Washington, D.C.- The U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Kay Coles James, in a continued effort to share best practices of the Federal Government with the private sector, sent a senior OPM official to address students and faculty of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

Dr. Ronald Sanders, Associate Director for Strategic Human Resources Policy, speaking on behalf of Director James, addressed doctoral candidates, masters students and faculty. 

Sanders told the attendees that OPM, under Director James' leadership, has been a leading force in initiating transformation in the civil service as seen through the successful modernization and stand up of the HR system for the Department of Homeland Security and the current redesign of the personnel system at the Department of Defense (DoD).

"OPM is working in a strategic partnership with DoD as we jointly develop their new National Security Personnel System," Sanders said. "In keeping with the words of President George W. Bush, these are landmark reforms, the most ambitious of their kind in a quarter century, and similar in scope and purpose to those enacted for the Department of Homeland Security."

In addition, Sandersdiscussed James'support of agencies governmentwide to implement new pay for performance systems; design E-gov initiatives; offer attractive employee benefits programs; and enhance corporate leadership development within their HR systems.

"As part of OPM's efforts to bring sweeping transformation within the Federal Government, we are focused on our role to develop HR policies and programs that govern how agencies manage their human resource programs," Sanders said. "OPM is working closely with agency HR directors and managers to encourage greater leveraging of available resources. Director James wants to ensure that the Federal Government is a model of best practices comparable to the private sector, as we execute exemplary employment policy, compensation and benefits packages, workforce relations and senior executive and management development opportunities."

Our mission is to ensure the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce. OPM supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.