Under Secretary of State for Management

Under Secretary of State for Management
United States Department of State · Public domain · source
Post	Under Secretary of State for Management
Department	United States Department of State
Reports to	Deputy Secretary of State
Incumbent	John R. Bass
Incumbentsince	July 31, 2023
First	William J. Crockett
Formation	1959

Under Secretary of State for Management is a high-ranking position within the United States Department of State, serving as the principal advisor to the Secretary of State and Deputy Secretary of State on all management and resource issues. The office oversees the operational backbone of American diplomacy, including global facilities, human resources, security, and information technology. This role is critical for ensuring the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development have the infrastructure and support to advance U.S. foreign policy.

History and establishment

The position was formally established by the Department of State in 1959 during the administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, consolidating various administrative functions that had evolved since the founding of the First Congress of the United States. Its creation was part of a broader reorganization effort, influenced by the Hoover Commission, to improve efficiency within the executive branch following World War II. Key legislative milestones, including the Foreign Service Act of 1980, further defined and expanded its authorities, particularly concerning the modern United States Foreign Service. The role gained heightened significance after the September 11 attacks, with the U.S. Congress passing the Security Authorization Act to bolster diplomatic security under its purview.

Responsibilities and functions

The Under Secretary directs a vast portfolio encompassing the department's global operations and strategic resources. Primary responsibilities include overseeing the Bureau of Administration, the Bureau of Budget and Planning, the Bureau of Information Resource Management, and the Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services. The office manages the multi-billion dollar Capital Security Cost-Sharing Program for constructing secure diplomatic facilities worldwide, such as the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. It sets policy for the entire Civil Service and Foreign Service workforce, including assignments, training at the Foreign Service Institute, and labor-management relations. Critical duties also include ensuring the integrity of classified information systems, cybersecurity, and the safety of personnel under the direction of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security.

Office and organization

The office is headquartered at the Harry S Truman Building in Washington, D.C., and is supported by several deputy under secretaries and assistant secretaries leading specific bureaus. Key subordinate components include the Office of Management Policy, Rightsizing, and Innovation and the Office of the White House Liaison. The Under Secretary chairs several internal boards, such as the Global Management Council, which coordinates management policy across all U.S. missions abroad, including those of the United States Agency for International Development and the United States Mission to the United Nations. The position works in close concert with the Director General of the Foreign Service on human capital issues affecting posts from U.S. Embassy, London to U.S. Embassy, Tokyo.

List of Under Secretaries

The position has been held by numerous notable figures since its inception. The first appointee was William J. Crockett, a career Foreign Service Officer, in 1959. Other significant holders include Richard M. Moose, who later served as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, and Bonnie R. Cohen, who served under Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. More recent Under Secretaries include Patrick F. Kennedy, a long-serving career official who managed the department's response to the Benghazi attack, and Brian P. McKeon, who served as Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources prior to confirmation. The current Under Secretary is John R. Bass, a former United States Ambassador to Afghanistan and United States Ambassador to Turkey.

Relationship to other State Department officials

The Under Secretary for Management reports directly to the Deputy Secretary of State and is one of six under secretaries, alongside peers such as the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment. The role maintains a close operational relationship with the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs on resource sharing and with the Counselor of the United States Department of State on legal aspects of management decisions. It also coordinates extensively with the Director of National Intelligence on security matters and with the Office of Management and Budget on the department's annual appropriations requests to the United States House Committee on Appropriations.

Category:United States Department of State officials Category:Under Secretaries of State of the United States