Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano is adding another federal agency to his portfolio, taking on the newly created role of Chief Executive Officer at the IRS while continuing to lead the Social Security Administration. The unusual dual-agency leadership arrangement was announced by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who himself will remain as IRS Acting Commissioner.
Under this new structure, Bisignano will report directly to Bessent while managing the day-to-day operations of the tax agency that processes hundreds of millions of returns annually. The appointment comes as the IRS works through major tax law implementations and staffing challenges.
A Private Sector Veteran Takes on Dual Government Roles
“Frank is a businessman with an exceptional track record of driving growth and efficiency in the private and now public sector,” Bessent stated in the announcement. “Under his leadership at the SSA, he has already made important and substantial progress, and we are pleased that he will bring this expertise to the IRS as we sharpen our focus on collections, privacy, and customer service.”
Bisignano brings more than four decades of leadership experience to the role, having previously served as Chairman and CEO of financial technology giant Fiserv. His resume also includes stints as co-Chief Operating Officer at J.P. Morgan Chase and leadership positions at Citigroup before entering government service.
Why tap someone already running one of America’s largest federal agencies? The Treasury Department appears to be betting that Bisignano’s technology and customer service focus at SSA aligns with the IRS’s modernization needs.
Balancing Two Critical Agencies
The arrangement raises questions about how effectively one person can manage two massive federal bureaucracies simultaneously. Bisignano, who was confirmed as Social Security Commissioner just this May, oversees an agency that distributes monthly payments to more than 74 million Americans. He had already pledged to improve customer service and enhance technology at SSA before adding the IRS responsibilities.
This dual-agency leadership structure appears to be without recent precedent in federal government. Bessent will maintain the title of Acting Commissioner while Bisignano handles operations as CEO — a corporate-style arrangement rarely seen in government agencies.
The IRS has faced significant challenges in recent years, including implementing major tax law changes, recovering from pandemic-era backlogs, and managing its workforce. The agency has also been working to deploy funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to modernize systems and improve taxpayer services.
“In an unusual arrangement, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will remain as acting commissioner of the IRS, which has had multiple chiefs over the past year,” one news outlet reported. “Bisignano will be in charge of managing the IRS and overseeing its day-to-day operations, while reporting to Bessent.”
Bisignano’s appointment signals a continued push to bring private sector management approaches to government agencies. Whether this corporate-inspired leadership model will deliver results for taxpayers and Social Security beneficiaries remains to be seen.
