Trump administration hiring deputy federal CIO for $198K-$228K

The Trump administration is hiring a deputy CIO

The Trump administration is recruiting a new Deputy Federal Chief Information Officer to oversee the government’s massive technology infrastructure and cybersecurity policies. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) posted the job listing last week, offering a salary range between $198,200 and $228,000. The position is based in Washington, DC, and carries a "full-time" designation with no potential for future promotions.

The incoming deputy will manage the Federal Information Technology (IT) portfolio by establishing standards for hardware and software use across all agencies. This individual must oversee agency budgeting, manage IT resources, and assess the effectiveness of national cybersecurity practices. The role requires a candidate who can navigate the complex bureaucracy of federal procurement while maintaining strict security protocols.

The job listing explicitly states that this is not a remote position. While the agency may allow "situational" telework based on internal policy, the deputy must work primarily from the capital. This reflects a broader administration push to return federal employees to physical offices and reduce the reliance on remote work arrangements established during the pandemic.

Barbaccia demands results not theater

Federal CIO Gregory Barbaccia signaled a shift in culture for the office in a recent LinkedIn post promoting the vacancy. Barbaccia, a former executive at Palantir, told prospective applicants that he has "zero patience for theater" in the workplace. He defined the role as a "serious mission" that requires "real authority" to turn high-level strategy into technical execution.

The "theater" comment targets the performative aspects of government bureaucracy that often delay technical deployments. Barbaccia expects the new deputy to cut through political noise and focus on running large-scale systems efficiently. This directive follows his own recruitment early last year, where he immediately began auditing how the government spends its multi-billion dollar IT budget.

The administration's focus remains on execution over optics. Barbaccia’s leadership style favors direct action and rapid scaling of systems that actually work for the American public. It’s a blunt approach for a town usually defined by its love of committee meetings and white papers.

Cutting costs for federal software

The new deputy will join an office that is actively aggressive toward "wasteful" spending on software and external consultants. Barbaccia previously ordered CIOs at every federal agency to inventory their software spending and report those details directly to his office. This initiative aims to eliminate redundant licenses and stop agencies from overpaying for underutilized tools.

The administration is also targeting the top ten consulting firms that traditionally dominate government contracts. This drive to reduce spending on non-mission-critical contracts has put several high-priced software and consultancy suppliers on notice. The government wants to streamline tech procurement to ensure that taxpayers aren't funding bloated corporate contracts that fail to deliver results.

Specific goals for the IT portfolio include:

• Reducing the total number of redundant software contracts across 24 federal agencies.
• Eliminating "shelfware" where licenses are purchased but never deployed to employees.
• Consolidating buying power to negotiate lower per-seat prices with major tech vendors.
• Prioritizing mission-critical systems over speculative digital transformation projects.

No degree required for leadership

The job description includes a notable omission for a high-level federal role: there is no formal education requirement. While candidates must meet "executive core qualifications" and demonstrate technical expertise, they do not need a college degree to apply. This aligns with a growing trend in the private sector to prioritize skills and experience over academic credentials.

The administration is looking for specific character traits and ideological alignments rather than diplomas. Candidates must demonstrate a commitment to improving government efficiency and a passion for the ideals of the American republic. The listing also mandates a commitment to upholding the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law.

The application process evaluates candidates on several Technical Qualifications (TQs):

• Proven experience managing an IT portfolio exceeding $1 billion.
• Demonstrated ability to implement Zero Trust Architecture across a distributed network.
• Experience in legacy system migration without interrupting essential government services.
• A history of successful cybersecurity incident response at a national or enterprise scale.

The scale of federal IT

The Deputy Federal CIO manages a landscape of thousands of legacy systems and modern cloud environments. The federal government spends approximately $100 billion annually on information technology, making it the largest single buyer of tech in the world. Much of this budget is currently tied up in maintaining aging infrastructure that dates back several decades.

Modernizing these systems is a primary goal for the OMB. The new deputy will be responsible for ensuring that agencies move away from on-premise servers toward more secure, scalable cloud solutions. This transition is critical for defending against state-sponsored cyberattacks and improving the delivery of digital services to citizens.

The role also involves heavy oversight of agency-level CIOs. The deputy must ensure that individual departments—like the Department of Defense or Health and Human Services—comply with centralized security standards. In a system where every agency wants its own custom solution, the deputy has to be the one to say "no."

Strict hiring and conduct rules

Despite the "no theater" rhetoric and the push for ideological commitment, the hiring process follows federal anti-discrimination laws. The OMB confirmed that candidates will not be hired based on race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. The role is a high-stakes appointment that requires a Top Secret/SCI security clearance, involving a rigorous background check of the candidate’s finances, foreign contacts, and personal history.

The administration’s recent actions, including the closure of the Kennedy Center and changes to the East Wing, suggest a broader trend of cutting costs in areas deemed non-essential. The deputy CIO will likely be tasked with applying this same austerity to the tech stack. Any project that doesn't directly support the "mission" will likely face the chopping block.

The vacancy comes at a time when the U.S. government is facing increased pressure to modernize its cybersecurity defenses. With the rise of AI-driven threats and sophisticated ransomware attacks, the Deputy CIO’s office will be the front line for federal digital defense. The job isn't just about saving money; it's about making sure the lights stay on when the next major exploit hits.