NARA 101, PART 3. Office of the Chief of Staff

ORGANIZATION 

1. Chief of Staff 

1. Serves as the principal advisor to the Archivist on the definition, development, implementation, and sustainability of NARA’s message definition and articulation, communications and marketing strategies, product and campaign design and presentation, brand, and customer experience. 
2. Provides executive direction and leadership for NARA's comprehensive communications program, including internal and external communications, media relations,  social media management, intranet, and public relations activities of extreme complexity, high visibility, and broad scope guiding strategy of message definition and communication engagement with external and internal stakeholders, Congress, the media, the general public, professional groups, the National Archives Foundation, and current and prospective partners. Responsible for agency-wide implementation of the Plain Writing Act (P.L. 111-274). 
3. Defines and implements a unified national voice, brand, and strategy for communicating NARA’s mission, goals, and objectives to employees, customers, stakeholders, and partners. Develops strategies to encourage employee communications, provides employees with nationwide communication opportunities, consultation services, and training, and facilitates a culture of openness, feedback and engagement. 
4. Develops and implements strategies to build a global community of stakeholders and external partnerships to enhance NARA's mission and achieve NARA goals and objectives through collaboration, innovation, and learning.  
   1. Leads and develops a strategic program of liaison and partnering with allied archival, educational, historical, professional, scientific, and technical organizations to find new and innovative practices to improve NARA's mission, services, and policies.  
   2. Develops and supports special events and unique public relations partnership opportunities with a variety of federal and private organizations whose missions are similar or complementary, to learn from those organization while raising NARA’s profile. 
   3.  Serves as the Archivist’s liaison to the National Archives Foundation. Works closely with the Foundation to implement the terms of the formal agreements between the organizations, including the MOU/Basic Agreement and the Archives Shop Agreement, and represents NARA’s interests to the Foundation. Works closely with the Archivist and the Foundation in setting priorities for Foundation support, as well as strategies for implementation of NARA branding and appropriate message articulation in all Foundation supported projects, including exhibits, educational web sites and other educational initiatives, publications, advertising, press relations and proposals. 
   4. Maintains cooperative working relations with the Presidential library foundations to coordinate as appropriate outreach and messaging opportunities. 
5. Champions new and innovative practices to improve the customer experience for internal and external customers, develops consultation and collaboration practices to engage NARA staff, managers, and executives in customer service activities across NARA, and continually improves planning and communication of customer service initiatives and goals nationwide.  
   1. Designs policies and programs to encourage front-line teams and their management to improve work processes and service delivery for better customer service. Advocates customer-driven focus in the development of new processes and services.  
   2. Develops strategies to increase collaboration with internal and external customers, to stay current with their perspectives and needs. Evaluates feedback from key subordinates and considers evaluation reports from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the NARA Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and other relevant bodies.  
   3. Continually assesses NARA internal and external environments to ensure that NARA customer service methods and functions are state-of-the-art and useful to NARA’s various, diverse customers.  Engages in professional activities associated with customer service strategy and delivery.  
6. Ensures that the “open NARA” principle of seeking input and participation from stakeholders and customers (internal and external) is actively pursued, and that the input is considered in making decisions. 
7. Ensures program coordination and direction by collaborating and consulting with the Archivist, the Deputy Archivist, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief of Management and Administration, colleague executives, and staff across NARA to address agency-wide lifecycle responsibilities; evaluates feedback from key subordinates and considers evaluation reports from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), NARA’s Inspector General (IG), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the National Security Staff, and other relevant bodies. 
8. Participates on the Executive Leadership Team and Management Team, shaping NARA’s strategic direction and producing practical and creative high-level approaches to address related matters such as: agency-wide aligned outcomes/goals and priorities, customer- and stakeholder-focused needs and expectations, internal change management, employee satisfaction, outreach and relationship-building, “one-voice” communication, and problem resolution. 

2. Planning and Support  

1. Performs overall office-level administrative and training support services, including procurements, scheduling of training, and coordination of Office of the Chief of Staff interests with other NARA offices on facility, space, personnel, and financial matters. 
2. Develops Office-wide operational plans. 
3. Prepares operating and other budget plans for Office of the Chief of Staff and monitors budget implementation, staffing levels, and personnel actions for the Office; prepares special studies and reports on budget and personnel. 
4. Develops, coordinates, and monitors Office of the Chief of Staff planning activities for its operating work plan and for NARA’s annual performance plan, and develops procedures for tracking its performance. 
5. Coordinates Office of the Chief of Staff internal controls program. 

3. Executive Secretariat 

1. Provides administrative, logistical, and analytical support to the Archivist of the United States, the Deputy Archivist, and the Executive Leadership and Management Teams.  Tracks correspondence and documents flowing to and from the Office of the Archivist.  Serves as liaison and represents the Office of the Archivist of the United States to internal and external stakeholders. 
2. Provides for NARA’s Committee Management Officer, who ensures NARA compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2); and 
3. Implements the Government in the Sunshine Act (5 U.S.C. 552(b)). Manages the process for establishing and terminating NARA advisory and internal committees, and tracks their existence as the recordkeeping body for their records.  Manages the NARA reports control program and develops or reviews special reports to other U.S. Government entities.  Coordinates tours and visits of national and international professionals in archives management and related fields.  Coordinates the approval, management, and reporting of cooperative agreements entered into by NARA (44 U.S.C. 2119). 
4. Manages the scheduling and, with respect to public use areas, the rental in appropriate situations of space in the Rotunda and Exhibition galleries, the Archivist’s Board Room, the Archivist’s Reception Room, the William G. McGowan Theater, and the Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison rooms in the National Archives Building as well as select events/areas at the National Archives at College Park.  In support of NARA's programs in these locations provides, arranges for, or approves all logistical support, including configuration of the room and use of audiovisual equipment and services in these spaces.  Does not include National Archives Foundation events. 
5. Plans and stages the Independence Day reading ceremony, the Constitution Day and Bill of Rights Day ceremonies and off-site public programs.  
6. Provides agency historian services. Collects and preserves information that documents NARA operations and administration, works with staffs across NARA to capture and share NARA activities, accomplishments, and impacts over time, serves as senior NARA representative to the Society for History in the Federal Government, and to other national-level historical organizations, and provides advice and historical insight to senior NARA leadership on major decisions. 

4. Communications and Marketing 

1. Builds and sustains external partnerships, including coordinating development of strategies and plans, goals, and objectives, locally, nationwide, and internationally.  Provides guidance and assistance to partnership building activities throughout NARA. 
2. Plans and implements projects and initiatives to collaborate, innovate, and learn from organizations and individuals outside of NARA.  Develops an annual plan for contact, coordination, communication, and partnering with key professional, scientific, and technical allied national organizations.  Manages targeted opportunities to engage external customers, stakeholders, and partners. 
3. Coordinates NARA’s international representational activities and maintains liaison with allied national and international organizations.  Manages NARA’s memberships to national and international organizations. 
4. Develops and implements enterprise-level marketing and promotional plans for NARA programs, services and products, including events, educational programs, exhibits, collections, and publications.  
5. Assesses NARA’s brand value and develops strategies for raising awareness of the brand nationally, enhancing positive perception of the brand, and for increasing NARA’s visibility in various market segments. 
6. Coordinates efforts closely with the National Archives Foundation and Presidential Libraries communication and marketing teams to maximize results. 
7. Employee Communications and Editorial Services 
   1. Ensures effective two-way, internal communication in the development and implementation of NARA’s strategies and policies.  Actively facilitates staff input and engagement. 
   2. Initiates improvements to NARA’s internal communications infrastructure. 
   3. Produces Declarations, Declarations blog, and web extras. 
   4. Initiates new and creative strategies for communicating with employees nation-wide, collaborating with all Offices to leverage social media and other means. 
   5. Manages regular All Hands meetings, Managers and Supervisors forums, the Archivist’s Achievement Awards ceremony, and other agency-wide meetings, as needed. 
   6. Manages the dissemination of NARA Notices. 
   7. Performs review and provision of writing and editing services for all NARA units 
   8. Produces or reviews oral and written communications from the Archivist or for the Office of the Archivist to NARA and external audiences, including monthly or quarterly columns for Declarations and several outside publications.  This does not include policy directives and external regulations coordinated by the Policy office. 
   9. Plans, directs, administers, and coordinates NARA's internal web sites.  
   10. Coordinates with Information Services on the technical operations of   NARA's intranet web sites.  
8. Public and Media Communications and Visual Services 
   1. Leads NARA’s external communications, engaging the public and others via the news media, social media, video production, and outreach partners. 
   2. Coordinates NARA contacts with the media, including:  responding to queries; preparing press releases and media advisories; coordinating media appearances by NARA staff; developing national media campaigns regarding exhibitions, public programs, and policy initiatives; and arranging press conferences for major announcements and major record openings for the media nationwide.   
   3. Takes a lead role in crisis management, working with senior staff to develop strategies to deliver clear and timely messages through news releases, social media, and public communications. 
   4. Promotes National Archives News, including Special Topics Pages and Featured Articles, and other online publications to various on-line markets and potential audiences.  
   5. Formulates and implements NARA’s social media strategy for engagement with NARA’s staff community, the government community, researchers, and other members of the public.  
   6. Develops and manages content for  NARA’s official agency-level social media presence including those on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Tumblr. 
   7. Advises NARA offices and units on identifying the best social media tools to meet their business needs.  
   8. Coordinates, manages, and contributes tools and content to external and internal social media  projects agency wide. 
   9. Advises NARA offices and units on social media best practices and provides training on use of social media tools. 
   10. Serves as a resource for NARA staff nationwide on public relations.  
   11. Provides media training for NARA employees. 
   12. Serves as the NARA Printing Officer and provides printing and production support for all NARA units except the Federal Register. 
   13. Brokers the procurement of visual services, including graphic design, photography, and videography, employing a shared services approach for agency customers through Government Publishing Office programs.  
   14. Manages digital visual imagery assets for the agency, ensuring that official photographs, videos, graphics, and other visual records are readily available for current business use, maintained for as long as required, and disposition is applied in accordance with federal and NARA records management policies.  

5.  Customer Experience 

Serves as the agency champion for internal and external customer service, creates agency-wide policy, standards, and training and evaluation methods, provides consultation services on best practices, and integrates NARA with the Federal customer service professional community.

DELEGATION OF AUTHORITIES 

Authorities Delegated to Chief of Staff by the Archivist 

6. General Administration 

1. Accept and use voluntary and uncompensated personal services for NARA        (44 U.S.C. 2105(d)).  This authority is redelegated to unit heads. 
2. Solicit and accept gifts or bequests of money, securities, or other personal property, for the benefit of, or in connection with, the national archival and records activities administered by NARA (44 U.S.C. 2305).  This authority may be redelegated to the Director of Communications and Marketing.  This delegation of authority is subject to the requirements of NARA 404, National Archives Gift Fund, and may not be redelegated. 
3. Accept orders from other departments, establishments, bureaus, or offices for materials, supplies, equipment, work, or service pursuant to the Economy Act  (31 U.S.C. 1535).  This authority is retained by the Chief of Staff and may not be redelegated. 
4. Serve as liaison to the National Archives Foundation, as specified in the Basic and Archives Shop agreements.  This authority is retained by the Chief of Staff but may be redelegated. 
5. Accept by deed of gift from private sources documents and other materials, including motion pictures, still pictures, and sound and video recordings, that are appropriate for preservation by the U.S. Government (pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 2107(4) and 2111(2)) (excluding legislative and Presidential records and materials) as evidence of NARA’s organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, and transactions. This authority is redelegated to the Agency Historian, in consultation with Research Services and with approval by the Archivist in cases of special terms of access or custody, or high-profile cases.