Office of Human Capital Management - DHRD - Senior Executive Services (SES)
You
are here: Home
/ DHRD
/ Senior Executive Service
(SES)
Senior
Executive Service
(SES)
The Senior Executive
Service was established
by Title IV of the
Civil Service Reform
Act (CSRA) of 1978
(P.L. 95-454, October
13, 1978) and became
effective on July
13, 1979. The CSRA
envisioned a Senior
Executive Service
whose members have
shared values, a
broad perspective
of government, and
solid executive
skills. Its stated
purpose was to "ensure
that the executive
management of the
Government of the
United States is
responsive to the
needs, policies,
and goals of the
nation and otherwise
is of the highest
quality." The
Government's senior
executives would
be held accountable
for individual and
organizational performance.
To achieve this
purpose, the CSRA
gave greater authority
to agencies to manage
their executive
resources and assigned
OPM the responsibility
for government-wide
leadership, direction,
and oversight.
Under the CSRA,
the SES was set
up as a "third"
service, completely
separate from the
competitive and
excepted services.
It replaced over
60 separate executive
personnel authorities
covering from one
to several thousand
positions. Top management
positions that had
been subject to
disparate rules
and practices, with
requirements for
prior approval of
almost every personnel
action, were joined
into a unified and
distinct personnel
system that provided
for considerable
agency authority
and flexibility.
In USDA, the Office
of Human Capital
Management's Departmental
Human Resources
Division is responsible
for providing the
day-to-day staff
support for the
executive resources
program as authorized
and approved by
the Secretary.