ALBANY — Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo has chosen two prominent aides of the past two governors for senior posts in his administration.

Cuomo said yesterday that Gov. Paterson’s secretary and chief of staff, Larry Schwartz, would serve as a “senior adviser” assisting with the transition.

Paul Francis, who served as budget director and then state operations director for former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, was named to the newly created post of director of agency redesign and efficiency.

Francis will oversee a politically painful consolidation of services as the state faces a $10 billion deficit.

“Paul knows as much about how the private sector works as he does about how government works, and this is exactly the type of experience and perspective we need,” Cuomo said in a press release.