The Defense Department’s top civilian personnel official is leaving the Pentagon for a job in the Navy.

DoD’s Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Civilian Personnel Policy Paige Hinkle-Bowles will be the new Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Civilian Human Resources.

Hinkle-Bowles will take over for Patricia Adams, who recently retired.

Hinkle-Bowles is currently in charge of development and oversight of civilian personnel plans, policies and programs that affect more than 900,000 DoD civilian employees.

Hinkle-Bowles’ deputy Julie Blanks will be filling in until DoD decides who will permanently take the position.

Her exit comes as the DoD begins offering phased retirement for the civilian workforce. The program allows retirees who are in the program to work part-time at their posts for up to a year, while receiving half of their salary and half of their accumulated retirement annuity. During the transition, outgoing federal workers mentor employees seeking to take over their workplace responsibilities.

Hinkle-Bowles’ position at the Navy will develop civilian policies and programs that involve the service’s nearly 200,000 civilian employees.

While serving at DoD, Hinkle-Bowles oversaw the creation of the New Beginnings initiative, which requires more frequent reviews between supervisors and employees and a linkage between performance and rewards such as bonuses and promotions.

Before her current position Hinkle-Bowles was the principal director to the deputy assistant secretary of defense for civilian personal policy. While in that position she helped lead a team to better prepare service members to civilian life.

Hinkle-Bowles also worked as deputy director of force management policy in the Air Force.

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