Federal Government Information Technology

During federal IT leadership shakeup, experts say agencies can still make progress

Fedscoop: As politically appointed chief information officers clear out their desks, the IT professionals left behind are preparing to navigate a potentially lengthy period of uncertainty — one marked by pressure to deliver results on existing programs while the Trump administration sorts out its budget priorities. There won’t be a void in federal IT leadership during the new administration’s process of appointing thousands of employees. After Donald Trump’s inauguration, agencies with CIO vacancies will see career government officials step into that gap — and those professionals should be prepared to handle the job for awhile, said David Eagles, director of the Partnership for Public Service’s Center for Presidential Transition. The nonpartisan, nonprofit center worked last year with both Trump’s and Hillary Clinton’s teams. Management openings, including CIOs, have historically been low priority on the presidential appointment roster, Eagles said. “These are positions that have come in months, if not even sometimes years,” he said. But he’s optimistic that this transition might be different.

Read article