SES reform ideas: Feedback from stakeholders

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SES reform ideas: Feedback from stakeholders

The Office of Personnel Management received comments on its "Framework for Improving the Senior Executive Service" from 40 groups nationwide, including interested executives and administration officials, the President's Management Council and the Senior Executives Association.

Here is a breakdown of the responses OPM received:

I. Framework Ideas That Generated Positive Reaction/General Consensus

Changes requiring legislation:

-Increase agency flexibility for meeting short-term staffing needs, but in a way that addresses concerns about the potential for politicization.

-Enhance annual leave benefits for new appointees.

-Eliminate recertification and rely on strengthened performance appraisal.

-Increase Presidential Rank Award amounts and change them to a percentage of base pay (Congress already approved this measure).

-Delink senior executive pay from the Executive Schedule.

-Raise the aggregate limit on pay above current Executive Level I, but less than the Vice President's salary.

Changes OPM can initiate with revised regulations or guidance.

-Improve the selection process in agencies to ensure that executive qualifications are the major selection criteria and consider QRB delegation options.

-Promote increased use of succession planning as an integral part of agencies' ongoing management of their executive resources.

-Design strategies that promote accountability in dealing with performance problems in a fair but forceful manner.

-Strengthen Presidential Rank Award criteria to link with the Executive Core Qualifications and emphasize leadership and results.

-Foster the development of potential executives and continual learning for current executives to broaden perspectives and bring new insight to agency programs.

-Work with agencies to ensure that agency-developed executive and management development programs, including Candidate Development Programs, incorporate the Executive Core Qualifications and foster the identification and development of high-potential mid-level employees.

-Facilitate voluntary mobility within government and with the private sector.

-Use communications vehicles and electronic media to emphasize the benefits of mobility, to publicize developmental opportunities, and to distribute resumes of "mobile" executives.

-Establish a centralized clearinghouse of developmental opportunities.

Changes Requiring Agency Head Leadership:

-Emphasize the importance of leadership in the selection, development, and management of agency executives.

-Increase the use of succession planning as an integral part of ongoing management of executive resources.

-Hold executives accountable for producing results, reward those who are successful, and remove those who are not.

-Promote continual learning among current executives and candidates.

-Encourage voluntary mobility as a means for broadening an executive's experience base and bringing new ideas to the agency.

II. Framework Ideas That Need More Study/Discussion

-Redefine a "Senior Executive" position.

There was no consensus for radical statutory change. However, there was general agreement to explore administrative options that focus attention on leadership and increase agency flexibilities for moving individuals from the SES to other senior systems.

-Create a Senior Professional Corps.

-Preserve noncareer appointment limitations.

While preserving noncareer appointment limitations was not a major issue of itself, the concern about increasing noncareer appointments and circumventing limitations was often expressed in connection with increasing agency flexibilities.

-Strengthen the "career reserved" concept. Eliminate the numerical floor and rely on application of the statutory criteria.

There was general support for strengthening the criteria and agreement that relying solely on numbers rather than criteria often presented problems for agencies. However, there was concern that eliminating the career reserved floor might contribute to politicization.

-Extend SES probationary period to 2 years.

-Increase performance bonus limits and eliminate bonus pools.

-Make performance options more flexible.

-Consider making more of base pay subject to performance considerations.

III. Framework Ideas That Were Generally Rejected

-Replace performance appraisal and recertification with a 3-year performance agreement and annual progress reviews.

Commenters preferred instead to eliminate recertification and use an improved annual performance appraisal system to hold executives accountable for performance and results.

-Change the Meritorious Rank Award to an agency-based award.

-Make mobility a requirement.

However, there was general support for voluntary mobility and for initiatives that would facilitate mobility and there was recognition that broadening an executive's experience base is important.

-Require SES appointees to have experience in more than one agency or program to get a rank award or to advance in pay above ES-3.

IV. Framework Ideas That Didn't Generate Strong Comment

-Maintain centralized allocations.

-Establish qualifications criteria for senior civil service positions.

-Continue OPM approval for noncareer-type appointments.