HHS Careers

Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program

About the Program
Key Features
Program Costs
Evaluation and Selection Process
How to Apply

About the Program

As a part of the ongoing Health and Human Services (HHS) succession planning, the Senior Executive Service (SES) Candidate Development Program (CDP) prepares high potential GS-15 employees for the SES ranks.

This Department-wide, competitive, 18-month program:

• Prepares participants for SES certification by Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
• Establishes an HHS pool of qualified candidates for SES positions.
• Prepares future executives for collaborative leadership within and outside of the Department.
• Advances the goals of “one HHS” and a "corporate SES".

The program is designed to enhance and expand executive leadership skills using as a foundation the OPM Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and the HHS Leadership Competencies. The program is designed around hands-on, experiential activities based on adult learning theories.

Participants who successfully complete this 18-month program and receive SES certification from OPM are eligible for non-competitive career appointment to any SES position for which the certified candidate also meets the professional and technical qualifications.

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Key Features

The program includes a variety of activities to prepare candidates for success in the Senior Executive Service. Candidates will meet and network with top-level leaders of HHS, gain an overview of Departmental priorities and challenges and have exposure to other high-level issues. The program’s design provides a broad range of developmental and formal, practical training experiences including:

• Mentoring
• Executive Level Training
• Developmental Rotational Assignments
• Developmental Activities
• Group Project

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Program Costs

All program related costs are included except for travel and executive interagency training. HHS Operating Divisions and Staff Divisions (OPDIVs/STAFFDIVs) are responsible for paying for travel expenses related to participants’ attendance at orientation, core training events, rotations and other necessary travel. Each participant is required to attend 80 hours of executive-level interagency training; this cost is also the responsibility of each participant’s organization.

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Evaluation and Selection Process

The most valuable asset in any organization is its employees. An organization committed to recruiting, developing, and retaining a diverse workforce is an organization ready to succeed in today’s trans-cultural markets. Nowhere is this more evident than in public service agencies, whose mission is to serve communities where the spirit of diversity is embedded in the people of that community. HHS recognizes government agencies do not serve any single homogenous group, but a base with the global influence of all people and cultures in the realms of family, work, and community. As our community continues to diversify, HHS understands the need to recruit and maintain a workforce that mirrors the community it serves. The spirit of inclusion resulting from workforce diversity helps to produce an organization that is creative, efficient, and effective.

Merit staffing procedures are used to select participants for this program. Applicants will be evaluated based on the quality and extent of their total accomplishments, experience, education, and potential to master the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), which are criteria used by OPM to certify candidates for the Senior Executive Service.

Applicants will be evaluated in the following manner:

1. The application package is reviewed for completeness. (Incomplete packages will not be considered further.)
2. A review by Human Resources specialists to determine basic eligibility (GS-15 or equivalent level with a minimum of one-year supervisory or significant team leader experience).
3. Rating and ranking by a Senior Executive merit staffing panel using only the information submitted against a crediting plan. A list of “high potential” applicants will be determined at this point based upon scores from this process.
4. Those found to have “high potential” will be interviewed and may be asked to participate in an interactive assessment exercise with the interview panel members.
5. Final recommendations will be made to the SES CDP Executive Resources Board, who will review each finalist’s application materials to determine the selections.
6. All applicants will be notified in writing of their outcome.

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The program announcement for the 2007 class has closed. Another program announcement will likely be made in the 2nd or 3rd quarter of FY 2008. Future announcements will be posted on OPM’s USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.gov/

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Last revised: March 7, 2007

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