Federal Position Descriptions
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Assistant Secretary for Political Military Affairs

Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs, Department of State
Responsibility
Management Scope

Political-Military Affairs had a fiscal 2015 actual budget of $10.054 million. The office has about 300 civil servants, 50 foreign service officers and 50 military officers from the Pentagon assigned to Political-Military Affairs.

Primary Responsibilities

• Serves as the Department of State’s principal liaison to the Department of Defense
• Provides policy direction on international security, security assistance programs, military operations, defense strategy and plans, and commercial defense trade
• Coordinates policy related to U.S. military activities affecting U.S. foreign relations, and other political-military matters related to national security and foreign policy
• Manages the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
• Within the department, coordinates closely with the six regional assistant secretaries; the assistant secretary for international security and nonproliferation; the assistant secretary for verification, compliance and implementation; the coordinator for counterterrorism; the legal adviser; the assistant secretary for consular affairs; outside the department, coordinates with the assistant secretary of commerce for export enforcement; the assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs; the director of the joint staff; the director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency; and other senior officials at other departments and agencies3

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

• Expert in the field of national security and foreign policy
• Extensive government experience and understanding of the national security and foreign policy agencies and bodies

Competencies

• Ability to work in a matrixed interagency environment
• Strong management, leadership and negotiation skills, and ability to interact with high-level officials
• Excellent communicator
• Ability to handle sensitive matters and work in a high-pressure environment

Past Appointments
  • Tina S. Kaidanow (2016 to 2017): Ambassador-at-Large and Coordinator for Counterterrorism; Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy in Kabul; Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs4
  • Puneet Talwar (2014 to 2015): Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Iraq, Iran and the Gulf States, White House National Security Council; Chief Middle East Advisor to Vice President Biden; Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Policy Planning Staff Member, Department of State5
  • Andrew J. Shapiro (2009 to 2013): Senior Advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; Senator Clinton’s Senior Defense and Foreign Policy Advisor; Obama-Biden Department of Defense Agency Review Transition Team Member6
AGENCY

Department of State

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

COMPENSATION

Level IV $155,500 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)1

REPORTS TO

Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs2

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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.
  2. https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/rls/dos/99484.htm
  3. OPM
  4. https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/80149.htm
  5. https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/224691.htm
  6. https://bgsdc.com/team/andrew-j-shapiro/
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