Federal Position Descriptions
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Administrator

Administrator, Small Business Administration
Responsibility
Management Scope

In fiscal 2015, the SBA had 3,106 full-time equivalents and a budget of $855.518 million.

Primary Responsibilities

• Serves as an ambassador to and advocate for small business
• Oversees the SBA’s principal programs targeted to small businesses, including lending programs, Small Business Development Centers and Small Business Innovation Research grants
• Plays a critical role in the other important SBA functions including high-profile raced-based minority contracting programs and other contracting programs affecting $60 billion in procurement annually; a loan program for large disasters
• Consults with federal, state and local agencies on behalf of small business interests in the national economy
• Reports to the president and Congress on agency program accomplishments and problems
• Periodically evaluates the performance, accomplishment and short- and long-range planning goals of the central office and the regions — with and through officials reporting directly to the administrator
• Delegates responsibility and authority — except the authority to approve or disapprove pool loans, applied research programs and defense production pools, as set forth in sections 7(a)(6), 9(d) and 11 of the Small Business Act — to the deputy administrator, associate deputy administrator, assistant and associate administrators and other central office officials reporting directly to the administrator and regional administrators
• Evaluates other federal agencies on small business utilization and other contracting sub goals such as the number of women-owned or disabled-veteran-owned businesses

Strategic Goals and Priorities
[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration.]
Requirements

• Strong communications skills
• Extensive management experience (Although SBA is a small agency, it contains a diverse set of programs, many of which are political hot buttons.)

Competencies

• Ability to work with a diverse set of groups

Past Appointments
  • Maria Contreras-Sweet (2014 to 2017) – Secretary of the Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency, State of California; District Manager, Census Bureau; Commercial Banker
  • Karen Gordon Mills (2009 to 2013) – partner in several private equity firms; served on the boards of Scotts Miracle-Gro and Arrow Electronics; chair of Maine’s Council on Competitiveness and the Economy
  • Steven C. Preston (2006 to 2008) – Executive Vice President and CFO of The ServiceMaster Company; Senior Vice President and Treasurer of First Data Corporation; Senior Vice President, Investment Banking, Lehman Brothers
AGENCY

Small Business Administration

Mission: The mission of the SBA is to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.

COMPENSATION

Level III $165,300 (5 U.S.C. § 5314)1

REPORTS TO

The President of the United States

SENATE COMMITTEE

Small Business and Entrepreneurship

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Footnote
  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.
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