Federal Position Descriptions
Print

Undersecretary for Industry and Security

Undersecretary for Industry and Security, Department of Commerce
Responsibility
Management Scope

In fiscal 2016, the Bureau of Industry and Security had a budget of $134 million and 353 employees.4
The undersecretary for industry and security oversees the offices of the chief financial officer, director of administration, chief information officer, and congressional and public affairs as well as the assistant secretaries for export administration and export enforcement.5

Primary Responsibilities

• Carries out the necessary policies and programs to administer the Export Administration Act; the Export Administration Regulations; and other laws, regulations and executive orders regarding:
• Control of U.S. exports
• Anti-boycott compliance
• Fastener quality
• Foreign technical assistance
• Industrial base
• Treaty compliance
• U.S. and foreign defense conversion activities
• Oversees export enforcement protection and promotion of U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives through a law enforcement program focused on deterring the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and missile delivery systems; diversion of dual-use goods to unauthorized military end uses; terrorists and state sponsors of terror; and prohibited foreign boycotts
• Serves on secretarial-level boards, committees and panels that focus primarily on export controls, export administration, export and anti-boycott enforcement, implementation of certain treaty requirements, defense priorities and allocations, strategic trade and U.S. industrial base issues
• Acts on decisions of administrative law judges in enforcement cases involving violations of export controls and anti-boycott regulations
• Reviews decisions on appeals of temporary denial orders
• Acts on appeals arising under 15 CFR Part 756 and can designate the deputy undersecretary or other department of commerce officials to review and decide on these appeals6
• Manages the development, implementation and interpretation of U.S. export control policy for dual-use commodities, software and technology
• Chairs the Advisory Committee on Export Policy
• Oversees the bureau’s Office of Export Enforcement7

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

• Extensive export control knowledge and experience obtained from working in the private sector or experience working on similar issues on Capitol Hill or in the executive branch8
• Ability to build strong relationships and work with relevant stakeholders
• Government experience in export controls or sanctions (a plus)
• Background as a lawyer
• Diplomatic understanding and experience

Competencies

• Diplomacy skills to navigate between agencies9
• Ability to work in a matrixed agency
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Strong leadership skills
• Ability to handle sensitive matters
• Excellent negotiation skills
• Good judgment working in national security matters

Past Appointments
  • Eric L. Hirschhorn (2010 to 2017): Partner, Winston & Strawn LLP, Washington, D.C.; Deputy Assistant Secretary for Export Administration, Department of Commerce; Member of President Jimmy Carter’s staff; Executive Secretary of the Industry Coalition on Technology Transfer (ICOTT)10
  • Mario Mancuso (2007 to 2009): Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Special Operations and Combating Terrorism; Special Counsel, Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense11; International Corporate Lawyer and Business Executive in New York, Boston and London12
  • Kenneth I. Juster (2001 to 2005): Senior Partner at Arnold & Porter; Acting Counselor at the State Department; Deputy and Senior Adviser to Deputy Secretary of State Lawrence S. Eagleburger13
AGENCY

Department of Commerce

Mission: The mission of the department is to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity.

COMPENSATION

Level III $165,300 (5 U.S.C. § 5314)2

REPORTS TO

Secretary of Commerce and Deputy Secretary of Commerce3

SENATE COMMITTEE

Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs

Appointee Tracker

Check out our Political Appointee Tracker

Go to the tracker
Footnote
  1. https://lo.bvdep.com/OrgChart.asp?curp=1&LDIBookId=19&LDISectionId=180&LDIOrgId=152301
  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://lo.bvdep.com/OrgChart.asp?curp=1&LDIBookId=19&LDISectionId=180&LDIOrgId=152301
  4. https://lo.bvdep.com/OrgDocument.asp?OrgId=-1&LDIBookId=19&LDIOrgId=152301&LDISecId=180&FromRecent=1&Save=0#O152301
  5. https://lo.bvdep.com/OrgDocument.asp?OrgId=-1&LDIBookId=19&LDIOrgId=152301&LDISecId=180&FromRecent=1&Save=0#O152301
  6. OPM
  7. Romney Readiness Project
  8. Romney Readiness Project
  9. Romney Readiness Project
  10. https://www.ali.org/members/member/441220/
  11. https://www.kirkland.com/sitecontent.cfm?contentID=220&itemID=11590
  12. Romney Readiness Project
  13. Romney Readiness Project
More federal position descriptions