Chief Information Officer (cio)

Primary definition

Agency official responsible for: (1) providing advice and other assistance to the head of the executive agency and other senior management personnel of the agency to ensure that information systems are acquired and information resources are managed in a manner that is consistent with laws, Executive Orders, directives, policies, regulations, and priorities established by the head of the agency; (2) developing, maintaining, and facilitating the implementation of a sound and integrated information system architecture for the agency; and (3) promoting the effective and efficient design and operation of all major information resources management processes for the agency, including improvements to work processes of the agency. Note: Organizations subordinate to federal agencies may use the term Chief Information Officer to denote individuals filling positions with similar security responsibilities to agency-level Chief Information Officers. Source: 40 U.S.C. Sec. 1425 (b); NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4

Also known asCIO · Chief Information Officer · Chief IT Officer · Information Technology Director · IT Director · Director of Information Technology · Head of IT · Senior Information Officer
3 sources cited4 related termsReviewed Aug 9, 2026
Committee on National Security Systems Glossary CNSSI 4009-2015View source

Understand more election terms clearly

Get one important election term explained each week, with authoritative sources, practical context and related definitions.

Free. One useful email each week. Unsubscribe anytime.Learn more about the ESG newsletter →
CNSSGC

Agency official responsible for: (1) providing advice and other assistance to the head of the executive agency and other senior management personnel of the agency to ensure that information systems are acquired and information resources are managed in a manner that is consistent with laws, Executive Orders, directives, policies, regulations, and priorities established by the head of the agency; (2) developing, maintaining, and facilitating the implementation of a sound and integrated information system architecture for the agency; and (3) promoting the effective and efficient design and operation of all major information resources management processes for the agency, including improvements to work processes of the agency. Note: Organizations subordinate to federal agencies may use the term Chief Information Officer to denote individuals filling positions with similar security responsibilities to agency-level Chief Information Officers. Source: 40 U.S.C. Sec. 1425 (b); NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4

Committee on National Security Systems Glossary CNSSI 4009-2015 · 2024

Cite this term

Permanent URL · stable across revisions
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Chief Information Officer (cio). In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 20, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/chief-information-officer-cio

Sources

3 cited · last checked Aug 9, 2026

01

Committee on National Security Systems Glossary CNSSI 4009-2015
Committee on National Security Systems Glossary CNSSI 4009-2015

High consensus

View source

02

NICCS Glossary
NICCS Glossary

Disputed

View source

03

The Cyber Glossary
The Cyber Glossary

Multi-source

View source

Get the weekly election term

Receive one cited, source-backed election explanation in your inbox each week.

Get election terms explained weekly →
Free · Nonpartisan · Unsubscribe anytime.
Continue Research

Keep going from here

Three ways to go deeper on governance and adjacent terminology.