US State Department Aims for 52 Bureau CDOs by 2029

The U.S. Department of State (DoS) plans to have a total of 52 Bureau Chief Data Officers (BCDO) in the next five years, according to Farakh Khan, Director of Communications, Culture, and Training at the agency’s Center for Analytics.

“We’re aiming for a total of 52 across the department. The goal of this is really to harness the power of data to advance diplomatic efforts, improve operational efficiency, and ensure transparency and accountability in the Department of State’s activities,” Khan told Fedscoop in an interview.

Launched in September 2022, the BCDO program was designed to enhance the department’s data utilization, governance, and management.

Khan noted that the program has already fostered improved knowledge sharing and collaboration across bureaus and has furthered the department's initiatives in artificial intelligence.

So far, the State Department has hired 14 people in BCDO roles, accounting for roughly 25% of its bureaus. However, according to Khan, newer positions are expected to be added.

“Having a senior data professional in a bureau enables having a subject matter expert and a point of contact for all of these things that are related to data and AI,” she added.