PD_NRC_Chairman

Position Description

chairman, nuclear regulatory commission

Overview

Senate Committee

Environment and Public Works¹ _{Plum book}

Agency Mission

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licenses and regulates the nation’s civilian use of radioactive materials to protect public health and safety, promote common defense and security, and protect the environment.² _{http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc.html}

Position Overview

The chairman serves as the chief executive officer of the agency. He or she is the official spokesperson for the NRC and is directly responsible for agency administration and personnel issues. The chairman also develops the budget for consideration by the commission’s other members.

Compensation

Level II $179,700 (5 U.S.C. § 5313)³ _{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.}
The NRC chairman, unlike heads of other independent commissions, is equivalent in rank to a deputy secretary in the executive branch.

Position Reports to

The NRC is an independent agency, and commissioners serve at the pleasure of the president.

Responsibilities

Management Scope

NRC’s proposed fiscal 2017 budget is $982.3 million, including 3,525 full-time equivalents (including those in the Office of the Inspector General). The NRC is headed by five commissioners appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate for five-year terms. The president also designates one of the commissioners to be the chairman and official spokesperson of the commission.⁴ That person oversees a staff of up to 18 in the Office of the Chairman. The chairman also oversees directly the NRC’s Office of Public Affairs and the Office of Congressional Affairs.⁵ _{http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/organization/commfuncdesc.html 2016 plum book}

Primary Responsibilities

® Serves as the spokesperson for the NRC
® Leads interactions with congressional oversight committee
® Represents the agency internationally, carrying out activities that include signing bilateral commitments and ensuring continuing relations with international partners and in international agreements
® Manages all functions pertaining to an emergency involving NRC-licensed or regulated materials and facilities⁶ _{http://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML0529/ML052980187.pdf}
® Ensures the safety and security of existing nuclear reactors and radioactive materials
® Implements a predictable safety review process for license applications
® Ensures the agency conducts thorough environmental reviews
® Promotes strong enforcement and accountability⁷ _{http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/organization/commission/former-commissioners/jaczko.html}
® Manages the agency’s personnel and administrative issues

Strategic Goals and Priorities

The agency’s priority and goal is to ensure public safety and health, protect the environment and provide for the common defense in civilian nuclear matters. The agency is responsible for overseeing civilian nuclear facilities, nuclear materials and nuclear waste disposal and transportation.

Requirements and Competencies

Requirements

® Subject matter expertise in nuclear energy, given that much of the decision-making is on issues of a highly technical nature
® Legal expertise (a plus)
® Willingness to travel frequently, domestically and internationally

Competencies

® Ability to work across partisan lines, given that the agency is nonpartisan
® Ability to communicate with all stakeholdersu2014industry, public interest groups, local and state governments (a plus)
® Strong communication and interpersonal skills, given the need to communicate at the international level to media, NRC employees and members of Congress
® Management expertise (preferred)

Past Appointees

Stephen G. Burns (2015 to present) u2013 Head of Legal Affairs of the Nuclear Energy Agency, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; General Counsel, Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Executive Assistant to Chairman, Nuclear Regulatory Commission⁸ _{http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/organization/commission/burns.html}
Allison M. Macfarlane (2012 to 2014) u2013 Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University; member, Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future; Research Associate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology⁹ _{http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/organization/commission/former-commissioners/macfarlane.html}
Gregory Jaczko (2009 to 2013) u2013 Commissioner, Nuclear Regulatory Commission¹⁰; Appropriations Director and Science Policy Advisor, Senate; Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University¹¹ _{https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-jaczko-4844145b http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/organization/commission/former-commissioners/jaczko.html}
The Partnership’s Center for Presidential Transition helps ensure the efficient transfer of power that our country deserves. The Center’s Ready to Govern· initiative assists candidates with the transition, works with Congress to reform the transition process, develops management recommendations to address our government’s operational challenges, and trains new political appointees.