Position Description
August 24, 2024

PD_State_Assistant-Secretary-for-Arms-Control-Verification-and-Compliance

Position Description

Assistant Secretary for Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Department of state

Overview

Senate Committee

Foreign Relations

Agency Mission

The Department of State is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy.

Position Overview

The assistant secretary for arms control, verification and compliance provides direction and oversight of policy and resources on all matters related to verification of compliance with international arms control, nonproliferation and disarmament policy, agreements and commitments.

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 of State for Arms Control and International Security (22 U.S.C. § 2652c)

Responsibilities

Management Scope

The bureau had an actual budget of $14.188 million in fiscal 2015.2 https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/252179.pdf

Primary Responsibilities

® Advances national security through the development, negotiation and implementation of effectively verifiable bilateral and multilateral arms control and disarmament agreements, as well as transparency and confidence-building measures involving weapons of mass destruction, their means of delivery and certain conventional weapons
® Coordinates missile defense cooperation and diplomatic efforts to support national security space activities, cyber confidence-building measures and Arctic- and Antarctic-related issues
® Ensures consideration of appropriate verification requirements in new agreements, and assesses other nations’ compliance
® Serves as the department’s principal policy representative to the intelligence community on verification and compliance matters, testifies before congressional committees and appears in the media *
® Coordinates closely with senior department officials and with senior personnel from other departments and agencies3 OPM
® Participates in all interagency groups or organizations within the executive branch of government that assess, analyze or review United States planned or ongoing policies, programs or actions that have a direct bearing on verification or compliance matters, including interagency intelligence committees concerned with the development or exploitation of measurement or signals intelligence, or other national technical means of verification (22 U.S.C. 2652c)

Strategic Goals and Priorities

[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration]

Requirements and Competencies

Requirements

® Extensive government experience in the agency, a relevant Senate committee or other relevant government bodies
® Extensive experience and strong reputation in the national security space
® Relationships with stakeholders in the national security world, or ability to form them

Competencies

® Strong communication and diplomatic skills, and ability to appear before media
® Ability to handle sensitive (and politically sensitive) matters and work in a high-pressure environment
® Ability to work in a matrixed, interagency and international environment
® Ability to work with high-level domestic and international officials
® Strong leadership and negotiation skills

Past Appointees

Frank A. Rose (2014 to 2017): Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Space and Defense Policy; Professional Staff Member, House Armed Services Committee; Professional Staff Member, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence4 https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/bureau/131258.htm
Rose Eilene Gottemoeller (2009 to 2014): Special Envoy for Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security, Office of the Secretary, Department of State; Senior Associate, Russia and Eurasia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Director, Board of Directors, The Arms Control Association5 Leadership Directories
Paula A. DeSutter (2002 to 2009): Professional Staff Member, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence; Senior Visiting Research Fellow, Center for Counter-Proliferation Research, National Defense University; National War College Representative, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency6 https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/12812.htm
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