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THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE


rest of the federal workforce.


Senior Executive Service (SES) members operate and oversee every government activity in about 75 federal agencies such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Defense Information Systems Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Missile Defense Agency, National Geo spatial-Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency.


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SES executives manage many of the federal government’s important programs in national security and defense; science and technology; agriculture; the environment; and, information technol- ogy.


Selection to the SES is based on qualifications and criteria set by the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The OPM helps make sure the government selects strong leaders by developing the core qualifications used to test new career appoin- tees to the SES and by administering peer review boards which evaluate whether candidates possess essential leadership qualifica- tions. Typically, the federal government requires five executive core qualifications statements for SES positions: Leading Change, Leading People, Results Driven, Business Acumen, and Building Coalitions/Communications The SES was established by Title IV of the Civil Service Re-


form Act of 1978 and became effective on July 13, 1979. The Act envisioned a service whose members have shared values, a broad


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he Senior Executive Service is a corps of more than 6000 men and women who administer public pro- grams at top levels of the federal government. They serve in key positions just below presidential appoin- tees, forming a link between these appointees and the


perspective of government, and solid executive skills. The SES’s purpose was to “ensure the executive management of the Govern- ment of the United States is responsive to the needs, policies, and goals of the nation and otherwise is of the highest quality.” To achieve this, the reform act gave greater authority to agen- cies to manage executive resources and assigned OPM responsibil- ity for federal leadership, direction, and oversight. The act replaced over sixty executive personnel authorities covering from one to several thousand positions. Top management jobs that had been subject to disparate rules and practices, with requirements for prior approval of almost every personnel action, were joined into a uni- fied and distinct personnel system that provided for considerable agency authority and flexibility. In 1980, the Senior Executives Association (SEA) was founded as a tax exempt, non-profit corporation representing the interests of men and women in the senior executive service. Over the last decade, SEA’s involvement on policy issues affecting the SES has been instrumental in raising the profile of Senior Executives and driving the conversation in Congress on SES policies. Through outreach and education efforts to congress and the administration, SEA has a significant voice in policy discussions that cover a range of issues, including pay reform, diversity in the SES, hiring reform, and career leadership issues. The SEA promotes ethical and dynamic public service by foster- ing an outstanding career executive corps, advocates the interests of career federal executives in the senior executive service (both active and retired), and provides information and services to SEA members. SEA has chapters across the country in all federal regions, as well as in departments and agencies in Washington, D.C. The association en-


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