An inadequately funded office will not be able to perform the functions required by law, and thus will lack true independence. The Ombudsman spends budgeted funds independent of any approving authority and accounts for its expenses directly to the legislative body. The Ombudsman has the sole power to appoint and remove staff. The Ombudsman is an institution most often headed by one person or occasionally a board appointed or confirmed by the legislative body. The Ombudsman has the power to delegate responsibilities to staff.
Staff often perform work that is sensitive, delicate or confidential.
The Ombudsman must have confidence in them. The Ombudsman has the sole power to appoint and remove staff to ensure that staff will have the Ombudsman's full confidence and to ensure that the Ombudsman has sole responsibility for administering the office. Legislative bodies do not appoint or confirm staff because that would politicize the office. In some countries where government employees are appointed by a public service commission, the Ombudsman is directly involved in the commission's selection process. In countries where staff are seconded from other agencies, the choice of whom to accept or to return to service in the original agency is the Ombudsman's alone.