Developing risk culture

Federal Insights

Developing risk culture

At the Justice Department, with so many operations, to look at risk on an enterprise level, what does that mean? Risk knowledge starts with line employees and moves...

Tom Temin@tteminWFED

February 24, 2017 1:02 pm

2 min read

The In Focus mini-series examines more closely issues and topics of importance to federal agencies and contractors. Each month, Federal News Radio speaks with key stakeholders to better understand challenges and opportunities. This month focuses on Governance, Risk and Compliance.

We were involved in the revision of circular A-123. It put enterprise risk management at the forefront, part of the mainstream control environment. At the Justice Department, with so many operations, to look at risk on an enterprise level, what does that mean? Risk knowledge starts with line employees and moves all the way up to policy-makers and those establishing the controls. So what issues cross cut? We do have information technology and law enforcement functions that go across agencies. Risk assessment must be continuous and pervasive, bringing in elements of knowledge management. It’s important to build a culture where people can speak their mind and that’s accepted by leadership. In IT, legacy systems are an issue; do we build new or modernize? We think the iterative, agile approach has shown to help mitigate risks of development projects.

Host

Federal Drive host Tom Temin

Tom Temin, Federal News Radio

Tom Temin has been the host of the Federal Drive since 2006. Tom has been reporting on and providing insight to technology markets for more than 30 years. Prior to joining Federal News Radio, Tom was a long-serving editor-in-chief of Government Computer News and Washington Technology magazines. Tom also contributes a regular column on government information technology.

Guest

Jason Malmstrom, Assistant Inspector General, Audit Division, DOJ Office of Inspector General

Jason R. Malmstrom is the Assistant Inspector General for the Audit Division at the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General (OIG). Mr. Malmstrom joined the OIG in June 2002 as a Program Analyst in the Chicago Regional Audit Office, contributing to and leading performance audits concerning the Department’s international law enforcement efforts and its evolution and expansion in areas of national security. Following his field experience, Mr. Malmstrom was promoted in 2008 to Program Manager in the Office of Operations and in 2010 to Senior Policy Advisor in the Immediate Office of the Assistant Inspector General for Audit, where he was responsible for overseeing the OIG’s audit strategy and efforts concerning FBI and national security-related matters. In 2014, Mr. Malmstrom was selected as the Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Audit, and in February 2015 Inspector General Horowitz appointed Mr. Malmstrom the Assistant Inspector General for Audit. For his contributions and leadership, Mr. Malmstrom has received numerous awards from the OIG and the larger IG community. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Aurora University and a Master of Public Administration from Northern Illinois University.