Executive Director

Administratively Determined, Full-Time, Term-Appointed Position

(Employees of the USCC are appointed to administratively determined positions in the “excepted service,” are employed on a term basis with a term that typically does not exceed one year (but that is renewable at the option of the Commission), and are not covered under the provisions of 5 United States Code that are applicable to Executive Branch employees regarding appointment, termination, competition, and pay rules and regulations. By statute, this appointment is at-will, and the Executive Director will serve at the pleasure of the Commission.)

The selectee for the position will be required to obtain and hold a Federal security clearance at the Top Secret/SCI level.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direction of the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (“the Commission” or “USCC”), the position is responsible for the overall management of the USCC staff and its support of the work of the Commission.

A. Provides leadership to all USCC staff by helping them understand and fulfill the goals and missions of the USCC as set forth in the USCC’s statutory mandate and further defined by the Commission and its Chairman and Vice Chairman, and by motivating, inspiring, and directing them to perform their responsibilities in such a manner that will enable accomplishment of those goals and missions.

B. Provides executive management of the personnel and other resources of the USCC, including setting individual and group targets and goals, communicating expectations effectively to the USCC staff, monitoring the staff’s performance and identifying problems in staff efforts to achieve those targets and goals, and focusing appropriate organization resources on obtaining suitable resolutions to those problems.

C. Directly supervises the USCC’s Supervisory Senior Policy Analyst for Economics and Trade, Supervisory Senior Policy Analyst for Security and Foreign Affairs, Finance and Operations Director, Research Coordinator, and Congressional Liaison and Communications Coordinator, and ensures they and their subordinate staff members successfully assist the USCC by—

1. Monitoring, investigating, and assessing, on an on-going basis, developments in the USCC’s substantive focus areas set forth in statute, and preparing reports, position papers, and other information and briefings concerning those developments for the Commissioners.

2. Reviewing and editing staff drafts of the USCC’s Annual Report to Congress for consideration by Commissioners and revising those drafts as requested by Commissioners.

3. Developing and implementing substantive agendas for the USCC’s fact-finding trips to China, Taiwan, and other Asian locations and ensuring that staff memoranda summarizing the meetings conducted on these trips are prepared in a timely fashion.

4. Establishing and maintaining liaison with Members of Congress and their staff, officials of federal agencies, and others who have official responsibilities for and take official actions on matters in the purview of or affecting the responsibilities of the USCC.

D. Establishing contact and maintaining liaison with the Commission’s counsel on legal issues regarding the USCC.

E. Ensures that the Commission staff provides all assistance and work products expected by the Commission, that the assistance and work products are of high quality acceptable to the Commission, and that the staff meets all deadlines for Commission work, including deadlines for preparations for its public hearings, Annual Report preparation and publication, and arrangements for fact-finding trips to China, Taiwan, and other Asian locations.

1. Provides advice, assessments, and recommendations to Commissioners concerning—

2. The USCC’s activities and schedule.

3. Hearing and briefing topics.

4. Contents for the Annual Report to Congress.

5. Plans for the USCC’s fact-finding trips to China, Taiwan, and other Asian locations.

F. Develops a proposed schedule for USCC activities at the beginning of each year, and works with the Chairman and Vice Chairman and then with the other Commissioners to modify it in order to capture all desired USCC activities and time them for the convenience of the maximum number of Commissioners – for ultimate formal approval by the USCC.

G. Develops a proposed spending plan for each fiscal year, based on the level of funding Congress appropriates for the USCC, reflecting the USCC’s priorities, goals, and objectives – for consideration and action by the Chairman and Vice Chairman and for ultimate formal approval by the Commission. The Executive Director will monitor spending and the budget throughout the fiscal year.

H. Provides direction to the Finance and Operations Director, and oversees the work of the USCC administrative staff to ensure they comply with federal law and the requirements of the USCC and its Chairman and Vice Chairman, on the entire range of the USCC’s operational and administrative management activities and functions.

I. Serves as the Ethics Officer for the USCC, advising Commissioners and staff of their responsibilities and obligations under applicable ethics laws, rules, and regulations, and calling attention appropriately to failures to comply and recommending remedial action.

J. Establishes and maintains liaison with appropriate officials of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China and of the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States for the purpose of facilitating official communications between the USCC and both of these organizations.

K. Ensures development or refinement of position descriptions for vacant USCC staff positions for approval by the Chairman and Vice Chairman; supervises the screening process for applicants; and recommends for consideration and selection by the Chairman and Vice Chairman those candidates he or she believes to be best equipped to successfully carry out the responsibilities of the positions.

L. Assesses the performance of the Supervisory Senior Policy Analyst for Economics and Trade, Supervisory Senior Policy Analyst for Security and Foreign Affairs, Finance and Operations Director, Research Coordinator, and Congressional Liaison and Communications Coordinator in accord with the USCC’s employee Performance Management Policy, and reviews and approves the performance evaluations those managers prepare for all other staff. Ensure that subordinate staff managers evaluate the performance of the personnel they supervise at regular intervals in compliance with USCC policies.

M. As directed by the Chairman, presents and explains the USCC’s work and work products to external audiences including Members of Congress and their staff, Executive Branch officials, the media, and professional groups and organizations.

N. Oversees the work of the Commission security officer and EEO officer. Maintains contact with the Senate Office of Security and the GSA EEO Office.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

A. Required:

1. Managerial/Executive Qualifications:

a. Firsthand knowledge and senior level experience in organization management.

b. Demonstrated ability to reflect a government organization’s mission and goals in the management of its activities and personnel.

c. Demonstrated ability to identify and prioritize action on an organization’s key issues and agenda items, both programmatic and administrative.

d. Demonstrated leadership ability.

e. Firsthand knowledge and senior level experience in the areas of Congressional relations and intergovernmental and public affairs.

2. Program Development and Refinement Abilities:

a. Demonstrated ability to establish program/policy goals and the structure and processes necessary to implement them.

b. Demonstrated ability to structure, organize, and supervise staff work to ensure timely completion of assignments.

c. Demonstrated ability to identify, diagnose, and respond appropriately when the organization encounters problems, either taking action in accord with developed contingency plans or developing and implementing an effective corrective course of action.

3. Resource Planning and Management Abilities:

a. Demonstrated ability to manage a budget process including preparing and justifying a budget; developing a spending plan reflecting available resources and organization missions, goals, and imperatives; monitoring adherence to a spending plan; and devising and successfully implementing corrective actions if a deficit is projected at any point.

b. Demonstrated understanding of and commitment and adherence to the principles of acceptable procurement and contracting standards and procedures.

c. Demonstrated understanding of utilization and appropriate maintenance and updating of management information and computer systems and equipment.

4. Substantive Knowledge Pertaining to the USCC’s Responsibilities:

a. Knowledge of the People’s Republic of China, China’s economic, trade, military and security policies and practices, mechanisms and instruments with which bilateral and multilateral trade is conducted between the United States and China, the military capability balance between China and the United States, and the dynamics of the Indo-Asia-Pacific Region.

5. Judgment, Initiative, and Objectivity:

a. The highest degree of judgment, initiative, and objectivity. The duties of this position customarily entail addressing highly complex and sensitive problems, activities, and issues and therefore the position requires sophistication of knowledge and judgment and carefully reasoned application of that knowledge and judgment in personal interactions.

B. Desirable But Not Required:

1. Graduate degree in Business or Government Administration with a concentration in Management.

2. Previous experience working in the U.S. Congress, particularly with responsibilities for issues pertaining to China and/or Taiwan, or the Indo-Asia-Pacific Region – and/or responsibilities for broader trade and economic or military/security matters.

3. Previous experience within the U.S. Executive Branch, particularly with responsibilities for issues pertaining to China and/or Taiwan, or the Indo-Asia-Pacific Region – and/or responsibilities for broader trade and economic or military/security matters.

BENEFITS

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission is an EEO employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, pregnancy and childbirth), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, retaliation, parental status, veteran status, or other non-merit factor.

The Commission will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities as appropriate. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law as described in 5 USC 3328. If you misrepresent your experience or education, or provide false or fraudulent information, it may be grounds for not hiring you or dismissing you after you start. Making false or fraudulent statements can be punishable by fine or imprisonment.

As federal government employees, Commission employees are eligible to participate in federal employee benefits programs, to include: health insurance (multiple carriers & multiple options); life insurance (FEGLI-multiple options); retirement (FERS or CSRS if applicable); and the Thrift Savings Program (TSP-multiple options), the federal government’s tax-deferred savings program. Employees accrue and may use annual and sick leave in accord with Commission policies and procedures.

Please send any questions regarding this position or application process to: Opportunities@uscc.gov

PROFESSIONAL LEVEL

None specified

MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIRED

No requirement

HOW TO APPLY

opportunities@uscc.gov

https://www.uscc.gov/about/job-opportunities

Submit a complete application package containing all of the below required documents in one PDF file via e-mail to Opportunities@uscc.gov. Incomplete application packages or information not received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date will not be considered.

1) Cover letter, to include:

a. Position title

b. Vacancy number

c. Brief statement outlining your interest in the Commission and this position

d. Concise, point-by-point responses to all requirements and qualifications listed above

e. Your salary requirements and/or salary history

f. Name and contact information for two professional references

2) Professional Resume

a. Chronological work history (starting with the most recent position held), education (including degrees and dates attained), applicable publications, etc.

b. Position-related training courses (title and year)

c. Job-related skills (e.g., computer software, program and database programs, etc.)

d. Job-related certificates and licenses

e. Job-related honors, awards, and special accomplishments (e.g., publications, memberships in professional or honor societies, leadership activities, public speaking, performance awards, etc.)

3) Writing Sample

a. A sample of your professional writing, to include a memorandum, essay, report, or academic article. The writing sample must be your own work and should not exceed 5 pages; include citations as appropriate.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER APPLYING

After submitting your application package you will receive an e-mail confirming receipt of your application materials. Please note this e-mail confirmation is not automated and may take 2–3 days to receive. You will be contacted via e-mail if we wish to schedule an interview or require additional information. Applicants may inquire about the status of their application by sending an e-mail to Opportunities@uscc.gov. The selectee for the position must be able to obtain and retain a Top Secret security clearance with designated Sensitive and Compartmented Information access.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED

The Commission will conduct internal evaluation based on applicants’ cover letter, resume, and writing sample, to include qualifications and relevant experience. The Chairman and Vice Chairman will lead the hiring process, which may include input from other Commissioners and staff. Interviews will be conducted with the top candidates. The final hiring decision will be made by a vote of the full Commission.