Foreign Relations and Defense Policy Manager

Foreign Relations and Defense Policy Manager

Department of Defense

Office of the Secretary of Defense

Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy

Summary

The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is the principal staff element of the Secretary of Defense in the exercise of policy development, planning, resource management, and program evaluation responsibilities. OSD includes the Offices of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense, Under Secretaries of Defense, Deputy Chief Management Officer, Assistant Secretaries of Defense, General Counsel, and the Performance Information Officer and Director of Administration and Management.

Duties

The incumbent must exercise professional and technical judgment to resolve problems of exceptional complexity and which require innovative thinking, novel solutions and outstanding resourcefulness of ingenuity. The incumbent must represent the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy (USD(P)) and/or Deputy USD(P) in sensitive presentations and negotiations, where tact, good judgment and professional expertise are required. Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Makes recommendations on highly complex and abstract issues of DoD strategy and policy, taking into account their impact on the foreign affairs and political environment, and on related matters, including particularly those of immediate concern to the USD(P), and the Secretary of Defense.

Uses independent judgment and experience to prepare seniors officials for testimony before the Congress, and drafts testimony or other presentations to the Congress for use by the USD(P).

Monitors congressional action on the DoD budget and formulates official responses to periodic Congressional inquiries and/or legislated reporting requirements.

Coordinates and oversee the public and press contacts of the USD(P) and component staff, developing strategies and materials for public and press presentations, and participates in or conducts long-range studies of special interest to the USD(P).

Drafts issue and background papers on highly complex and important defense issues and makes oral and written presentations to the USD(P), other senior defense officials and counterparts from other USG agencies recommending a particular resolution of these matters.

Maintains professional expertise by remaining knowledgeable of current developments in the broad area of foreign affairs and foreign policy, using judgment to identify items which require action by the USD(P), advising the USD(P) of the emergence of matters requiring attention by him/her or the Secretary of Defense, and defining and initiating follow-up actions where necessary.