“Preparing for the Senior Executive Service (SES)” Welcome and Overview

1. “Preparing for the Senior Executive Service (SES)”Welcome and Overview

2. Administrative Issues • Restrooms • Emergency exits • Emergency procedures • Break • Cell phones and pagers off, please!

3. Getting to Know You • Taking turns, share your own “60-second commercial” with your partner, being sure to highlight or mention: • Your name • Your current role and responsibilities • Your previous positions/roles within the EPA • What you hope to get out of this course • How you initially got into EPA

4. Workshop Goal • The overall goal of the “Preparing for SES” workshop is to provide you with information on OPM’s SES Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) so that you can use it as a framework to strengthen your personal leadership skills.

5. Workshop Objectives • Describe background on Senior Executive Service (SES) • Define the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) criteria used by OPM to evaluate candidates applying for SES positions • Outline overall SES selection procedure • Outline ways of writing effective ECQ statements

6. Workshop Objectives (cont’d.) • Outline ways of writing effective ECQ statements pertaining to Business Acumen in the context of EPA ORD culture • Identify and utilize available support resources and training opportunities for achieving the ECQs required for entry into the SES • Describe ways of addressing ECQs as part of participants’ career development plan

7. Workshop Agenda • Introduction and Overview • Module 1: Introduction to SES • Break • Module 2: Writing Effective ECQ Statements • Module 3: Career Development and Resources • Review and Wrap-Up

8. Workshop Materials • Participant Workbook

9. Module 1: Introduction to SES

10. Module Objectives • Explain what is expected of candidates applying for SES positions in the Federal Government • Define the ECQ criteria used by OPM to evaluate candidates applying for SES positions • Define ECQ • List ECQs required for SES positions • Define competencyand list fundamental competencies • Relate competencies to ECQs

11. Module Objectives (cont’d.) • Outline the overall SES selection procedure • Describe merit competition • State the role of the Qualifications Review Board (QRB) in the SES selection procedure

12. What is SES?

13. Overview • SES, established by Title IV of the Civil Service Reform Act, became effective in 1979 • Purpose—“to ensure that the executive management of the Government of the United States is responsive to the needs, policies, and goals of the nation and otherwise is of the highest quality”

14. Positions Available and Compensation • The SES generally covers managerial, supervisory, and policy positions above GS-15 that are not filled by Presidential appointment with Senate confirmation. • New SES pay range has • A minimum rate of basic pay equal to 120% of the rate for GS-15, Step 1 • The maximum rate of basic pay is equal to the rate for Level III of the Executive Schedule

15. Requirements for SES Positions

16. Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) • ECQs are core qualifications used to test new career appointees to SES

17. Competencies • Competencies are the personal and professional attributes that are critical to successful performance in the SES • 6 cross-cutting fundamental competencies • Interpersonal Skills • Oral Communication • Integrity/Honesty • Written Communication • Continual Learning • Public Service Motivation

18. ECQs and Competencies

19. SES Selection Procedure

20. Selection Procedure

21. Qualifications Review Board (QRB) Role • Provides an independent peer review of applications for initial career appointment to SES • QRB members • Review each application and decide if the candidate’s experience meets the ECQs • Do not rate, rank, or compare the candidate’s qualifications against those of other candidates

22. Any Questions?

23. Module 2: Writing Effective ECQs

24. Module Objectives • Outline ways of writing effective ECQ statements • Describe the Challenge-Context-Action-Result model • Distinguish between good (well-written) and bad (poorly written) ECQ statements • Outline ways of writing effective ECQ statements

25. Module Objectives (cont’d.) • Outline ways of writing effective ECQ statements pertaining to Business Acumen in the context of EPA ORD culture • Explain the meaning of the term Business Acumen in the context of EPA ORD culture • Relate examples pertaining to Business Acumen in the context of EPA ORD culture

26. Types of ECQs

27. ECQs Required for SES, Revisited

28. ECQ: Leading Change • Involves ability to bring about strategic change, both inside and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals • Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment

29. Competencies for Leading Change ECQ • Creativity and Innovation • External Awareness • Flexibility • Resilience • Strategic Thinking • Vision

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

31. Competencies for Leading People ECQ • Conflict Management • Leveraging Diversity • Developing Others • Team-Building

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

33. Competencies for Results-Driven ECQ • Accountability • Customer Service • Decisiveness • Entrepreneurship • Problem-Solving • Technical Credibility

34. ECQ: 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

35. Competencies for Building Coalitions ECQ • Partnering • Political Savvy • Influencing/Negotiating

36. ECQ: Business Acumen • Involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically

37. Competencies for Business Acumen ECQ • Financial Management • Human Capital Management • Technology Management

38. Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) Model

39. How Does QRB Review ECQs? • The key is specific information about your achievements • The QRB is looking for specific challenges, actions, and results when reviewing ECQs • The number of examples is not as important as ensuring that your experience matches the ECQ criteria

40. The CCAR Model • The CCAR model provides a framework for writing effective ECQs

41. Describe a specific problem or goal Challenge

42. Talk about the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked, to tackle a particular challenge E.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress; environment of shrinking budget, low morale Context

43. Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge Action

44. Give specific examples of the results of your actions. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills Result

45. Additional Tips • Use “plain English” and minimize technical jargon • Use clear, concise statements (1–1.5 pages for each ECQ) written in the first person • Spell out all acronyms • Describe recent education and training that enhanced your skills in a particular ECQ • Include non-Federal experience (e.g., private- sector, volunteer, and professional organizations) if it demonstrates executive qualifications

46. Additional Tips (cont’d.) • Don’t forget to include special assignments (e.g., details, task forces, committees) if they are relevant to an ECQ • Avoid statements that describe your personal beliefs or philosophies; focus on specific challenges and results. • Include awards that relate specifically to an ECQ • If possible, quantify/qualify your accomplishments

47. Individual/Group Activity Recognize the Golden ECQ! • A total of 15 minutes • Identify ECQ statements conformant to the CCAR model • Identify at least one CCAR component from the CCAR-conformant sample

48. Golden ECQ Statement: Sample A Compare Your Answer • [Challenge]Several years ago I led the development of a controversial plan to close a Veterans Affairs (VA) nursing home that had been in the neighborhood for 40 years. • [Context] The nursing home had been losing money for several years. In addition, the Medical Center’s 5-year budget did not include funding for much needed repair work at the aging facility.

49. Golden ECQ Statement: Sample A Compare Your Answer (cont’d.) • [Action] I spent 6 months negotiating with union representatives, VA patients and their families. • [Result]The plan to close the nursing home was accepted by VA headquarters after intense negotiations with union officials, congressional offices, patients, and the affiliated university. • [Result] In addition to saving the Department approximately $4 million annually, we found new Federal positions for all displaced employees and received minimal complaints from VA patients and their families.

50. Writing Effective ECQ Statements