Federal Position Descriptions
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Deputy Chief Management Officer

Deputy Chief Management Officer, Department of Defense
Responsibility
Management Scope

The DCMO oversees just under $1 billion annually, about 1,600 total government employees and 2,000 contractors. It has an assistant deputy chief management officer, an executive assistant and a military assistant. Five other leadership positions report into the DCMO, who interacts with and directs the work of the agency’s five directorates: the Planning Performance & Assessment Directorate; the Defense Business Management, Analysis, & Optimization Directorate; the Oversight & Compliance Directorate; the Administration Directorate; and the Organizational Policy & Decision Support Directorate
The Office of the DCMO is composed of a combination of technical and industry experts who deliver exceptional results to customers. The office leverages specialized expertise across its directorates to create cross-functional teams to deliver comprehensive solutions to customers. These teams allow the Office of the DCMO to provide deep and broad expertise to customers and their unique challenges, and to drive innovative solutions that address broader DOD business challenges.3
In fiscal 2016, the Department of Defense base budget was $521.7 billion. DOD has 2.1 million active and reserve service members and just under 930,000 civilian personnel.

Primary Responsibilities

• Assists the deputy secretary of defense in the deputy secretary’s capacity as chief management officer of the Department of Defense under section 132(c) of title 10 U.S.C. Chapter 4 (10 U.S. Code § 132a)
• Serves as the principal staff assistant and advisor to the secretary of defense and the deputy secretary of defense, for matters relating to managing and improving integrated defense business operations
• Leads the synchronization, integration and coordination of the DOD’s business functions to ensure optimal alignment in support of the warfighting mission
• Leads and enables end-to-end integration and improvement of business operations in support of national security
• Is responsible for the department’s Business Enterprise Architecture, Strategic Management Plan, Investment Review Process and Enterprise Transition Plan, along with other DOD products, services and publications focused on delivering efficient, effective and agile business operations that support and enable the warfighter4

Strategic Goals and Priorities
• While specific priorities may change from administration to administration, the DCMO will always have goals that achieve better business outcomes and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization.
Requirements

• Appointed from civilian life (10 U.S.C. § 132a)
• Knowledge of the department’s functions and policies (the broader the experience base, the better)
• Strength in broad business operations (a plus)
• Management and operational experience provide credibility to the candidate, given the acute focus on business operations. This is important given the change-management challenge associated with adopting new and different ways of doing business.
• Strong relationships with a group of relevant stakeholders, or the ability to form them, given that the role is cross-functional and cross-organizational

Competencies

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent leadership skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to focus on good government and achieving better outcomes
• Ability to work effectively across functional and organizational boundaries

Past Appointments
  • Peter Levine (2015 to 2016): Roles as Staff Director, General Counsel and Minority Counsel on the Senate Armed Services Committee from August 1996 to February 20155
  • Elizabeth A. McGrath (2010 to 2013): Principal Deputy for Business Transformation, Office of the Secretary of Defense; Deputy Director for Systems Integration, Defense Finance and Accounting Service, DOD; several Program Management roles culminating in Program Executive Office-level oversight responsibility6
AGENCY

Department of Defense

Mission: The mission of the Department of Defense is to provide the military forces needed to deter war and to protect the security of our country.

COMPENSATION

Level III $165,300 (5 U.S.C. § 5314)2

REPORTS TO

Deputy Secretary of Defense

SENATE COMMITTEE

Armed Services

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Footnote
  1. http://dcmo.defense.gov/About/Mission-and-Vision/
  2. 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.
  3. http://dcmo.defense.gov/About/Organization.aspx
  4. OPM
  5. http://www.defense.gov/About-DoD/Biographies/Biography-View/Article/606617/peter-levine
  6. http://docs.house.gov/meetings/AS/AS26/20130313/100444/HHRG-113-AS26-Bio-McGrathE-20130313.pdf
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