PD_DOC_Director-of-the-Census

Position Description

DIRECTOR OF THE CENSUS, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Overview

Senate Committee

Governmental Affairs

Agency Mission

The mission of the department is to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity.

Position Overview

The director of the Census Bureau oversees the bureau as the leading source of quality data regarding the social and economic activities and characteristics of the population and enterprises of the United States or other areas.

Compensation

Level IV $155,500 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)¹ _{The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31, May 5, 2017), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels during calendar year 2017.}

Position Reports to

Undersecretary for Economic Affairs² _{https://lo.bvdep.com/OrgChart.asp?curp=1&LDIBookId=19&LDISectio
Id=180&LDIOrgId=220070}

Responsibilities

Management Scope

In fiscal 2016, the Bureau of the Census had a budget of $1.397 billion and 6,094 employees.³ The bureau’s budget has a 10-year cycle, with larger amounts to prepare for the decennial census, the largest nonmilitary activity of the federal government. _{https://lo.bvdep.com/OrgDocument.asp?OrgId=-1&LDIBookId=19&LDIOrgId=158802&LDISecId=180&FromRecent=1&Save=0#O158802}

Primary Responsibilities

® Determines policies and directs the programs of the bureau, taking into account applicable legislative requirements and the needs of those who use statistical information
® Responsible for carrying out the bureau’s activities and coordinating its statistical programs and scientific activities with those of other federal statistical agencies, with recognition of the programs developed and regulations issued by the Office of Management and Budget.⁴ Activities involve: _{OPM PD}
® Overseeing large-scale surveys and censuses, and statistical uses of administrative data from other agencies
® Designing surveys and questionnaires, and providing services to other federal agencies
® Updating geographic infrastructure and data collection, and subsequent processing and dissemination, for use by the private sector and the public⁵ _{https://lo.bvdep.com/OrgDocument.asp?OrgId=-1&LDIBookId=19&LDIOrgId=158802&LDISecId=180&FromRecent=1&Save=0#O158802}
® Conducting special statistical studies on domestic and foreign trade, business services, industry, transportation, construction, agriculture, population and housing, and on federal, state and local governments
® Conducting statistical and other research and development activities to improve the quality and the lower costs of censuses and surveys, and achieve more effective censuses and surveys
® Maintaining a statistical directory of establishments engaged in economic activity in the United States

Strategic Goals and Priorities

[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration]

Requirements and Competencies

Requirements

® Previous successful experience in management of technical organizations
® Experience in the collection, analysis and use of statistical data (13 U.S.C. § 21)
® Advanced degree in relevant statistical or social science field
® Experience in communicating to large groups about statistical information (preferred)
® Technical knowledge of the statistical and social science foundations of large-scale social and economic measurement
® Devotion to the nonpartisan nature of government statistics to inform the public

Competencies

® Ability to interact with policymakers throughout the government, to communicate relevant statistical information to them
® Communication skills to disseminate statistical information to diverse groups
® Leadership skills to transform the organization to meet its mission in a dynamic environment affected by technology changes
® Effective liaison skills with the scientific community, the socio-political stakeholders and diverse community groups throughout the country

Past Appointees

John H. Thompson (2013 to 2017): President and CEO, National Opinion Research Center (NORC), University of Chicago; Executive Vice President, NORC; Associate Director, Census Bureau; Chief, Decennial Management Division, Census Bureau⁶ _{http://www.census.gov/newsroom/bios/john-thompson.html}
Robert M. Groves (2009 to 2012): Professor and Director of Survey Research Center, University of Michigan; Research Professor, Joint Program in Survey Methodology, University of Maryland⁷ _{http://www.census.gov/history/www/census_then_now/director_biographies/directors_2002_-_2012.html}
Steven H. Murdock (2008 to 2009): Faculty Member, Rice University; Faculty Member, University of Texas at San Antonio; State Demographer of Texas, Texas State Data Center and Texas Population Estimates and Projections Program⁸ _{http://www.census.gov/history/www/census_then_now/director_biographies/directors_2002_-_2012.html}
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