The board shall have power to select, employ, and fix the salary and benefits of such officers, employees, attorneys, and agents as shall be necessary for the performance of its duties under this subchapter, without regard to the provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service, classification, and General Schedule pay rates, except that no officer, employee, attorney, or agent of the corporation may be paid salary at a rate in excess of the rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule, except that the board-appointed officers may be paid salary at a rate not to exceed level II of the Executive Schedule. The Corporation shall also apply the provisions of section 5307(a)(1), (b)(1) and (b)(2) of title 5 governing limitations on certain pay as if its employees were Federal employees receiving payments under title 5.