Senior Executive Service Executive Core Qualifications Preparing for the SES

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Senior Executive Service Executive Core
QualificationsPreparing for the SES
UNITED STATES OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
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Agenda

• Welcome
• Background / Purpose
• Senior Executive Service Candidate Development
  Program (SES CDP) Scope
• Introduction of Speaker
• Presentation

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Background/Purposeof the SES CDP

• Develop a cadre of leaders standing ready to step
  into executive level positions
• Strengthen participants Executive Core
  Qualifications (ECQs)
• Enhance participants familiarity with the
  organization and operations of DHS at the
  executive level

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Purpose of the Webinar

• Provide information on
• ECQs
• Leadership Competencies
• ECQ certification
• Resume writing

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Program Scope

• Target audience GS-15 or equivalent
• Posting of announcement Open 30 days
• Length of program 18-24 months
• Completion of program does not guarantee an SES
  appointment

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Introduction of Speaker

• Nicole Wright is a Human Resources (HR)
  Specialist with the U.S. Office of Personnel
  Management (OPM). She serves as the Program
  Manager for the SES Qualifications Review Boards
  (QRB) administered by OPM, which certifies the
  executive qualifications of individuals for
  initial appointment into the SES (QRB). Prior to
  joining OPM, Nicole worked as an HR Specialist
  with the Office of the Secretary of Defense and
  served in the U.S. Army for more than 11 years.

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Topics

• The Qualifications Review Board (QRB) and its
  functions
• Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and
  leadership competencies
• ECQs and the Resume
• Writing Tips 

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• The Qualifications Review Board (QRB) and its
  functions

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Qualifications Review Board

• Certifies the executive qualifications of all new
  career SES appointees and Candidate Development
  Program graduates.
• Is composed of three SES, each from a different
  agency, with at least two Board members being
  career appointees.
• Convenes weekly in person or virtually.
• Names of members and their organizations not
  subject to release.

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Role of the QRB

• Assesses the overall scope, quality, and depth of
  a candidate's executive qualifications.
• Determines whether the candidate has demonstrated
  executive level expertise and possesses the
  executive qualifications needed for entry and
  success in the SES.
• Ensures that all new SES and SESCDP graduates
  have a broad perspective of government. The focus
  is on executive skills and not technical
  expertise.
• Makes the final determination about the
  candidate's executive core qualifications.
• Does not rate, rank, or compare one candidate's
  qualifications against those of other candidates.

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Submission Criterion

• Agencies forward the candidate's application
  package to OPM for presentation to a QRB on the
  basis of one of the following criteria
• Criterion (A) demonstrated executive
  experience
• Criterion (B) successful completion of a
  formal,
  
  
  
  OPM-approved SES candidate development program
  (CDP). Candidates that are certified by a QRB
  may be appointed to the SES
  without further competition. (Must still meet
  any position specific mandatory technical
  qualifications.)
• Criterion (C) possession of special or
  unique
• qualifications that indicate a likelihood of
  executive
• success

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Case Disposition

• An OPM staff member serves as a QRB Administrator
  for each Board.
• The Board members independently review one QRB
  case at a time.
• The final decision to approve or disapprove is by
  majority vote.
• QRB decisions are recorded along with any
  recommendations.
• Selecting agency is notified usually the same
  day. The agency may then appoint the individual
  to the SES.
• QRB certification does not expire.

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• Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and
  Leadership Competencies

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Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ)

• Describe the leadership skills needed to succeed
  in the SES (5 U.S.C. 3393)
• Reinforce the concept of an SES corporate
  culture
• Assist in assessing executive experience and
  potential (not technical expertise)
• Measures whether an individual has the broad
  executive skills needed to succeed in a variety
  of SES positions
• Are interdependent (successful performance in the
  SES requires competence in each ECQ)
• Must be certified by a QRB convened by OPM for
  all initial career appointments to the SES

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Executive Core Qualification Competencies

• 5 Meta-Leadership SES core qualifications
• Leading Change
• Leading People
• Results Driven
• Business Acumen
• Building Coalitions
• 28 competencies personal and professional
  attributes that are critical to successful
  performance in the SES
• 22 competencies specific to ECQs
• 6 fundamental competencies serve as the
  foundation for success in each of the ECQs

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Leading Change

• Involves the ability to bring about strategic
  change, both within and outside the organization,
  to meet organizational goals.
• Inherent is the ability to establish an
  organizational vision and to implement it in a
  continuously changing environment.

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Leading Change Competencies

• Creativity and Innovation New insights
  encourages new ideas and innovations
• External Awareness Up to date on local,
  national and international policies and trends
• Flexibility Open to change and adapts to
  changing conditions or unexpected obstacles
• Resilience Deals effectively with pressure
• Strategic Thinking Formulates objectives and
  priorities and implements plans
• Vision Acts as catalyst for organizational
  change and translates vision into action

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Leading ChangeWhat should the focus be?

• In describing your experience and
  accomplishments, here are some questions to ask
• What was my organizational vision?
• How did I transcend my vision into action? What
  initiative did I take?
• Did I strategically initiate and implement
  transformational change?
• Did my vision achieve measurable results that
  impacted the organization?

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Leading People

• Involves the ability to lead people toward
  meeting the organization's vision, mission, and
  goals.
• Inherent is the ability to provide an inclusive
  workplace that fosters the development of others,
  facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and
  supports constructive resolution of conflicts.

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Leading People Competencies

• Conflict Management Anticipates and takes steps
  to prevent counter-productive confrontations
• Leveraging Diversity Fosters an inclusive
  workplace where diversity and differences are
  valued
• Developing Others Develops the ability of
  others to perform and contribute to the
  organization
• Team Building Inspires and fosters team
  commitment. Facilitates cooperation and motivates
  to accomplish goals

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Leading PeopleWhat should the focus be?

• In describing your experience and
  accomplishments, here are some questions to ask
• What is the staff size I have led?
• Was I leading versus managing?
• How did I lead my team through a challenge? How
  did I motivate them to achieve set goals?
• How did I contribute to the professional
  development of my employees (individually or as a
  team)
• How did I deal with conflicts that arose within
  my team?
• How did I leverage diversity amongst my team?
  (age, cultural, race, skill levels)

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Results Driven

• Involves the ability to meet organizational goals
  and customer expectations.
• Inherent is the ability to make decisions that
  produce high-quality results by applying
  technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and
  calculating risks.

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Results Driven Competencies

• Accountability Holds self and others
  accountable for measurable high-quality, timely
  and cost-effective results
• Customer Service Anticipates and meets the
  needs of both internal and external customers
• Decisiveness Makes well-informed, effective,
  timely decisions with limited data
• Entrepreneurship Positions the organization for
  success by identifying new opportunities
• Problem Solving Identifies and analyzes
  problems
• Technical Credibility Appropriately applies
  principles, procedures and regulations related to
  specialized expertise

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Results DrivenWhat should the focus be?

• In describing your experience and
  accomplishments, here are some questions to ask
• How did the priorities and objectives I set lead
  to high quality/quantity results?
• How did I address the needs of customers and
  stakeholders (internal and external)?
• How did my decisions and actions impact results?
• Did I identify problems and implement solutions
  that resulted in improving services?

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Business Acumen

• Involves the ability to manage human, financial,
  and information resources strategically.

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Business Acumen (Competencies)

• Financial Management Prepares, justifies, and
  administers program budget. Oversees procurement
  and contracting
• Human Capital Management Recruits, builds, and
  manages multi-sector workforce and manages a
  variety of work situations
• Technology Management Makes effective use of
  technology to achieve results

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Business AcumenWhat should the focus be?

• In describing your experience and
  accomplishments, here are some questions to ask
• What is my experience in creating and
  administering budgets and resources?
• How did I procure and utilize resources?
• What was the size of budget and resources I
  managed? How much money saved?
• What is my experience with a multi-sector
  workforce? Percentage of backlog
  eliminated/reduced? Length of processing time
  reduced?
• How did I utilize technology to create or improve
  programs?

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Building Coalitions

• Involves the ability to build coalitions
  internally and with other Federal
  agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit
  and private sector organizations, foreign
  governments, or international organizations to
  achieve common goals.

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Building Coalitions (Competencies)

• Partnering Develops networks and builds
  alliances
• Political Savvy Perceives organizational and
  political realities and acts accordingly
• Influencing/Negotiating Persuades others and
  builds consensus through give and take. Gains
  cooperation from others to accomplish goals

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Building CoalitionsWhat should the focus be?

• In describing your experience and
  accomplishments, here are some questions to ask
• What groups/networks (internal and external) did
  I partner with to achieve a goal?
• How did I bring groups together? What challenges
  did I face doing that?
• What did I do to build coalitions?

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Fundamental Competencies

• The resume shows mastery of these fundamental
  competencies overall.
• Competencies
• Interpersonal Skills
• Oral Communication
• Integrity/Honesty
• Written Communication
• Continual Learning
• Public Service Motivation

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• ECQs and the Resume

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The Resume

• Keep the ECQs in mind as you write your resume
• Ensure accomplishments are relevant to, and
  focused on, demonstrated executive leadership,
  and show possession of the ECQs
• Give specific information about your
  accomplishments and achievements
• Ensure your experiences match the competencies
• Include awards that relate specifically to a
  competency

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The Resume

• Resume should show
• Complexity taking more things, people, data,
  concepts or completeness into account (i.e., size
  of staff, size of budget, size of
  organization)
• Scope/Breadth of Impact (outcome/results) the
  number and position of people affected the size
  of the problem addressed track record of
  successful performance in a variety of
  agencies/departments/areas

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• SAMPLE

• RESUME

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• SAMPLE

• RESUME

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• SAMPLE

• RESUME

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The Resume Rating Scale
Top Group Experience based on scope, complexity, quality and depth at an executive level. Full mastery of ECQs and technical competencies, if applicable Highly recommended for interview
Middle Group Limited experience in scope, complexity, quality and depth of experiences at an executive level. Partial mastery of ECQs and technical competencies, if applicable. May be recommended for interview
Bottom Group Experience limited and narrow in scope and complexity. Limited mastery of ECQs and technical competencies. Not recommended for interview
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• Writing Tips

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Reviewing and Writing Tips

• Make sure
• Majority of competencies are addressed
• To quantify experience and accomplishments
  (numbers, percentages, and timelines)
• To highlight measurable results (whenever
  possible)
• Experiences beyond 10 years are briefly discussed
• To proofread (review by one or more executives is
  encouraged)
• To spell out acronyms

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Reviewing and Writing Tips

• Avoid
• Avoid writing a description of duties
• Vague statements
• Grammatical errors and typos

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Resources

• Guide to SES Qualifications
• www.opm.gov/ses/references/GuidetoSESQuals_2010.pd
  f

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Senior Executive ServiceExecutive Core
QualificationsPreparing for the SES