Advertisement

OPM resumes hunt for permanent CIO

The Office of Personnel Management is again looking for a CIO to lead the beleaguered agency’s IT modernization efforts after major breaches there compromised the personal information of more than 21 million Americans. 

OPM posted the listing to USAJobs.gov Wednesday, searching for a “visionary individual” ready to “continue the progress of strengthening IT security and modernization at OPM.”

“The OPM CIO will lead the agency’s major Digital and IT transformation initiatives, and will have the opportunity to buy, build and deliver the nation’s leading technology and cybersecurity practices and tools to support OPM’s mission requirements,” the listing says.

The agency is currently undertaking a massive IT modernization project, which it calls its Shell environment, to move away from legacy systems and upgrade security features. 

Advertisement

The House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government recently approved $37 million — the same the agency requested in the fiscal year 2017 president’s budget request — to build out that environment through fiscal year 2018. The year prior, OPM received $21 million for its IT modernization. 

The Shell project, along with the build-out of the National Background Investigations Bureau, will be key focuses of the new CIO, the listing says.

[Read more: New background check agency announced in wake of OPM hacks]

“A key priority for this individual will be to continue the progress of strengthening IT security and modernization at OPM,” it says. 

“This individual must be capable of operating within an interagency environment to support the successful establishment of the National Background Investigations Bureau as well as the continued success of OPM’s other core missions and services,” the listing says. 

Advertisement

“This position offers an unprecedented opportunity to an individual who has a passion for enabling excellence in human capital management services through the rapid deployment of emerging technology.”

OPM hasn’t had a CIO in an official capacity since Donna Seymour, who held the position when the breach occurred, quit federal service amid the fallout in late February. Since her departure, David Vargas, OPM’s deputy CIO, took over as interim CIO for a brief period, and then U.S. Deputy CIO Lisa Schlosser stepped in March 17 to take a detail as a senior adviser and acting CIO.

[Read more: OPM CIO Donna Seymour retires]

The senior executive service hire will receive a salary of up to $185,100. The listing is open until June 22. 

Contact the reporter on this story via email at Billy.Mitchell@FedScoop.com or follow him on Twitter @BillyMitchell89. Subscribe to the Daily Scoop to get all the federal IT news you need in your inbox every morning at fdscp.com/sign-me-on.

Billy Mitchell

Written by Billy Mitchell

Billy Mitchell is Senior Vice President and Executive Editor of Scoop News Group's editorial brands. He oversees operations, strategy and growth of SNG's award-winning tech publications, FedScoop, StateScoop, CyberScoop, EdScoop and DefenseScoop. After earning his degree at Virginia Tech and winning the school's Excellence in Print Journalism award, Billy received his master's degree from New York University in magazine writing.

Latest Podcasts