Claire M. Grady became the Under Secretary for Management (USM) on August 8, 2017. In this role, she was the third-in-command of the Department and oversaw a budget of $60 billion and a workforce of 240,000 dedicated homeland security professionals.
As USM, Ms. Grady was responsible for the Department’s management and administration, with a focus on integrating and unifying the third largest department in the Federal Government. She oversaw all aspects of the Department’s management programs in support of homeland security operations, including financial management, human capital, information technology, procurement, security, and asset management.
Ms. Grady has also served as the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Deputy Secretary. She has more than 20 years of experience in acquisition, previously serving as the Director of Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy for the Department of Defense (DOD). Prior to joining DOD, she served in several positions within DHS.
From 2013 to 2015, she served as the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Deputy Assistant Commandant for Acquisition, and Director of Acquisition Services. She also served as USCG’s Head of Contracting Activity from 2007-2013, where she led the development and implementation of procurement policy and operations supporting the diverse portfolio of USCG. In addition, Ms. Grady previously served as the Director of Strategic Initiatives in the Management Directorate’s Office of the Chief Procurement Officer. There she provided strategic direction impacting DHS’s multibillion-dollar contracting and financial assistance programs through a broad portfolio of initiatives, including contracting policy, grants policy and oversight, strategic sourcing, competitive sourcing, and acquisition systems.
In 2010, Ms. Grady was recognized with the Presidential Rank Award of meritorious executive.
She received a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland, and a Master of Science in national resource strategy from National Defense University’s Industrial College of the Armed Forces.