Homeland Security faces continued vacancies in high-level jobs
By Elizabeth Newell enewell@govexec.com July 9, 2007
Vacancies in senior leadership positions at the Homeland Security Department are a vulnerability demanding immediate attention, the House Homeland Security Committee stated in a report released Monday.
According to the report, the department has 575 positions in the highest federal salary bands, referred to as executive resources. These include positions filled by presidential appointment, Senior Executive Service members and other appointments for nonexecutive positions above the GS-15 level. Of the 575, 138 were vacant as of May 1, the committee said.
The report said the vacancies are "a critical homeland security issue that demands immediate attention," but did not make specific recommendations for action.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which was overhauled after Hurricane Katrina and has faced extensive pressure to meet hiring goals, continues to have the largest number of senior level vacancies despite several hiring frenzies in anticipation of hurricane season. FEMA does not, however, have the largest number of vacancies relative to the number of total executive resources.
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