Federal Position Descriptions
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Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Human Resources

Director General of the Foreign Service & Director of Human Resources, Department of State
Responsibility
Management Scope

In fiscal 2015, the Bureau for Human Resources had a budget of $101 million. The director general of the Foreign Service and director of human resources leads a team of 800 civil and foreign service employees and oversees the Board of Examiners for the Foreign Service, the Board of the Foreign Service, the Foreign Service Grievance Board, the principal deputy assistant secretary and three deputy assistant secretaries.4

As director general of the Foreign Service, his or her influence extends beyond the department to the Foreign Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, USAID, Broadcasting Board of Governors and thousands of locally-employed employees at U.S. missions abroad.5

Primary Responsibilities

• Simultaneously oversees and manages the department’s civil service component and has primary responsibility for the professional integrity, quality and discipline of the Foreign Service
• Manages the Bureau of Human Resources and serves as the director of human resources
• Manages parallel personnel systems for the civil service and Foreign Service and one for locally employed staff overseas
• Negotiates with department unions, testifies before congressional subcommittees and appears in the media
• Coordinates with senior officials in the department as well as senior officials in the White House and the foreign affairs community6

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

• Must be a career member of the Foreign Service of the United States6
• Experience serving as an ambassador or equivalent senior leadership position reflecting broad experience in the foreign service and knowledge of the civil service system in the department
• Willingness and ability to be a voice for the Foreign Service and for the civil service inside and outside the U.S. government to protect the vital and respective missions of each service
• Well-respected and trusted to speak the truth to serving officers as well as the department’s leadership
• Extensive management experience, especially in the senior Foreign Service (three years preferred)
• Not seeking subsequent assignments (preferred)

Competencies

• Strong communication skills, and ability to appear before media
• Ability to serve as a spokesperson for the men and women of the Department of State
• As director general, ability to protect the unique role of Foreign Service officers under U.S. legislation
• Ability to understand the concerns of the civil service and Foreign Service and make improvements in the department’s personnel operations
• Strong relationships with a group of relevant stakeholders or the ability to form them
• Ability to work under high pressure
• Ability to handle sensitive matters
• Energy for frequent amount of travel
• Excellent negotiation skills
• Ability to work across partisan lines
• Ability to work effectively with elected officials and staff members

Past Appointments
  • Arnold A. Chacon (2014 to 2017): Ambassador to Guatemala; Deputy Chief of Mission at Embassy Madrid; Deputy Executive Secretary of Department of State8
  • Linda Thomas-Greenfield (2012 to 2013): Ambassador to Liberia; Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of African Affairs; Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration9
  • Nancy J. Powell (2009 to 2012): Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Nepal; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Pakistan; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ghana10
AGENCY

Department of State

Mission: The Department of State is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy, and the secretary is the president's principal foreign policy advisor.

COMPENSATION

Level IV $161,900 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)2

REPORTS TO

Undersecretary for Management3

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Footnote
  1. https://www.state.gov/m/dghr/
  2. 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.
  3. https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/263637.pdf
  4. https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/235481.htmhttps://lo.bvdep.com/OrgChart.asp?curp=1&LDIBookId=19&LDISectionId=180&LDIOrgId=153798
  5. OPM
  6. OPM
  7. OPM
  8. https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/235481.htm
  9. https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/189469.htm
  10. https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/powell-nancy-jo
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