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Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, White House
Responsibility
Management Scope

The deputy assistant to the president and director of intergovernmental affairs works with another deputy assistant, two deputy directors, three associate directors, one special assistant and two staff assistants.5 The office currently has about 10 employees.

Primary Responsibilities

• Coordinates the cabinet departments’ responses to specific issues.
• Functions as a communicator between agencies and other governing bodies, i.e. when a mayor or governor has an issue before a cabinet department, the intergovernmental office may be contacted to assure responsiveness.
• Coordinates the attendance and participation of the cabinet secretaries.
• Coordinates president’s and first lady’s domestic travel schedule with governor of state to be visited.
• Communicates regularly with intergovernmental offices outside of the executive branch, informing them of talking points from the president’s speeches that are relevant to their particular concerns.
• Functions as the federal government’s communicator with the Native American tribal governments.
• Coordinates joint state responses to assist in immediate natural disaster relief, frequently functioning as the facilitator.6

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

• Knowledge of local government (could be through direct experience as a mayor, for example)

Competencies

• High sense of coordination and ability to work within different agencies, departments and disciplines
• Strong, well organized professional approach in dealing with intergovernmental agencies and associations

Past Appointments
  • Jerry Abramson (2014 to 2017) – Lieutenant Governor, state of Kentucky; mayor, city of Louisville; counsel, governor of Kentucky7
  • David Agnew (2012 to 2014) – Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, White House; deputy, mayor of the city of Charleston; special assistant, office of U.S. Secretary of Labor8
  • Cecilia Muñoz (2009 to 2012) – senior vice president for the office of research, advocacy, and legislation, National Council of La Raza; Chair of the Board, Center for Community Change; board member, U.S. Programs Board of the Open Society Institute9
AGENCY

Executive Office of the President

Mission: The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs serves as the front door to the White House through which local, county, tribal and state governments can participate in and inform the work of the president.1

COMPENSATION

$157,299 in 20163

REPORTS TO

Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs4

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Footnote
  1. https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/iga
  2. https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/author/jerry-abramson
  3. https://www.whitehouse.gov/21stcenturygov/tools/salaries
  4. Romney Readiness Project
  5. Romney Readiness Project
  6. Romney Readiness Project
  7. https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/author/jerry-abramson
  8. https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/author/david-agnew
  9. https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/author/cecilia-mu%C3%B1oz
This position description was created with the help of Martha Kumar from the White House Transition Project, which provides information to a new White House staff about their individual offices thereby streamlining the process of transition from one administration to the next.
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