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Senior Executive Service

The Senior Executive Service (SES)
The SES is a corps of men and women who administer public programs at the top levels of Federal Government. Positions are primarily managerial and supervisory. The SES is a gradeless system in which salary is linked to individual performance, not position. Basic annual salaries range from $113,000 to $130,000. Employees in most geographic locations also receive locality pay, with total pay ranging from $122,763 to $138,200. Some positions include additional recruitment incentives, which are described below. The SES web page contains additional information and resources on the SES (http://www.opm.gov/ses/sesguide.html ).

How SES Jobs Are Filled
Each Federal agency determines the qualifications required for its SES positions, and whether to consider only current Federal civil service appointees or all qualified candidates.

There are two methods of entry into the SES:

  • Apply directly to a Federal agency for a specific SES position
  • Apply directly for a Federal Agency's SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP). Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certified graduates of an SESCDP advertised to "all qualified Civil Service appointees" or "all qualified persons" are eligible for (but not guaranteed) career appointment to an SES position without further competition.
Qualifications Requirements
An applicant must meet two types of qualifications for any SES position:
  • The Executive Core Qualifications, which apply to every SES position; and
  • Specific, professional/technical qualifications (if any) for the position being advertised.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has identified five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) common to all SES positions (www.opm.gov/ses/ecq.html ).

The ECQs are:

  • Leading Change
  • Leading People
  • Results Driven
  • Business Acumen
  • Building Coalitions/Communication

The ECQs are mandatory qualification standards for every SES position. Agencies may also identify specific, professional/technical qualifications for the position being filled. The qualification standards for an advertised SES position are listed in the agency's vacancy announcement. Applicants need to obtain a copy of the agency's vacancy announcement to respond to these requirements.

Examination Process
A Federal agency:

  • reviews, rates, and ranks applicants based on the executive and professional/technical qualifications, if any, listed in the vacancy announcement;
  • makes a final selection from among the best-qualified applicants, and
  • submits a case to OPM for Qualifications Review Board (QRB) consideration of the selectee's Executive Core Qualifications.

OPM convenes a Qualifications Review Board (QRB) to evaluate the candidate's executive qualifications; and notifies the submitting agency of the QRB's decision.

Recruitment Area
Agencies decide how to fill a vacant SES position. If they choose to advertise the position (as opposed to noncompetitive alternatives), they also determine the recruitment area. There are two choices: "all qualified civil service appointees" or "all qualified persons".

Recruitment Incentives
Exceptional difficulty in recruiting highly qualified applicants for SES positions may result in:

  • payment of recruitment or relocation bonuses up to 25 percent of base pay; or
  • waiver of the dual compensation restrictions that apply to civil service retirees; or
  • designation of the position for critical pay authority, which can provide for setting basic pay at rates as high as Executive Level 1 (currently $166,700)
  • Recruitment incentives are noted in the "Application Information" column.
How to Apply
In OPM's USAJOBS system, check the specific job entry for a full text vacancy announcement. If the announcement is not available through the system, call the agency contact for a copy of the vacancy announcement. Ask for additional information about specific application procedures and detailed qualifications requirements.

Send your application directly to the address shown on the vacancy announcement.

Be alert to announcement closing dates and apply promptly to meet them. Agencies may issue announcements for as little as 2 weeks.

Candidate Development Programs
Some, but not all, Federal agencies have SES Candidate Development Programs to identify and develop potential executive talent. QRB certified graduates of OPM-approved SESCDPs advertised to "all qualified civil service appointees" or "all qualified persons" are eligible for a career appointment to the SES without further competition. However, graduates are not guaranteed a SES position.

SES Mobility Opportunities
OPM provides a web-based tool to match executives with opportunities called the SES Senior Opportunity and Resume System (SES SOARS) (https://sesmobility.opm.gov/ ). Current SES members, QRB certified SESCDP graduates and individuals with SES reinstatement eligibility can use SES SOARS to post their resumes and to learn about opportunities in Federal agencies, including temporary vacancies, short-term projects, emergency needs and vacant permanent positions.

Other Opportunities
From time to time, other vacancies will be listed on USAJOBS that are not in the SES, but are in an equivalent pay range. Contact the organization listed to determine the specific qualification requirements and application procedures.

Electronic Information
Vacancy announcement information is available through USAJOBS:
Internet: World Wide Web http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/
Telephone System 703-724-1850 or TDD 978-461-8404
Present SES Pay Levels (Effective January 2002):

ES-1 $113,000 ES-2 $118,300
ES-3 $123,700 ES-4 $129,800
ES-5 $130,000 ES-6 $130,000
AS OF: 01-14-02



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