FBI Searches for a New CIO
The FBI has issued an all-points bulletin for a new CIO. The agency is searching for a new IT chief following last year’s resignation of Jerome Pender, who held the position for three years.
Pender, who served as executive assistant director and CIO, was named to the posts in late August 2012 and stepped down in late August 2015, Federal Times reported. In September 2015, Pender became an operating partner at Z Capital Group, an alternative investment management company. Since then, acting executive assistant director Brian Truchon has been serving as interim CIO, according to Federal Times.
The FBI started taking applications for the CIO post on Jan. 8, and the window for applications closes today, according to the job posting on the FBI’s employment website. The CIO will report to both the deputy director and the associate deputy director of the FBI.
Seeking a CIO with Experience
The FBI CIO must be a U.S. Citizen and must be able to obtain a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance. The preferred applicant must also have “thorough experience developing enterprise IT strategies and roadmaps, working with cross-functional teams in a large organization,” as well as the “knowledge and ability to communicate effectively with top executives in government and industry regarding IT related subjects.”
Additionally, the preferred applicant must have experience using “data and business analytics to understand business performance and support decision making” as well as using “technology to increase organizational efficacy and performance, and managing IT projects that align technology initiatives with business goals and evolving business needs.”
The FBI is also looking for someone with “experience with re-engineering of business processes, managing change and developing process improvements for complex systems” and “knowledge and experience in using the Balanced Scorecard or other similar strategic planning processes.” The Balanced Scorecard refers to a strategic planning and management system used to align an organization’s activities with its goals and vision.
The CIO will be responsible for ensuring that the agency’s IT “is strategically aligned to and in accordance with the mission and priorities of the organization.” The CIO will also need to “provide guidance, direction, coordination, and leadership for the agency’s information resources to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, standards, and guidelines on the management of information technology resources.” Among other duties, the CIO will also need to “serve as the primary agency advisor for IT, and provide authoritative advice and guidance to FBI leadership and program managers.”
Challenges Lie Ahead
As NextGov reported, the new FBI CIO will have his or her hands full from the moment the job begins. NextGov reported that a Justice Department audit found that “planned upgrades to the $91.5 million, 30-second FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, are off track.”
There is more work coming for the new CIO as well. NextGov reported: “In addition, Obama’s executive actions in early January include hiring more than 230 staff, doubling the NICS’ workforce. The FBI will also partner with the White House U.S. Digital Service to complete desired tech enhancements, which is likely to fall under the new CIO’s purview.”
