Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Management

Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Management
DHS, as noted below. · Public domain · source
Post	Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Management
Department	United States Department of Homeland Security
Reports to	Secretary of Homeland Security
Seat	Washington, D.C.
Appointed by	President of the United States
Formation	2003

Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Management The Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Management is the principal executive responsible for administration, resource allocation, and enterprise management within the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The office integrates policies across finance, human capital, information technology, facilities, procurement, and security to support components such as United States Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Transportation Security Administration and United States Secret Service. The Under Secretary coordinates with executive offices including the Office of Management and Budget, Congressional Budget Office, Government Accountability Office and interacts with committees such as the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the United States House Committee on Homeland Security.

Overview

The Under Secretary leads enterprise management functions for DHS, overseeing operations that enable component missions across national security and law enforcement domains represented by entities like the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense, and Department of Justice. The position was created in the aftermath of legislative responses to the September 11 attacks and related reviews such as the 9/11 Commission Report and the Homeland Security Act of 2002. The office works closely with leaders from White House offices, including the National Security Council, and partners in international organizations like NATO and the United Nations on cross-border resilience initiatives.

Responsibilities and Organizational Role

Key duties include executive oversight of budget formulation and execution, human resources, information-sharing architecture, cybersecurity posture, acquisition programs, and physical infrastructure tied to DHS components such as Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Under Secretary manages interactions with financial institutions including the Department of the Treasury and oversight bodies such as the Office of Inspector General while aligning to statutes like the Paperwork Reduction Act and directives from the President of the United States. The position liaises with private-sector stakeholders exemplified by partnerships with corporations such as Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and defense contractors including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Booz Allen Hamilton on technology and supply-chain resilience programs.

History and Officeholders

The office traces its lineage to reorganization efforts following the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and the operationalization of DHS in 2003. Early occupants coordinated integration across legacy agencies like the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service and the United States Customs Service. Notable senior officials in broader DHS leadership have included the inaugural Tom Ridge as Secretary and successors such as Michael Chertoff, Janet Napolitano, Jeh Johnson, John Kelly, Kirstjen Nielsen, Chad Wolf, Alejandro Mayorkas, and current administration leadership, under whose Secretaries the Under Secretary has operated. Officeholders have engaged with Congressional oversight across hearings before chairpersons like Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins in the Senate and Bennie Thompson and Michael McCaul in the House.

Appointment and Succession

The Under Secretary is nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. The appointment process involves scrutiny from committees such as the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and coordination with the United States Office of Personnel Management for senior executive vetting. Succession and acting authority align with statutes governing presidential appointments and succession lines exemplified by precedents involving acting officials and Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 applications. In contingency, responsibilities may be delegated to deputies or to officials from components such as Federal Emergency Management Agency leadership.

Organizational Structure and Offices

The Under Secretary directs an enterprise management directorate that comprises offices for Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Human Capital Officer, Chief Security Officer, and Chief Procurement Officer. These offices coordinate with component management offices across DHS elements including United States Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Secret Service, Federal Protective Service, and Science and Technology Directorate. The Under Secretary’s staff interacts with interagency counterparts at the Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of Health and Human Services, and international partners including Interpol and the European Union on standards and interoperability.

Key Initiatives and Policies

Major initiatives overseen by the Under Secretary include enterprise-wide budget reform, acquisition reform consistent with recommendations from the Government Accountability Office, modernization of information technology and cybersecurity architecture in line with guidance from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and National Institute of Standards and Technology, workforce transformation programs tied to Office of Personnel Management directives, and facilities consolidation projects akin to shared services and data-center optimization pursued by federal entities including the General Services Administration. The office has led pandemic response support aligning with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and continuity planning referenced in Presidential Policy Directive 40 and other resilience frameworks.

Category:United States Department of Homeland Security offices