Palestra proferida por Timothy M. Dirks, diretor de associação americana análoga à Anesp, no segundo dia do Congresso Brasileiro de Gestores Públicos - CBGP.

1. U.S. FEDERAL SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE
ITS PURPOSE, FEATURES, CHALLENGES AND ROLE IN POLICY
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION
Presented by: Timothy M. Dirks
Director, Member and Agency Liaison
Senior Executives Association
10/11/2013
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© 2013 by the Senior Executives Association

2. History of the U.S. Civil Service
• U.S. Constitution of 1789 Established Federal Government
• Early U.S. Presidents Appointed Persons to all Federal Jobs
Based on Political Affiliation – “The Spoils System”
• Pendleton Act of 1883 Established the U.S. Civil Service
Commission (CSC) and Required Merit Based Hiring
• By the mid 1900s most Federal jobs filled Competitively
• Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 Overhauled the U.S. Civil
Service System – Eliminated Outmoded CSC
• Created the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
to Set Policy/Guide Human Resources (HR) Management
• Created the Merit Systems Protection to Safeguard Merit
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© 2012 by the Senior Executives Association

3. Civil Service Reform Act
• Key Distinctions between Political and Career
Executives in Terms of Hiring, Pay and Tenure
• Created the Senior Executive Service (SES) to
Improve Management of Government Programs
• SES a Carefully Balanced Reward vs. Risk System
• Pay for Performance for SES Career Leaders
based on Management Achievements
• Managerial Accountability and Risk for Career
SES – Easier to Remove, Demote or Reassign
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© 2012 by the Senior Executives Association

4. SES System – Purpose and Key Features
• SES not the only Leadership System in Federal
Government – But the Most Important One
• Major Purpose: Create Highly Talented and
Responsive Leaders to Manage Key Programs
• SES Comprised of 7,000 and 8,000 positions out
of a total Federal workforce of 1.8 million
• SES HR policies different than those for other
workers under the General Schedule (GS)
• Political SES Appointees up to 10% of all SES
• Career SES Leaders Work under Political Direction
of President and his Self Appointed Agency Heads
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© 2012 by the Senior Executives Association

5. SES Role in Policy Planning & Implementation
• President, Agency Heads and Political SES Develop
Policy Strategy and Direction for Government
• Agency Heads and Political SES Executives Change
with each new Presidential Administration
• Career SES Executives do not Change and Provide
Continuity and Ongoing Program Management
• Career Executives Primarily Focused on Policy
Interpretation and Implementation
• Political Boss may ask Career SES to help Develop
Policy Based on Job, Expertise and Relationship
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© 2012 by the Senior Executives Association

6. SES Workforce: System Overview
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Currently 7,100 Career SES in 75 Different Agencies
OPM Allocates SES Jobs based on Agencies’ Needs
66% SES Executives are Men and 34% are Women
Average Age for Executive in the SES is 54
Average Age for Rest of Federal Workforce is 46
About 700 SES Career Executives Hired each year
Annual Turnover in Career SES Jobs is Just Over 8%
Annual Turnover for Other Federal Workers is 5%
Average Annual Pay for SES is $166,529 per year
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© 2012 by the Senior Executives Association

7. Selection For SES Positions
• Political (i.e., non-Career) SES Jobs Filled by U.S.
President or Agency Heads Non-Competitively
• Career SES Jobs Filled Competitively based on Merit
• Recruitment is Usually Nationwide – all Sources
• Both Agency Head and OPM’s Qualification Review
Board must approve Career SES appointments
• New SES Hires must Satisfactorily Complete 1 year
Probationary Period – if not, removed from SES
• No Appeal Rights if Probationer Removed
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© 2012 by the Senior Executives Association

8. SES Performance Evaluation
• No Formal Appraisal for Political SES Executives
• Career SES Appraised Annually based on Formal
Plan Created Jointly by SES and his/her Boss
• Plan Contains Clear Performance Goals and Metrics
• Each SES given Rating Ranging from Outstanding to
Unacceptable – Vast Majority are Satisfactory
• Those with Satisfactory or Above Ratings Eligible
for Pay Increases and Cash Performance Bonuses
• Those with Unacceptable Ratings Reassigned or
Removed from the SES
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© 2012 by the Senior Executives Association

9. SES Pay for Performance
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Political SES eligible for Pay Increases not Bonuses
Career SES Eligible for Pay Increases, Bonuses, and
Presidential Rank Awards
Pay Range in SES is from $119,554 to $179,700
Only One Pay Increase per Year Allowed
Performance Bonuses can be from 5-20% of Basic Pay
Two Thirds of Career SES Received Bonuses in 2011
Average Performance Bonus in 2011 was $10,889
Two Levels of Rank Awards –Distinguished (35% of pay) and
Meritorious (20% of pay)
Only 1% of Career SES can get Distinguished; 5% Meritorious
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© 2012 by the Senior Executives Association

10. SES Work Schedule and Time-Off
• Executive Work Hours Unlimited, no Overtime Pay
• Expected to do Whatever it Takes to get Job Done
• SES Executives Earn 26 Days of Annual Leave per
Year and 13 Days of Sick Leave
• Can Accumulate up to 90 Days Unused Annual
Leave (other employees only 30 days)
• Paid for Unused Annual Leave upon Retirement or
Resignation
• Can Accumulate Unlimited Unused Sick Leave
• Unused Sick Leave Enlarges Retirement Pension
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© 2012 by the Senior Executives Association

11. Risks of Being a Career SES Executive
• Performance-Based Removal With No Appeal Rights
• Reassignment Outside Commuting Area – Limited
only by 60 Day Notice and “Get Acquainted” Rule
• 1 Year “No Contact” Restriction when SES Retires
• Defending Unjustified Employee Grievances/Appeals
• Being Subject of Formal Agency or Congressional
Mismanagement or “Whistleblower” Investigation
• Suffering from Over-Work and “Burn-Out”
• Being Marginalized by Layers of Political Bosses
• Ongoing Federal Workforce Pay Freeze = 3 Years+
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© 2012 by the Senior Executives Association

12. Current SES Issues and Challenges
• Difficulty in Leading Successfully in Current
Uncertain U.S. Budget and Political Environments
• Decline in Morale among Subordinates is Causing
Management and Productivity Problems for SES
• Congressional Investigations and Political Intrusion
Leading to Risk Aversion and Loss of Innovation
• Frustration with Pay Freeze, SES Bonus Limits and
Suspension of Presidential Rank Awards Program
• Increasing SES Turnover Causing “Brain Drain”
• Inadequate Preparation/Interest among Successors
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© 2012 by the Senior Executives Association

13. Role of the Senior Executives Association
• SEA is a Non-Profit organization in Washington, DC
with over 2,000 Current/Former Executive Members
• SEA is not Part of the U.S. Federal government
• SEA has several Missions and Key Goals:
-Improve efficiency and effectiveness of government
-Advance the professionalism, development, fair
treatment, and recognition of career SES leaders
-Advocate the interests of career SES with Congress and
the Administration in terms of pay and benefits
-Enhance public recognition of career SES achievements
• SEA is Governed by Board of Directors and Managed
by a President with the Assistance of a Small Staff 13
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© 2012 by the Senior Executives Association

14. Summary
• SES is a Key Component of the U.S. Government’s
Management and Policy system
• SES Career Corps is Selected, Promoted, Paid,
Retained and Removed based on Merit
• Career Executives Maintain Leadership Integrity and
Continuity during Presidential Transition; Operate
Impartially to Support Important U.S. Policy Goals
• SEA will Continue Advocating for Good Government
and Support and Celebrate the Talented Men and
Women who Comprise the Career SES Corps
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© 2012 by the Senior Executives Association

15. For Further Information
Carol A. Bonosaro, President, SEA
SEAPresident@seniorexecs.org, (202) 927-7000
Timothy M. Dirks, Director of Member & Agency Liaison
Dirks@seniorexecs.org, (202) 927-7000
Senior Executives Association
77 K Street N.E., Suite 2600
Washington, DC 20002
USA
Website: www.seniorexecs.org
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© 2012 by the Senior Executives Association