PD_VA_Assistant-Secretary-for-Information-and-Technology

Position Description

ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Overview

Senate Committee

Veterans’ Affairs

Agency Mission

The mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is to serve America’s veterans and their families with dignity and compassion and to be their principal advocate in ensuring that they receive medical care, benefits, social support and lasting memorials. The VA promotes the health, welfare and dignity of all veterans in recognition of their service to this nation.

Position Overview

The assistant secretary for information and technology serves as the department’s chief information officer (CIO). As the CIO, the assistant secretary is responsible for the vision, management, operation and execution of the VA’s Office of Information and Technology (OIT) and its resources, and for delivering adaptable, secure and cost-effective technology services to the department. The assistant secretary serves as the principal advisor to the secretary and deputy secretary of veterans affairs on matters relating to information and technology management in the department as outlined in P.L. No. 104-106, the Clinger-Cohen Act, the Paperwork Reduction Act, Chapter 35 of Title 44 U.S.C., and any other legislative or regulatory channels.

Compensation

Level IV $155,500 (5 U.S.C. § 5313)¹ _{The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31, May 5, 2017), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels during calendar year 2017.}

Position Reports to

Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Responsibilities

Management Scope

The VA is the second-largest federal department and employs more than 340,000 individuals in a nationwide network of 144 medical centers, 1,203 community-based outpatient clinics, 300 vet centers and 56 regional offices. The VA also oversees a network of cemeteries, 131 of them national and 90 of them state or tribal. The VA administers its work through three major organizations: the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration and the National Cemetery Administration Services. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ budget for fiscal 2018 is over $185 billion.
The assistant secretary oversees and manages the day-to-day activities of more than 8,000 employees, and an additional 8,000 contractor personnel, as well as a fiscal 2017 budget of approximately $4 billion.
The following officials report to the assistant secretary for information technology:
® Principal deputy assistant secretary and deputy CIO
® Deputy assistant secretary, Data Management Office
® Deputy assistant secretary, Enterprise Program Management Office
® Deputy assistant secretary for information technology resource management
® Deputy assistant secretary for information security
® Deputy chief information officer for architecture, strategy and design
® Deputy chief information officer for customer advocacy
® Deputy chief information officer for information technology operations and services
® Deputy director, DOD/VA Interagency Program Office
® Deputy director, Office of Quality, Privacy and Risk
® Deputy CIO account manager for corporate
® Deputy CIO account manager for health
® Deputy CIO account manager for benefits

Primary Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of the assistant secretary for information and technology is to exercise management of the department’s information technology (IT) assets and resources and ensure technology services are provided across the department so employees can carry out their mission to support veterans and their families.
The OIT operates engineering, data center and field operations at more than 2,000 locations worldwide 24 hours a day, seven days a week to support the department’s one million technology devices, from printers and conference lines to laptops, medical devices, servers and leading-edge technologies that connect veterans to care.
Under the direction of the assistant secretary, the OIT:
® Exercises management of all IT resources, direction of financial and IT asset management and policies, and strategic planning activities
® Advises the secretary and deputy secretary of IT on resource requirements
® Develops and maintains the VA Enterprise Architecture
® Exercises stewardship of resources and maintains transparent operations
® Ensures the privacy, security, confidentiality, integrity, protection and availability of information and information systems infrastructure
® Conducts analysis and evaluation of a variety of IT programs, processes, functions and facilities
® Monitors performance measures and metrics related to the full range of IT program responsibilities and strategic objectives
® Anticipates, identifies, prioritizes, manages and monitors enterprise risks and provides assurance regarding the achievement of IT objectives
® Provides a framework of strategies, architecture, policies, procedures, guidance, processes and governance to ensure that IT programs and projects are designed and executed to satisfy the department’s current and future business needs and increase operating efficiency
® Leads a combined VA and Department of Defense effort to identify, adopt and, where necessary, assist in the development of national and international health data standards that allow for full information interoperability between the departments
® Works across the VA to identify and facilitate the resolution of any IT issues relating to VA mission support

Strategic Goals and Priorities

[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration]

Requirements and Competencies

Requirements

® Comprehensive knowledge of and experience in IT
® Experience with supply chain strategies
® Extensive understanding of complex systems
® Strong understanding of health care affairs and strategy
® Experience managing large organizations
® Background or experience in federal budgeting, acquisition and workforce management

Competencies

® Strong interpersonal and communication skills
® Ability to work under high pressure
® Ability to integrate large and distributed missions and organizations
® Ability to handle sensitive matters
CURRENT AND PAST APPOINTEES
No current nominee (updated July 18, 2018)
LaVerne H. Council (2015 to 2017) u2013 Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Council Advisory Services, LLC; Chairperson of the National Board of Trustees, March of Dimes Foundation; Corporate Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Johnson & Johnson; Global Vice President for Information Technology, Global Business Solutions and Development Services, Dell, Inc.; Partner with Ernst and Young
Stephen Warren (2013 to 2015) u2013 Member of Board of Advisors, CIO Executive Council; Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology, Department of Veterans Affairs; Acting Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology, Department of Veterans Affairs; Chief Information Officer, Federal Trade Commission; Chief Information Officer, Office of Environmental Management, Department of Energy
Roger Baker (2009 to 2013) u2013 President and CEO, Dataline, Inc.; CIO, General Dynamics; Federal Advisory Board Member, Oracle/Endeca; CIO, Department of Commerce; VP Engineering, Visa; VP, Services, Verdix Corporation; Regional Analyst Manager, Harris Computer Systems Divisio
Endnotes
This position description was created with the help of MITRE Corporation, a not-for-profit company that provides innovative, practical solutions for some of the nation’s most critical challenges in defense and intelligence, aviation, civil systems, homeland security, the judiciary, health care and cybersecurity.
The Partnership’s Center for Presidential Transition helps ensure the efficient transfer of power that our country deserves. The Center’s Ready to Govern· initiative assists candidates with the transition, works with Congress to reform the transition process, develops management recommendations to address our government’s operational challenges, and trains new political appointees.