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Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SES CDP)
Overview
EPA is partnering with the Department of Treasury to offer a Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SES CDP). The SES CDP is designed to identify, develop, and prepare future senior executive leaders by providing them with a series of developmental opportunities.
Candidates selected through EPA’s SES CDP announcement will participate in a 13-month program at the Department of Treasury’s Executive Institute. The program will provide a series of developmental experiences including formal courses and seminars, rotational assignments, and mentoring from current SES members. These activities are designed to increase participants’ understanding of a wide range of government programs and issues and to enhance participants’ executive core qualifications which are required by the Office of Personnel Management for appointment to the SES. In addition, EPA candidates will participate in seminars to further their understanding of our agency and its mission, values, and challenges.
Upon successful completion of the SES CDP, candidates obtain a certification from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that makes them eligible to move into a Senior Executive Service position without competing for the position. It does not guarantee placement into an SES position.
Frequent Questions
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Can you explain what “at least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-15 level” means?
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Who covers my FTE while I’m in the CDP, and who covers the cost of the program?
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Is diversity a consideration in the applicant selection process?
Question: On the USAJOBS vacancy announcement it says that Executive Core Qualifications Statements (ECQs) need to be limited to just one page each for a maximum of five pages. Does that mean the front and back of five pages?
Answer: Each ECQ response must be limited to one side of a sheet of paper. If applicants submit more than one page for each ECQ, their applications will be rated as ineligible.
Question: The vacancy announcement lists specific geographic locations for the CDP. I’m in another location that is not listed. Am I eligible to apply?
Answer: Yes. Candidates will remain in their positions of record wherever they are currently located. Since the CDP is open to any federal employee, the vacancy announcement could not list all of the possible duty locations, so it was limited to some of EPA’s sites.
Question: Can you explain what “at least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-15 level” means?
Answer: The Candidate Development Program requires that individuals have at least one year of supervisory or leadership experience that is normally obtained by serving in positions at the GS-15 level; however, equivalent experience could be obtained outside the federal civilian service. For example, leadership experience in the private sector or military could be considered equivalent to the GS-15. Therefore, if an applicant is currently a GS-14 and has private sector experience equivalent to the GS-15 level in the federal government, he or she would be eligible to apply.
Question: There is a question in the vacancy announcement that asks if we are currently certified by the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB) for Senior Executive Service certification. I would assume that since I have not applied before, the answer is no. Is this correct?
Answer: That is correct. The QRBs are independent boards consisting of SES members who assess the Executive Core Qualifications of SES candidates. All SES candidates must have the executive qualifications certified by an independent QRB before being appointed as a career member of the SES. The QRB review and certification is the last step in the SES selection process. Since CDP graduates become non-competitively eligible for SES positions, they must be certified by the QRB.
Question: Who covers my FTE while I’m in the CDP, and who covers the cost of the program?
Answer: The home office of the employee covers the FTE, and the agency covers the cost of the program.
Question: How many slots are specifically reserved for EPA staff in the Department of Treasury’s SES Candidate Development Program?
Answer: EPA expects to have 12 slots in the first class and between 15-17 slots in the second class.
Question: Can a GS-13 apply?
Answer: If a GS-13 has previous federal service at the GS-15 level or GS-15 equivalent experience outside federal service, the GS-13 would be eligible to apply.
Question: How long will the rotational assignments be?
Answer: OPM regulations require at least four months of full-time, developmental assignments outside the candidate’s position of record. In addition, the Department of Treasury’s CDP requires that one assignment be at least 90 continuous days in a position other than and substantially different from the candidate’s position of record.
Question: If I’m currently acting in a GS-15 position, but have multiple years of experience as a permanent GS-15, would I be eligible for the program?
Answer: Yes, as long as you have at least one year at the GS-15 level or equivalent, you are eligible for the program.
Question: What is the difference between the Candidate Development Program (CDP) and the Federal Executive Institute (FEI)?
Answer: The Candidate Development Program is a 13-month program that includes a variety of developmental assignments, such as details, mentoring, and formal training. Upon successful completion of the program it gives the candidate non-competitive eligibility for Senior Executive Service (SES) positions. FEI is a one month residential program that offers values-based leadership development opportunities for professional and personal growth. It does not lead to non-competitive eligibility for the SES.
Question: Is diversity a consideration in the applicant selection process?
Answer: CDPs must follow SES merit staffing procedures which means that agencies advertise the opportunity, have a human resources specialist conduct a preliminary review of the applications, rate and rank the applicants, evaluate each candidate’s qualifications, and make selection recommendations to the agency’s appointing authority. While EPA hopes to attract a broad and diverse pool of applicants, diversity is not a consideration in the selection process.