Divide and Conquer

Senior Civil Service

Create a Senior Civil Service for all jobs above GS-15. Divide the SCS into Senior Executive Corps (SEC) and a Senior Professional Corps (SPC). Place in the SPS those positions-currently nearly half the SES-that emphasize technical and professional expertise rather than the leadership skill required of true executives. Provide grandfather provisions and mechanisms for moving between the two corps.

Senior Executive Corps

Narrow the definition of jobs in the SEC to only those meeting these criteria:

• Directs the work of an organizational unit.
• Held accountable for the success of one or more specific programs or projects.
• Monitors progress toward, evaluates and adjusts organizational goals.
• Supervises employees other than personal assistants.
• Exercises important policy-making, policy-determining or other executive functions.

Senior Professional Corps

Combine the existing senior level and senior scientific/professional systems into the SPC. Give agencies total authority for SPC staffing. Give SPC members benefits comparable to the SEC, including 720 hours annual leave accrual.

Term Appointments

Combine SES limited and emergency term appointments into a single, noncompetitive three-year term appointment with OPM-authorized extensions of up to two more years. Keep the 5 percent governmentwide limit on these positions. Continue using them for emergencies and projects, but add other short-term staffing needs such as temporary promotions. Emphasize they cannot be used to circumvent noncareer limits.

Create a five-year competitive term appointment based on QRB certification with renewal or termination at the end of the term. Permit noncompetitive career appointment at the end of the five years, since the executives would be QRB-certified.

Probation

Extend senior executive probation from one year to two. Modify placement requirements for those removed during probation.

Performance Reviews and Bonuses

Replace annual appraisals and triennial recertification with three-year performance agreements and annual progress reviews. Change bonus limit to up to 30 percent of base pay. End limits on agency bonus pools.

Removal

Make it easier to move executives and to remove them on performance grounds.

Rank Awards

Make presidential rank awards more than just bonus supplements by aiming them at super-performers. Make meritorious rank awards agency-based. Distinguished awards would remain a presidential award open to SEC and SPC members. Grant Distinguished awards to 1 percent of the SCS, emphasizing executive excellence and service in more than one agency or program. Change award to a percentage of base pay.

Pay

Delink senior executive and congressional pay. Raise the senior executive pay limit to more than the Executive Level I limit (currently $148,400) and less than the Vice President's salary (currently $175,400).

Mobility

Make mobility a requirement to advance beyond the ES-3 pay level. Permit nonreimimbursable tryout details.