Bureaus and Offices

The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service, and U.S. Agency for International Development.

The Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security serves as a Senior Adviser to the President and the Secretary of State, leads the interagency policy process on nonproliferation, and manages global U.S. security policy, including: nonproliferation, arms control, regional security, defense relations, arms transfers, security assistance.

The Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (E) leads the State Department’s efforts to develop and implement international policies related to economic growth, energy, agriculture, the ocean, the environment, and science and technology.

The Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs and Religious Freedom ensures effective management and oversight of foreign assistance programs, coordinates international disaster, crisis and humanitarian response efforts, supports global immigration and border security, and advances the Department’s values-based diplomatic agenda. The bureaus reporting to the Under Secretary advance the national interests of the American people by strategically deploying foreign assistance funds to further national security, trade, and humanitarian priorities, advocating for tranquility and respect for free speech, religious freedom and natural rights around the world, and helping partner nations respond to crises and ensure shared security and prosperity.

The Under Secretary for Management is the State Department’s representative on the President’s Management Council, and is the Department official responsible for implementing the President’s Management Agenda (PMA). The PMA is a set of management initiatives designed to make government more citizen-centered, effective, and efficient.

The Under Secretary for Political Affairs serves as the day-to-day manager of overall regional and bilateral policy issues. The geographic bureaus and offices advise the Under Secretary and guide the operation of the U.S. diplomatic missions within their regional jurisdiction. The Bureau of Counterterrorism advises the Undersecretary for Political Affairs on international counterterrorism strategy, policy, and operations, and directs the Department’s counterterrorism programs. International Organization Affairs develops and implements the policies of the U.S. Government within the United Nations and its affiliated agencies, as well as within certain other international organizations.

The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs serves as the lead policy maker for the Department’s overall public outreach and press strategies. The team coordinates closely with bureaus, the interagency, the private sector, and international partners to ensure the Department’s public diplomacy and public affairs activities are consistent, forward looking, supportive of U.S. foreign policy, and grounded in research.