own Human Resources Offices (HRO) and job application processes for their NAF positions.
Overseas Family Member Preference Eligible are typically “Local Hire” positions and will not be advertised in USAJOBS. Visit USAJOBS to find Overseas Family Member Preference job openings in Bahrain and apply for them. Search both under U.S. citizens and Federal Employees. Review “who may apply” under each vacancy announcement to see if you’re eligible.
In the USAJOBS job announcement look for the “This job is open to” section. When a job is open to Family of overseas employees, you’ll see a blue circle icon with a white airplane in it. There may be other groups listed that can also apply.
However, you need to read the full job announcement to see if the job falls under one of the Department of State or Department of Defense programs. These hiring programs have different requirements. You may see the terms Family Member Preference (FMP) or Family Member Appointment (FMA).
You can also select the Family of overseas employees filter in search. Your results will display all jobs open to family of overseas employees.
For more information on job opportunities, please visit or contact:
USAJOBS.
Navy Exchange
MWR Office
Bldg. 261 (Freedom Souq)
Mon-Fri: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Phone: 973-1785-3531
DSN: (318)-439-3531
On Base: 439-3531
https://www.navymwrBahrain.com/
Naval Support Activity Bahrain Fleet and Family Support Center
Bldg. 267 (Upstairs)
ffsc.Bahrain@me.navy.mil.
(Local) 01-785-4046
DSN (No Dial) 318-439-4046
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
The Department of the Navy is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, or any other non-merit factor.