The management and scope of this office varies per administration. In the Bush 43 administration, there was one deputy assistant (though only for the first nine months), five special assistants, a person specializing in part-time boards and commissions, a person overseeing candidate research and vetting, and a person focused on Schedule C positions. In the current Obama administration, the director of PPO has two deputy directors, three or four associate directors, an associate director specializing in part-time boards and commissions, an officer specializing in clearing Schedule C appointments, a congressional liaison officer, a political clearance officer and an information systems officer.
At the start of a new administration, PPO staff may be numbered at around 75, some being volunteers. However, as the initial crush of appointments subsides, the staff tends to include between 25 and 35 employees.
• Ensures that PPO carries out its mission of:
• Analyzing different executive department posts;
• Identifying, recruiting, vetting, and recommending qualified candidates to serve the president in departments and agencies across the government;
• Responding to candidates; and
• Communicating with departments and agencies on personnel matters.
• Ensures that the personnel priorities of the administration are being addressed.
• Ensures that choices reflect the highest standards of ethics and aptitude.3
• Functions as a strong source of substantive and strategic advice for the president on all presidential personnel issues administration-wide.
• Obtains necessary presidential approval of proposed candidates, initiates the candidate background clearance process, coordinates press releases and “roll-outs” of presidential announcements, ensures timely delivery of nominating documents to the Senate, and obtains the required presidential appointing signatures.
• Effectively implements human capital operations and processes for the administration.
• Handles all matters of personnel-related correspondence on behalf of the president.4
• Works with White House counsel’s vetting staff to assess and help resolve, if necessary, candidate conflict of interest and suitability matters, and works with White House legislative affairs to help ensure timely, fair assessment of nominees’ qualifications. Also works closely with Cabinet secretaries, executive branch agency heads, and White House liaisons.
• Ensures that the administration has realistically aggressive, mutually agreeable appointment goals regarding the specific positions to be filled, by when and by what types of people.
• Ensures that appointees have the desired background and knowledge, policy and/or management experience, D.C., regional and/or international experience and other qualities deemed most important for each position.
• Ensures that goals are understood and agreed to by all involved in the appointments process: department and agency leadership, the Senate (especially committee leadership), FBI, OGE, other relevant investigative agencies, White House legislative affairs, communications, vetting counsel, policy teams and others.
• Ensures that there are enough qualified key PPO staff (especially special assistants and function heads) to do the necessary work.
• Ensures that there are effective, informed connections with potential sources for prospective nominees, to include: members of Congress, governors’ offices, trade associations, think tanks, major supporters, notables currently or previously associated with relevant subjects, and potential nominees themselves.
• Ensures that matters such as disruptive PPO office moves after the inauguration or key PPO personnel leaving before the end of the first year are not allowed, so as not to diminish PPO’s capacity to accomplish desired outcomes.
• Get the Top 100 priority Senate-confirmed political appointments confirmed by Inauguration.
• Get the Top 400 priority Senate-confirmed political appointments confirmed by the August recess.