Federal Position Descriptions
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Executive Secretary and Chief of Staff of the National Security Council

Executive Secretary and Chief of Staff of the National Security Council, White House
Responsibility
Management Scope

The executive secretary and chief of staff of the NSC is the head of the national security council staff. This individual is authorized to appoint and fix the compensation of such personnel as may be necessary to perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Council in connection with the performance of its functions (50 U.S.C. § 3021).

Primary Responsibilities

• Heads the NSC staff, serving as the chief manager and administrative officer of the National Security Council.
• Assists in directing the activities of the National Security Council staff on the broad range of defense, intelligence and foreign policy matters.
• Reviews and insures proper coordination of all information and action memoranda submitted by the National Security Council staff to the national security advisor and the president.
• Assists the president and the assistant to the president for national security affairs in preparing for meetings with foreign leaders and in connection with the president’s foreign travel.
• Helps formulate national security policy.
• Serves as the principal point of contact between the National Security Council and other government agencies and with the Executive Offices of the President.2

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

• Confidence of the national security advisor

Competencies

• Skilled manager, given that the NSC is a large operation with many different units
• Ability to manage all of the different directorates

Past Appointments
  • Suzy George (July 2014 to 2017) – Principal at the Albright Stonebridge Group LLC; Deputy Chief of Staff in the Department of State, and a liaison to the White House and other Cabinet departments3
  • Brian McKeon (2012 to 2014) – Deputy National Security Advisor to the Vice President; Chief Counsel for the Democratic members of Senate Foreign Relations Committee4
  • Nate Tibbits ( 2009 to 2012) – Special Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel; Appointments team for the Obama-Biden Transition Project; Chief Operating Officer for the Center for a New American Security5
AGENCY

Executive Office of the President

Mission: The National Security Council (NSC) is the president's principal forum for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and cabinet officials. Since its inception under President Truman, the function of the council has been to advise and assist the president on national security and foreign policies. The council also serves as the president's principal arm for coordinating these policies among various government agencies.1

REPORTS TO

The National Security Advisor

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Footnote
  1. https://clinton2.nara.gov/WH/EOP/NSC/html/nschome.html
  2. https://clinton2.nara.gov/WH/EOP/NSC/html/execsec.html
  3. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/07/29/white-house-announces-new-executive-secretary-chief-staff-national-security
  4. http://www.defense.gov/About-DoD/Biographies/Biography-View/Article/602739/brian-p-mckeon
  5. https://itif.org/person/nate-tibbits
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