Federal Position Descriptions
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Director

Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President
Responsibility
Management Scope

The OMB fiscal 2015 budget request was $91.75 million. There were 457 OMB full time equivalents in fiscal 2015.

Primary Responsibilities

As the implementation and enforcement arm of presidential policy government-wide, the director carries out OMB’s mission through five critical processes that are essential to the president’s ability to plan and implement his priorities across the executive branch:
• Budget development and execution: A significant government-wide process managed from the Executive Office of the President and a mechanism by which the president implements decisions, policies, priorities and actions in all areas (from economic recovery to health care to energy policy to national security)
• Management: Oversight of agency performance, federal procurement, financial management and information/IT (including paperwork reduction, privacy and security)
• Coordination and review of significant federal regulations by executive agencies: Review of regulations to ensure they reflect presidential priorities and assessment of potential economic impact; review and assessment of information collection requests
• Legislative clearance and coordination: Review and clearance of all agency communications with Congress, including testimony and draft bills, to ensure consistency of agency legislative views and proposals with Presidential policy
• Execution of executive orders and presidential memorandum to agency heads and officials: The mechanisms by which the president directs specific government-wide actions by executive branch officials

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

• Understanding of the budget process
• Prior government service (strongly preferred)
• Broad policy and/or sector experience
• Support of the president and/or his/her chief of staff
• Unassailable reputation and credibility
• Ability to analyze the context of the current administration and political environment and adjust the agency’s agenda accordingly, leveraging non-legislative tools as needed

Competencies

• Strong interpersonal skills; the ability to lead a large organization and collaborate with individuals across government
• Ability to understand the finer points of budget policy as well as have strong political acumen; to understand how to resolve tensions between both given fiscal constraints and political realities
• Analytical and strategic thinker; creative problem solver

Past Appointments
  • Shaun Donovan (July 2014 – 2017): Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Commissioner, NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development; Acting FHA Commissioner during Clinton/Bush presidential transition
  • Sylvia M. Burwell (April 2013 – June 2014): President, Walmart Foundation; President, Global Development Program, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Deputy Director, OMB
  • Jacob J. Lew (November 2010 – January 2012): Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources; Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, Citigroup business units; Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, NYU
  • Peter R. Orszag (January 2009 – July 2010): Director, Congressional Budget Office; Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy; Senior Economist and Adviser, Council of Economic Advisers
AGENCY

Executive Office of the President

Mission: To serve the President of the United States in implementing his vision across the executive branch, including budget development and execution, oversight of agency performance and coordination and review of significant federal regulations.

COMPENSATION

Level I $199,700 (5 U.S.C. § 5312)1

REPORTS TO

The President of the United States

SENATE COMMITTEE

Budget

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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.
This position description was created with the help of Heidrick & Struggles, a global executive search firm.
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