Federal Position Descriptions
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Director

Director, Central Intelligence Agency
Responsibility
Management Scope

Neither the number of employees nor the size of the agency’s budget is publicly disclosed. The director works closely with the assistant to the president for national security affairs, the Defense secretary, the secretary of State, the director of the FBI, the attorney general, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, relevant members of the intelligence community and the Congress.

Primary Responsibilities

• Oversees CIA’s four areas: analysis, operations, technology, and support system.
• Collects information that reveals the plans, intentions, and capabilities of our adversaries, providing the basis for decision and action.
• Produces timely analysis that provides insight, warning and opportunity to the president and decision makers charged with protecting and advancing our national interests. Makes sure the president is “not surprised”.
• Provides overall direction for and coordination of the collection of human intelligence abroad by all U.S. government elements, as well as the technical operations undertaken by the CIA.
• Conducts covert action at the direction of the president to preempt threats or achieve US policy objectives.
• Providing leadership and coordination of intelligence relationships with foreign liaison services.

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

• Familiarity with complex, highly secretive mission set.
• Close and trusting relationship with president; ability to tell them the truth.

Competencies

• Strategic Orientation: Demonstrates complex thinking abilities, incorporating both analytical and conceptual abilities to manage and develop plans and strategies.
• Results Orientation: Drive for improvement of results demonstrated by a track record of substantially enhancing performance or organizations.
• Team Leadership: Can focus, align and build effective groups, including managing a geographically dispersed workforce under conditions of high secrecy.
• Collaboration and Influencing: Works effectively with peers, partners and others who are not in the line of command.
• Ability to leverage relationships with allies, key intelligence agencies and others to encourage the sharing of intelligence.
• Ability to maintain relationships with the chairman and key members of the intelligence committees.
• Ability to build team atmosphere of transparency and honesty.
• Energy for foreign travel.
• Ability to have a good relationship with Capitol Hill.
• Diplomatic competence to work with foreign liaison services.
• High degree of discretion.
• Excellent leadership skills and ability to motivate others.

Past Appointments
  • Gina Haspel (2018 to 2021): Deputy Director of the CIA; Acting Director of the National Clandestine Service; CIA Station Chief in New York.
  • Mike Pompeo (2017 to 2018): United States Secretary of State; Member of U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas’s 4th district; President of Sentry International.
  • John Brennan (2013 to 2017): Homeland Security Advisor to the President; Director of the National Counterterrorism Center; CEO of the Analysis Corporation.
AGENCY

Central Intelligence Agency

Mission: To preempt threats and further U.S. national security objectives by collecting intelligence that matters, producing objective all-source analysis, conducting effective covert action as directed by the president and safeguarding the secrets that help keep our nation safe.

COMPENSATION

Level II $183,100 (5 U.S.C. § 5313)2

REPORTS TO

The director of national intelligence. On matters of covert action, reports directly to the president.

SENATE COMMITTEE

Intelligence

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Footnote
  1. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260, December 27 ,2020), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials through January 1, 2022. The compensation information is based on guidance from the Office of Personnel Management and can be accessed here. If you are selected for this position, please consult the agency’ HR representative for further guidance on compensation.
This position description was created with the help of Egon Zehnder, a global executive search firm.
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