PD_State_Assistant-Secretary-for-International-Organization-Affairs

Position Description

Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs, Department of state

Overview

Senate Committee

Foreign Relations

Agency Mission

The Department of State is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy, and the secretary is the president’s principal foreign policy advisor.

Position Overview

The assistant secretary for international organization affairs develops and implements U.S. policy in the United Nations, the U.N.’s specialized agencies and other international organizations.

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 Political Affairs² _{https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/rls/dos/99484.htm}

Responsibilities

Management Scope

The Bureau of International Organization Affairs had an actual budget for fiscal 2015 of $24.425 million.³ The assistant secretary for international organization affairs oversees a large bureau of more than 100 people. While he or she does not manage a particularly large budget, the assistant secretary is responsible for tracking the spending of significant sums of money by multilateral organizations and missions. _{https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/252179.pdf}

Primary Responsibilities

® Develops and implements U.S. policy in the United Nations, the UN’s specialized agencies and other international organizations
® Plays a critical role in coordinating information, instructions and policy in international organizations, and develops strategies to obtain the support of these organizations
® Uses multilateral diplomacy to advance U.S. policies and interests, and strives to ensure that the U.N. and other international organizations remain viable and effective
® Appears before congressional committees and in the media
® Manages the Bureau of International Organization Affairs and multiple missions overseas
® Coordinates closely with the department’s six regional assistant secretaries, the assistant secretary for international security and nonproliferation, and the assistant secretary for legislative affairs, while also coordinating with senior White House officials, other departments and agencies, and nongovernmental organizations⁴ _OPM

Strategic Goals and Priorities

[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration]

Requirements and Competencies

Requirements

® Prior experience in the policy realm
® Understanding of foreign policy
® Legal or foreign policy background (preferred)

Competencies

® Deft and diplomatic
® Ability to manage a complex organization
® Strong interpersonal and interorganizational skills
® Ability to coordinate information, instructions and policy
® Ability to work with Congress and constituents
® Ability to manage a broad range of issues
® Political sensitivity

Past Appointees

Brian H. Hook (2007 to 2008): Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs; Senior Advisor to the Ambassador to the United Nations; Special Assistant to the President for Policy⁵ _{https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/106592.htm}
Kristen Silverberg (2005 to 2006): Deputy Assistant to the President and Advisor to the Chief of Staff; Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy; Senior Advisor, Office of the Ambassador to Iraq⁶ _{Leadership Directories}
Kim R. Holmes (2001 to 2002): Vice President for Foreign and Defense Policy Studies, The Heritage Foundation; Director, Davis Institute for International Studies⁷ _{http://www.heritage.org/about/staff/h/kim-holmes#}
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