Function Functional Bureau Strategy 

Bureau of Global Public Affairs 

(GPA) 

FOR PUBLIC RELEASE 

UNCLASSIFIED 
Table of Contents 

1. (U) Executive Statement and Mission Statement ....................................................................... 3 

2. (U) Bureau Strategic Framework................................................................................................ 5 

3. (U) Goals and Objectives............................................................................................................ 7 

4. (U) Cross-Cutting Management Goal....................................................................................... 16 

Appendix. (U) Definitions and Acronyms.................................................................................... 20 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

2 
1. (U) Executive Statement and Mission Statement 

(U) Mission: To serve the American people by effectively communicating U.S. foreign policy 

priorities and the importance of diplomacy to American audiences and engaging foreign publics 

to enhance their understanding of and support for the policies and values of the United States. 

In May 2019, to create a more modern and effective communications operation within the U.S. 

Department of State, the Bureaus of International Information Programs (IIP) and Public Affairs 

(PA) merged to form the Bureau of Global Public Affairs (GPA). The merger combined IIP’s 

strengths in analytics, content, platforms, and storytelling around American values with PA’s 

deep expertise in strategic communications on U.S. policy, stakeholder engagement, and global 

media. As a result of the integration, GPA is an agile, modern, data-centered communications 

operation positioned to deliver on the Department’s overall mission by communicating most 

effectively on America’s behalf in a fast-accelerating, rapidly shifting media, technology, and 

communications landscape. 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

3 
Central to GPA’s mission is the development and promotion of data analytics to generate

insights for continuously improved communications. GPA’s research and analytic capability 

provides leadership with insights not only on how various messaging campaigns are performing, 

but also on how a succinct yet comprehensive view of global media will help inform U.S. foreign 

policy. 

GPA seeks not only to communicate with external audiences, but to develop and establish best 

practices for internal communication within the Department. Tools such as the Talking Points 

application, Contact Relationship Management system (CRM) and “Miles with Mike” messages 

from the Secretary, provide Department employees up to date information on the policy positions 

and priorities of the Secretary. GPA is eager to collaborate within the Department to foster an 

environment of information sharing, as well as support PD practitioners globally speak with one 

voice. 

GPA is the principal messenger for the Department of State. In an increasingly congested 

communications landscape, competition for audience attention is fierce. By focusing on 

insightful, sustained, and proactive storytelling, GPA will drive a foundational narrative, that 

informs audiences’ understanding of U.S. foreign policy and American values. The ability to 

drive this narrative is shaped by audience research, made possible through our creative content 

teams and digital platform capabilities, amplified by our media engagement and translations and 

foreign language support services, and refined using comprehensive analytic efforts. 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

4 
2. (U) Bureau Strategic Framework 

(U) Goal 1: Advance U.S. foreign policy through communication and deeper engagement 

with global publics. 

(U) Objective 1.1: Increase support for and deepen understanding of U.S. foreign policy 

priorities and the work of the Department among domestic and international audiences. 

(U) Objective 1.2: Create content to inform or influence key audiences. 

(U) Objective 1.3: Leverage digital technologies to effectively engage global audiences 

and advance U.S. foreign policy. 

(U) Goal 2: Promote capabilities in data analytics that generate insights for continually 

improved communications. 

(U) Objective 2.1: Develop audience insights through message-testing, surveying, and 

research field work, enabling more effective communication. 

(U) Objective 2.2: Create efficiencies and enable scale through data science and software 

engineering. 

(U) Objective 2.3: Develop a comprehensive understanding of global media and maintain 

situational awareness to enable GPA and Department leadership to operate at the pace of 

modern media. 

(U) Objective 2.4: Persistently observe and assess Department-owned platforms’

performance, enabling leaders to better shape their forward-looking strategy. 

(U) Goal 3: Empower Department personnel with the knowledge and tools needed to 

effectively communicate Department policies and priorities on a global scale. 

(U) Objective 3.1: Explore new and innovative ways to ensure Department officials have 

accurate and up-to-date information. 

(U) Objective 3.2: Drive and integrate messaging on U.S. policy priorities and American 

values across the workforce. 

(U) Goal 4 (Management Goal): Enhance the Bureau’s ability to work in a more complex 

and diverse communications environment. 

(U) Objective 4.1: Plan, manage, and evaluate business operations within GPA to ensure 

success as well as compliance with Department and Federal mandates. 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

5 
(U) Objective 4.2: Recruit, retain, and sustain a diverse, talented workforce capable of 

achieving the mission and goals of GPA. 

(U) Objective 4.3: Provide and support modern, secure and resilient information 

technology and services. 

(U) Objective 4.4: Lead the management of physical resources and logistical functions in 

support of the Bureau's mission. 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

6 
 

3. (U) Goals and Objectives 

(U) Goal 1: Advance U.S. foreign policy through communication and deeper 

engagement with global publics. 

a. (U) Description 

In a fast and ever-changing global communications environment, U.S. policymakers, 

overseas missions, and foreign policy partners increasingly require communication 

strategies based on best practices and cutting edge technologies. GPA’s mission is to 

serve the American people through effective and engaging communication. Our 

engagement with global audiences will improve their understanding of policy priorities 

and the importance of U.S. values, which in turn will provide our leadership with the 

ability to conduct diplomacy more effectively. 

(U) Objective 1.1: Increase support for and deepen understanding of U.S. foreign policy 

priorities and the work of the Department among domestic and international audiences. 

a. (U) Justification and Linkages 

GPA seeks to advance U.S. foreign policy, national security, and American values by 

communicating Department priorities and engaging media and audiences in the United 

States and around the world. GPA is the U.S. government’s premier partner for foreign 

policy communications and seeks to be a proactive, innovative, insightful, and effective 

driver of public messaging. 

The Bureau’s work is two-fold: first, to increase support for and deepen understanding of 

foreign policy priorities and American values among foreign audiences, and second, to 

communicate the Department’s work to domestic audiences. By leveraging GPA’s 

translations capabilies, regional HUBS are able to amplify in-languge content quickly and 

with great impact. 

In collaboration with other bureaus, GPA identifies key domestic audiences for outreach, 

determines priority messaging campaigns, engages global media, and provides posts with 

support and materials to engage and inform audiences abroad. 

This is in direct support of JSP Performance Goal 3.3.2—increase approval of United 

States government policies among influential foreign publics. Additionally, this aligns 

with the State Department’s Public Diplomacy Strategy, which seeks to target publics 

and specific domestic and international audiences as a part of a coordinated global 

strategy to implement public diplomacy efforts to further U.S. foreign policy. 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

7 
b. (U) Risk and Mitigation 

A significant risk associated with this objective is the unpredictable, fact-paced nature of 

world events as well as rapidly changing media priorities that require the Department to 

respond and engage. The Department’s need to respond to these shifts competes with 

attention and time dedicated to proactively driving our foreign policy priorities and focus 

areas. To mitigate this risk, GPA has developed a communications strategy that supports 

ongoing proactive messaging campaigns focused on the Department’s policy and 

communication priorities while allowing for regular engagement on the “news of the 

day.” 

(U) Objective 1.2: Create content to inform or influence key audiences. 

a. (U) Justification and Linkages 

Engaging audiences in today’s modern, technology-driven world requires a multi-faceted 

approach. No single content medium, platform or format is capable of reaching a global 

audience. GPA employs a mix of digital content, including videos, social media copy, 

infographics, short-form articles, media briefs, and press releases, on a variety of 

platforms to engage intended audiences. This is in direct support of JSP Performance 

Goal 3.3.2, “increase approval of United States government policies among influential 

foreign publics.”

GPA’s content development and delivery methods are informed by insights from the

Research team and therefore continuously evolve to ensure GPA continues to target the 

right audiences for the right messengers at the right time and place. To accomplish this, 

the Content vertical will work to continuously improve the process to identify and 

differentiate content for short- and long-term priorities to ensure all content meets 

established Bureau messaging goals. The Content vertical will partner more closely with 

the Analytics office to evaluate content performance and inform future content strategies, 

and will improve processes to release translated foreign language content in real time. 

b. (U) Risk Considerations 

To fully realize the benefits of the integration, GPA must continue to break down silos, 

encourage collaboration, share best practices, and foster a culture of continuous 

improvement across the Bureau. GPA must balance Washington-based, regional-focused, 

and post-specific priorities with short-term demands while executing longer-term 

strategies and projects. GPA will continue to increase collaboration and improve crossoffice workflows. To ensure GPA is able to support these competing priorities, GPA will 

rigorously review the allocation of resources. If GPA is able implement these riskmitigation strategies, it will be better positioned to carry out its mission of informing and 

influencing publics. 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

8 
(U) Objective 1.3: Leverage digital technologies to effectively engage global audiences and 

advance U.S. foreign policy. 

a. (U) Justification and Linkages 

GPA serves as the Department’s digital communication leader by anticipating and 

enabling the use of web and social media technology for communication. It uses the 

Department’s social media properties and web platforms in innovative ways to distribute

key foreign policy messages and Department information to global audiences. 

This is in direct support of JSP Performance Goal 3.3.2—increase approval of United 

States government policies among influential foreign publics. 

b. (U) Risk Considerations 

Risks to achieving this objective include the rapid and unpredictable nature of the 

evolving social media landscape. These changes require us to be in tune with changing 

technologies and social media user habits as they evolve worldwide. To mitigate this risk, 

GPA is working to liaise closely with social media leaders to understand changes to 

platforms and policies that may affect us. GPA will also look to provide training to staff 

to keep their skills relevant and fresh. We will also use various staffing mechanisms to 

get the right resources in place as skill requirements change. 

(U) Goal 2: Promote capabilities in data analytics that generate insights for 

continually improved communications. 

a. (U) Description 

GPA’s Research and Analytics vertical empowers Department professionals to 

understand their strategic environments; informs narratives and programs that connect 

and resonate with target audiences; optimizes and amplifies messaging efforts through 

marketing channels; identifies and mitigates strategic and operational risk in Department 

communications; and measures campaign and program outputs, outcomes, and impact. 

The Office of Research provides insightful audience-research materials that inform U.S. 

government communicators about their audiences abroad and steer them to develop more 

effective campaigns grounded in an understanding of how their target audiences view the 

world. The Office of Analytics provides fast-paced global media environment analysis 

and trendspotting across digital, social, and traditional mediums, providing agile, datainformed insights for U.S. government communicators and policymakers. 

This goal is aligned with the Department’s broader Public Diplomacy (PD) strategy, 

which seeks in part to take full advantage of Washington analytics by equipping 

Ambassadors, Public Affairs Officers (PAOs), and their teams with the tools and 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

9 
resources they need to understand the landscape, and effectively influence their local 

audiences. 

(U) Objective 2.1: Develop audience insights through message testing, surveying, and research 

field work, enabling more effective communication. 

a. (U) Justification and Linkages 

In a rapidly evolving environment, the Office of Research aims to be GPA’s primary

office for forward-thinking issue research, audience analysis, and innovation. GPA aims 

to empower Department professionals to strategically communicate, inform campaigns 

and programs, and amplify messaging efforts through marketing channels to achieve the 

foreign policy goals of the United States. 

This objective is in direct support of JSP performance goal 4.1.1—increase the use of 

evidence to inform budget, program planning and design, and management decisions. 

The primary role of our research and analytics capability is to help leadership at all levels 

make evidence-based decisions. 

b. (U) Risk Considerations 

GPA seeks to help customers increase their understanding of how to use and consume 

research by providing education within GPA and the Department. As the Department 

seeks to use more audience research and message testing to inform strategic 

communication, campaigns, and programs, the Office of Research will plan to improve 

processes both internally and in collaboration with other GPA offices to better meet 

rising demand for research products. Additionally, the Office of Research will continue to 

use a project-management information system to manage increasing demands while 

clearly communicating progress in completing requests. This will help to communicate 

expectations to multiple clients while being accountable to GPA colleagues as well as 

customers in other bureaus and at posts. 

(U) Objective 2.2: Create efficiencies and enable scale through data science and software 

engineering. 

a. (U) Justification and Linkages 

GPA practices data-driven diplomacy and therefore seeks to inform Department strategic 

communications by providing timely analyses of media content and audience evaluations 

of digital platforms, empowered by modern technology. GPA’s Office of Analytics will

continue to increase the Bureau’s ability to analyze the digital and social media landscape

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

10 
to enhance ongoing strategic communication and engagement in support of U.S. foreign 

policy goals. 

GPA plans to explore and use new data science technology and innovative tools to more 

effectively analyze platform data and provide actionable insights that inform U.S. foreign 

policy. If resources are available, GPA seeks to incorporate artificial intelligence and 

machine learning to analyze themes and messaging and develop new insights that 

otherwise may not be found through traditional methods. 

This objective is in direct support of JSP Performance Goal 4.1.1—increase the use of 

evidence to inform budget, program planning and design, and management decisions. 

The primary role of our research and analytics capability is to help leadership at all levels 

make evidence-based decisions. 

b. (U) Risk Considerations 

GPA will leverage its strengths, including agility, creativity, and innovation, to balance 

short-term, shifting priorities with long-term strategic goals. GPA will continue to obtain 

support across the Bureau to successfully conduct evaluations and will work closely to 

improve coordination and communicate with stakeholders throughout the process. 

Additionally, the Bureau will continue to leverage its strong capacity to use cutting-edge 

technology and tools to analyze data in innovative ways and use it to inform programs, 

content, and messaging. 

(U) Objective 2.3: Develop a comprehensive understanding of global media and maintain 

situational awareness to enable GPA and Department leadership to operate at the pace of modern 

media. 

a. (U) Justification and Linkages 

Within Research and Analytics, the Media Monitoring Unit will continue to provide 

quick-turnaround media monitoring, covering U.S. policy priorities, principal travel, 

major events, and breaking news. Research and Analytics will continue to partner with 

other GPA verticals and offices, such as Media Hubs, to leverage best practices and 

continuously improve how GPA staff and leadership are informed of global media 

environments and trends. Additionally, Research and Analytics will seek to share 

innovative data-analysis practices and media-monitoring technology processes via 

training and by establishing a detailee program to build the Department’s expertise in 

those skills sets. 

This objective is in direct support of JSP performance goal 4.1.1—increase the use of 

evidence to inform budget, program planning and design, and management decisions. 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

11 
 

The primary role of our research and analytics capability is to help leadership at all levels 

make evidence-based decisions. 

b. (U) Risk Considerations 

The nature of the 24-hour news cycle has increased demands on GPA staff to provide 

quick-turnaround media monitoring support outside of regular business hours. GPA is 

exploring the option to expand coverage and leverage other resources to keep up with 24-

hour, seven days a week demands. Additionally, GPA is working to improve processes, 

use innovative tools, and share best practices in order to operate more efficiently and 

provide products more quickly. Research and Analytics will seek to train employees 

across GPA, sharing knowledge and best practices across the bureau. 

(U) Objective 2.4: Persistently observe and assess Department-owned platforms’ performance, 

enabling leaders to better shape their forward-looking strategy. 

a. (U) Justification and Linkages 

Within GPA’s Office of Analytics, the Media Monitoring Unit aims to use data science 

and analytical tools to evaluate the effectiveness of the Department’s strategic 

communications in digital and social media. By evaluating how GPA content is perceived 

and whether or how it is affecting behavior, GPA can track and continuously improve to 

more effectively influence publics and implement U.S. foreign policy goals. Over the 

next year, Research and Analytics will aim to increase collaboration and improve 

processes with other GPA offices and business units to better collectively achieve the 

goal of evaluating and continuously improving GPA’s content. This effort also aligns 

with the Department’s PD Strategy and its objective to re-examine legacy platforms and 

organizational structures to better support sustained network engagement to achieve 

concrete results. 

This objective is in direct support of JSP performance goal 4.1.1—increase the use of 

evidence to inform budget, program planning and design, and management decisions. 

The primary role of our research and analytics capability is to help leadership at all levels 

make evidence-based decisions. 

b. (U) Risk Considerations 

To implement additional evaluation of GPA platforms and programs, Research and 

Analytics will work in close partnership with other parts of the bureau, such as Content 

and Digital Strategy, to better understand those platforms and programs and better inform 

our evaluations. GPA will ensure our evaluation is appropriate, manage expectations 

across the Bureau, and ensure the evaluation is meeting the priorities of GPA and 

Department leadership. Additionally, Research and Analytics will establish processes, 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

12 
manage workload, and communicate expectations to ensure that longer-term projects and 

short-term taskers are all accomplished according to GPA leadership priorities. 

(U) Goal 3: GPA will develop tools and execute efforts to better inform and 

equip the workforce to execute key communications and information efforts 

in support of GPA and Department goals. 

a. (U) Description 

GPA advances U.S. foreign policy and national security interests by articulating, 

promoting, and defending our foreign policy priorities to audiences in the U.S. and 

around the world. GPA’s mission cannot be successful without the support, collaboration, 

and coordination of other bureaus and offices within the Department. Effectively 

communicating myriad time-critical and nuanced policy messages to a variety of 

audiences requires the close coordination and cooperation of many parts of the 

organization. GPA seeks to use modern tools and approaches to ensure that Department 

personnel worldwide are equipped with the correct information and tools needed to 

communicate effectively as one voice. 

This goal is aligned with the Department’s broader Public Diplomacy (PD) strategy, 

which seeks to expand use of CRM and PD tools more broadly to support U.S. foreign 

policy goals. 

(U) Objective 3.1: Explore new and innovative ways to ensure Department officials have 

accurate and up-to-date information to communicate U.S. foreign policy priorities. 

a. (U) Justification and Linkages 

GPA is the Department’s leader in external communications. This responsibility requires 

close coordination and alignment of policy messaging across all parts of the Department, 

which includes Regional Bureaus, Functional Bureaus, and overseas posts. A lack of 

message coordination undermines the Department’s ability to effectively communicate 

U.S. foreign policy objectives and thus weakens American leadership globally. 

Department professionals are inundated with information on a regular basis. Breaking 

developments taking place around the world and reflected in lightning-fast news cycles 

challenge our ability to respond effectively to current events while also promoting 

consistent narratives on key policy topics. 

GPA seeks to build and promote a Department-wide communications approach that 

responds to the critical events of the day while also maintaining a focus on a limited 

number of focused, strategic policy issues that are paramount to the Secretary and the 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

13 
administration. To do this, it must coordinate closely with other parts of the Department 

to ensure that accurate messages and influential voices are amplified. 

GPA is also well positioned to coordinate the Department’s internal communications 

through a unified and comprehensive communication strategy. Creating an internal 

Department-wide communication strategy will ensure personnel have the information and 

context needed to execute the Department’s overall mission and foreign policy priorities 

as laid out in the four pillars of the National Security Strategy and the four JSP goals. 

b. (U) Risk Considerations 

A risk to this objective is the cooperation of other bureaus and Department leaders. 

Moving parts of the Department from a balkanized internal messaging approach to a 

coordinated approach may prove challenging. To mitigate this risk, GPA will work 

closely to understand the concerns of various bureaus and leaders and work to address 

these concerns through its approach. Another risk related to this objective is that GPA is 

currently dependent on IRM for the procurement of CRM licenses. In addition, the total 

cost of ownership for the CRM program is high. To mitigate these risks, GPA will 

coordinate closely with IRM and carefully monitor costs. 

(U) Objective 3.2: Drive and integrate messaging on U.S. policy priorities and American values 

across the workforce. 

a. (U) Justification and Linkages 

GPA equips personnel with new and powerful tools to collect, manage, share, and use 

critical information. This includes deploying powerful customer relationship management 

(CRM) tools to help PD officers and others in the field better track and engage with their 

contacts and support a primary goal the Department's PD strategy to build networks of 

individuals, organizations, and states who share American values and support U.S. 

policies. It also entails developing innovative mobile applications such as OneVoice, 

which will provide key officials with the most up-to-date, coordinated, and approved 

Department messaging on key issues. In addition, it involves supporting a team of 

professional dedicated to exploring emerging digital approaches and building innovative 

engagement tools and platforms that will allow the Department to more effectively reach 

global audiences. 

b. (U) Risk Considerations 

A risk to this objective is bureaus and leaders communicating to outside entities without 

first coordinating with GPA. To mitigate this risk, GPA will work to build strong 

connections with other bureaus and educate them on the importance of a coordinated 

communications approach. GPA will provide bureaus with approved communication 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

14 
playbooks and develop methods to quickly review and approve messaging materials prior 

to delivery. 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

15 
 

4. (U) Cross-Cutting Management Goal 

(U) Management Goal 4: Enhance the Bureau’s ability to work in a more 

complex and diverse communications environment. 

a. (U) Description 

To achieve the goals of this Functional Bureau Strategy, GPA will provide its 

professionals with the management and administrative support required to succeed. The 

Bureau will plan, manage, and evaluate business operations within GPA to ensure 

success as well as compliance with Department and Federal mandates. GPA will work to 

strategically manage its resources and strive for continuous improvement to carry out its 

mission effectively. GPA’s Executive Office will work to improve services for GPA 

employees. This includes human capital management, information technology, and other 

business-operations support. GPA’s newly established Staff Advisory Forum, formed in 

2019 following the integration of the legacy IIP and PA bureaus, will pursue the goal of 

increasing employee engagement and empowering staff to share new and innovative 

ideas to help establish GPA’s culture as a new bureau. GPA will execute these goals 

while fostering an environment that values diversity and inclusion across the entire 

workforce. 

This goal is aligned with the Department’s broader Public Diplomacy (PD) strategy, 

which seeks to identify training opportunity for PD practitioners across the Department, 

to ensure they are equipped with the skills and tools needed to conduct PD efforts in an 

ever changing environment. 

(U) Management Objective 4.1: Plan, manage, and evaluate business operations within GPA to 

ensure success as well as compliance with Department and Federal mandates. 

a. (U) Justification and Linkages 

GPA’s Executive Office oversees a variety of critical management functions that enable 

the bureau to execute GPA’s mission in an effective manner while remaining responsible 

stewards of U.S. taxpayer resources. GPA/EX will conduct and support resource planning 

and management, policy coordination, strategic planning, program evaluation, and 

communications, to ensure GPA is using its resources in an effective way. 

This objective is in direct alignment with JSP Objective 4.1, “Strengthen the

effectiveness and sustainability of our diplomacy and development investments.” 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

16 
 

b. (U) Risk Considerations 

One of the Executive Office’s critical functions is to coordinate and implement 

Department and Federal policy. Coordination among multiple offices within GPA and 

throughout the Department has inherent risks, among them competing priorities, shifts in 

policy and transparent progress reporting. GPA will work to mitigate these risks by 

maintaining and communicating the bureau strategy, participating in the development and 

management of the Department strategy, and implementing a strategic review process 

within GPA. Another risk is considering the possibility of GPA having to operate 

effectively in a fiscal environment where we must appropriately allocate limited 

resources to competing priorities. To mitigate this risk, GPA will leverage the strategic 

review process to optimize resource management and achieve the goals and objectives 

outlined in this strategy. Additionally, GPA will seek to develop processes and 

workflows to empower staff to improve how they conduct business every day. 

(U) Management Objective 4.2: Recruit, retain, and sustain a diverse, talented workforce 

capable of achieving the mission and goals of GPA. 

a. (U) Justification and Linkages 

GPA’s core asset and key enabler of its success as a bureau is its staff. The Bureau relies 

on its cadre of skilled employees to generate, communicate, and assess Department of 

State public pronouncements advancing American foreign policy and national security 

interests. The sourcing of qualified talent, the retaining and development of talent, and 

the sustaining of talent is crucial to the internal operations of the Bureau. In addition, 

creating flexible staffing systems that provide the right level and type of expert staff to 

deliver on policy priorities aligns with the Department’s PD Strategy. GPA strives to 

include diverse perspectives and experiences to produce quality products worldwide. 

Workplace diversity increases employee morale and causes employees to desire to work 

more effectively. Diversity in leadership within a bureau allows managers to bring in new 

skills and methods for achieving unity within their teams. 

This objective supports JSP Objective 4.3, “Enhance workforce performance, leadership, 

engagement, and accountability to execute our mission efficiently and effectively.”

b. (U) Risk Considerations 

As the Bureau’s key resource, the hiring of a diverse and talented workforce is a key 

enabler to the proper execution of GPA’s mission. Current challenges regarding hiring

have impacted every vertical across the Bureau, and are a key threat that senior 

leadership has identified to the ability of GPA to most effectively execute its public 

affairs/public diplomacy mandate. Challenges in the ability of GPA to hire the staff 

necessary to do the job, coupled with challenges in training and development, could lead 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

17 
 

 

to a workforce that is less capable in their jobs and too stretched to prosper in a dynamic, 

global communications environment that is characterized by great power competition. To 

nullify these challenges, GPA is pursuing permanent delegate-hiring authority to more 

quickly and easily fill mission-critical vacancies. Furthermore, the Bureau is looking to 

strengthen its ability to retain and sustain its talented workforce through its Staff 

Advisory Forum and other initiatives that help build a more cohesive bureau culture. 

(U) Management Objective 4.3: Provide and support modern, secure, and resilient information 

technology and services. 

a. (U) Justification and Linkages 

Given the centrality of technology as a key enablers of GPA’s Public Diplomacy and 

Public Affairs mandate, the ability to provide and support modern information 

technology is critical to the Bureau’s success. GPA depends on a suite of complex

information technology, which requires GPA to have a robust servicing mechanism to 

ensure that disruptions to service have minimal impact on the overall mission of the 

Bureau. 

This objective supports JSP Objective 4.2, “Provide modern and secure infrastructure and 

operational capabilities to support effective diplomacy and development.”

b. (U) Risk Considerations 

The importance of technology as a key enabler of the Bureau’s mission makes 

disruptions to service, outdated technology, slow servicing of customer requests, and 

inadequate protection of GPA’s IT infrastructure key threats to the ability of the Bureau 

to execute its mission. These challenges, coupled with limited staffing resources to 

quickly address and remedy these issues, provide the potential for single points of failure. 

To mitigate these potential challenges and relieve concern, the Bureau is taking steps to 

harden itself to potential disruptions, establish mechanisms to quickly address customer 

challenges, and overall improve IT infrastructure and governance. 

(U) Management Objective 4.4: Lead the management of physical resources and logistical 

functions in support of the Bureau’s mission. 

a. (U) Justification 

GPA’s Executive Office strives to provide exceptional customer service to GPA 

employees to ensure staff are well supported by the bureau’s physical resources, such as 

workspace and equipment, as well as by logistical and administrative functions. General 

Services Office (GSO) will establish service standards and improve customer 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

18 
communication to provide better customer service. GSO will also seek input and 

feedback from customers to ensure the organization is addressing their needs. More 

specifically, following the IIP-PA integration, GPA’s Executive Office is also supporting

a large-scale move, so these functions are critically important to ensure GPA staff have 

the tools and space they need to conduct their work in an environment conductive to 

carrying out GPA’s mission. 

This objective supports JSP Objective 4.2, “Provide modern and secure infrastructure and 

operational capabilities to support effective diplomacy and development.”

b. (U) Risk Considerations 

One potential risk is the need for additional collaboration with customers to understand 

requirements. To mitigate that risk, GPA will seek feedback from employees to identify 

staff requirements and needed improvements . Another risk is if GPA does not establish 

service standards and communicate those to employees, GPA/EX will not be able to 

provide excellent customer service. GPA will work to mitigate these risks by establishing 

service standards and communicating them to employees, helping staff identify key 

points of contact for customer service requests, and developing SOPs to improve 

customer service. Additionally, GPA will establish a feedback loop with the customer to 

learn how customer service can improve. This will be helpful in identifying issues the 

Bureau is experiencing and solutions that EX can provide to improve customer service. 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

19 
Appendix. (U) Definitions and Acronyms 

Definitions 

 Diaspora - the movement, migration, or scattering of a people away from an established 

or ancestral homeland (source: Merriam-Webster) 

 Content – Articles, long and short videos, interactive programs, photos, and digital posts. 

 Engagement – The number of likes, shares, and comments a piece of content receives 

online. 

 Vertical – A term to reference a directorate of offices under each DAS. 

Acronyms: 

 GPA – Bureau of Global Public Affairs 

 CRM – Customer Relationship Management 

 DAS – Deputy Assistant Secretary 

 IRM – Bureau of Information Resource Management 

 IIP – Bureau of International Information Programs 

 PA – Bureau of Public Affairs 

 PD – Public Diplomacy 

 JSP – Joint Strategic Plan of the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for 

International Development (USAID) 

 NSS – National Security Strategy 

 FPC – Foreign Press Center 

 FLOX – Foreign Language Spokesperson 

Approved: May 05, 2020 

UNCLASSIFIED 

20