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FCC Hiring Associate Managing Director New Media None Too Soon

20 12, 09 14:39

The above job posting, DEU-OMD-2010-0008, can be found on the FCC website.  The job description reads 
"As the Associate Managing Director New Media, the incumbent is charged with managing the Agency's new media efforts including responsibility for the Commission's web design, information and data architecture, data transparency and search operations. Advises the Managing Director and Chairman and Commissioners, on matters pertaining to new media issues.  The work involves identifying, planning, designing and recommending actions that will contribute to changing the existing systems and technologies into integrated enterprise systems that support the Commission's strategic goals and policies.  Oversees and leads the revitalizing and re-tooling of web and search services to increase participation and communications through the Agency's web site and other network services. Manages a team of data and web application developers in the execution of this effort.  Initiates and/or is apprised of all FCC's data transparency and web system architecture projects and assignments and advises the Managing Director on matters of major concern.  Coordinates routing matters and projects among the New Media and Technology staff where such coordination is required and in the day-to-day relationships acts for with the full confidence of the Managing Director.  Formulates, develops and implements policies, standards, criteria and guidelines for the implementation of online media initiatives; and defends the Agency's position on key/critical policy initiatives and issues.  Formulates, develops, recommends and implements long-range strategic plans for the evolution of the Agency's overall web design, information transparency, and open data initiatives.  Plans, manages and conducts comprehensive risk analysis and assessments of critical systems operations, to identify and quantify threats to the integrity and security of sensitive new media technology resources. Conducts continuous evaluations of the Commission's business needs by ensuring that the Agency can use the internet and other new media tools to broaden and strengthen the Agency's reach and presence.  Represents the Agency in conferences, planning and briefing sessions, etc., relative to plans and policies affecting new media technology." (Emphasis added)

Of course, it is almost impossible to read on the website itself because the text keep rolling on and on without a return (viewed in both Firefox and Google Chrome).  Thus new leadership for the website part of the FCC is desperately needed.  Note also who several fonts are used on this page without any particular logic.  Note the special instructions for "ICTAP eligible candidates" without any indication what that refers to.


Finally, since you have gotten this far on the web site, note that there are no vacancies listed for any entry level employees, engineers or otherwise.  This no doubt means that FCC has yet to start any college campus recruiting.  This is not the first time I have written about recruiting at FCC.  

FCC's ambivalence about recruiting top new graduates probably comes from budget watchers who don't want to do any recruiting until they know exactly what the new appropriation is.  Budget wonks: FCC has been around since 1934, its predecessors even earlier.  It will be here next year and for the next 10 years. How many entry level engineers will it need?  I don't know.  But it will certainly need at least 5 this year and possibly 10-20.  The personnel mess at FCC and many other federal agencies with an unbalanced age distribution, did not happen by accident.  It results from odd staffing decisions during the Reagan years when year after year hiring was deferred.  We are now seeing the inevitable consequences of not hiring then.

I was in the Air Force at the end of the Viet Nam War.  I was puzzled why the military was "hiring" lieutenants and privates while it was RIFing all sorts of other people.  A wise colonel explained that the only way to keep the long term personnel pool balanced is to continually have entry level hiring at some level.  FCC needs to learn that also.


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