北宋时期，河北路是宋辽边境的前沿，具有极其重要的战略地位。因此，以皇帝为首的朝廷格外重视河北沿边官员的人选及其相关议题。大致而言，从宏观层面来看，任职河北路官员的年龄、履历、文化修养、籍贯等等都是影响河北沿边官员选拔与任用的重要因素。本文以雄州长官为例，统计并分析了他们的年龄特点，发现宋初朝廷保留少量河北地区的豪强继续担任当地的地方官。宋太宗在位时将雄州知州的职位作为一项安排心腹、打击政敌的政治工具来使用，发生了很多极不寻常的人事任免。澶渊之盟后，河北沿边官府的文书行政负担日益加重，为了应对这种复杂局面，朝廷派遣进士出身的官员担任各州、军通判等职位以强化朝廷对该地区的控制。由此逐步排挤了河北地区的本土势力，致其在政治军事上的影响日渐式微，从而进一步巩固和加强了中央的统治。
与宋朝绝大部分行政地区迥然不同的是，在日常的行政过程中，河北沿边官员往往遭遇很多边境上的突发事件。因此，朝廷给予他们更多自由裁量和处置的空间。尽管如此，他们必须严格贯彻皇帝的旨意。他们对突发事件的应对与处置是否妥当最终也取决于皇帝的评价。另外，河北的官员唯务“镇静”，不能挑起对契丹的事端。因此，澶渊之盟后，官员们在日常施政中通过开辟与维护塘泊、招待使节等政务活动，形成为独具河北路特色的行政成绩。
处理宋辽关系始终是北宋政府从中央到地方面临的巨大难题。因此，一方面，朝廷派往河北路的官员往往具备较强的行政能力。他们往往头脑灵活，善于处理各种复杂的人事关系。另一方面，正是由于处理宋辽关系的现实需要，河北路各州军的正、副长官乃至级别更低的官员普遍获得了上殿奏事、迎送使者等特有的机会，使得他们在河北任官期间获得了更多接待和交往朝廷要员的渠道。一些官员便可趁机争取个人仕途发展的私利，更有官员利用在河北路任职的机会一心投机钻营，不顾河北百姓的利益，漠视边防，渐渐疏远了本职工作。

During the Northern Song Dynasty, the Hebei area was the frontier of the Song and Liao borders and had extremely important strategic significance. Therefore, the imperial court attached great importance to the candidates for officials along the borders of Hebei.
The emperors and ministers of the Northern Song Dynasty adhered to the policy of military ministers serving as governors of Xiongzhou(雄州). At the beginning of the Song Dynasty, the government used Hebei tyrants to hold local official positions. Taizong(太宗) used the position of the governor of Xiongzhou as a political tool. After the Chanyuan Alliance(澶渊之盟), the clerical and administrative tasks of the officials along the borders of Hebei became more and more serious. The government dispatched Jinshi(进士) to serve as officials of Hebei to deal with it, and the influence of the local tyrants in Hebei gradually declined.
Officials along the border of Hebei often encounter many emergencies on the border. Therefore, the court gave them more freedom to deal with them. However, despite this, they must strictly obey the emperor's will. Whether their disposal is appropriate ultimately depends on the emperor's evaluation. In addition, officials in Hebei should only be calm and not stir up trouble with Liao. Therefore, after the Chanyuan Alliance, officials formed visible political achievements by building Tangpo(塘泊) and entertaining envoys in their daily administration.
Dealing with the relationship between Song and Liao has always been a difficult problem for the Northern Song Dynasty government. Therefore, on the one hand, officials sent to Hebei often have strong abilities, they are flexible and good at handling various relationships. However, on the other hand, it is precisely because of the practical need to deal with the relationship between Song and Liao that the chief, deputy chiefs and even lower-rank officials of Hebei states generally obtain the powers of attending the palace(上殿奏事), welcoming ambassadors, etc., so that they have more chances to access to senior officials and to take the opportunity to fight for benefits.