# Presentation: 492055

## HUMAN CAPITAL INITIATIVES AND CHALLENGES WITHIN DOC FINANCE COMMUNITY				Lisa Casias				Deputy CFO				Department of Commerce				June 12, 2008

## 
CFO Academy – National Defense University 

Direct Hire/Special Pay

“usaCFOjobs” website

- CFO Academy – National Defense University
- Direct Hire/Special Pay
- “usaCFOjobs” website

## Launched in April, 2008, with the endorsement of the Government-wide CFO Council
Certificate program consisting of eight graduate-level courses designed to develop future financial management leaders 
First class will be launched in September, 2008
Program enrollment is open now for selected courses
Courses will be taken over several years
Provides 12-15 credits to selected master’s and doctoral programs with accredited partner universities
Cost estimate is between $900-$1,100 per course

- Launched in April, 2008, with the endorsement of the Government-wide CFO Council
- Certificate program consisting of eight graduate-level courses designed to develop future financial management leaders
- First class will be launched in September, 2008
- Program enrollment is open now for selected courses
- Courses will be taken over several years
- Provides 12-15 credits to selected master’s and doctoral programs with accredited partner universities
- Cost estimate is between $900-$1,100 per course

## Direct Hire
Authority to expedite hiring for GS-510, 5 to 11
Eliminates competitive rating and ranking
Eliminates rule of three
Special Salary Rates
Higher rates of basic pay to address existing or likely significant handicaps in recruiting or retaining well-qualified employees	

**Direct Hire**
- Authority to expedite hiring for GS-510, 5 to 11
- Eliminates competitive rating and ranking
- Eliminates rule of three
**Special Salary Rates**
- Higher rates of basic pay to address existing or likely significant handicaps in recruiting or retaining well-qualified employees

## Slide 5

## Accounting & Finance FTEs

## Challenges

**Dollars**
- Budget constraints limiting monetary incentives
- Pay gap for starting salaries
**Lack of Candidates**
- Shrinking pool of candidates for 510 series on certificates
- Few candidates on certificates meeting pertinent experience
- Competition among federal agencies for same types of talents
- Competition with the private sector where accountants are in high demand/inability to compete with the private sector for talented employees

## Qualifications
Academic degree usually not required for OPM qualifications standards 510 series (may impact the quality of candidates)
OPM qualification standards do not offer additional credit for CPA credentials
Process
Ranking of applicants determined by Human Resources/automated
Timeliness of the hiring process

**Qualifications**
- Academic degree usually not required for OPM qualifications standards 510 series (may impact the quality of candidates)
- OPM qualification standards do not offer additional credit for CPA credentials
**Process**
- Ranking of applicants determined by Human Resources/automated
- Timeliness of the hiring process

## Internship Programs

FCIP – Federal Career Internship Program

Two-year program designed to prepare college graduates for federal careers in accounting 
Targeted to college graduates interested in pursuing a career in accounting
Selected candidates are appointed to accounting positions under the Schedule B Authority at grade levels GS-5, 7, and 9 
Candidates become eligible for permanent positions upon successful completion of the program
Has proven to be an excellent source for filling hard-to-fill finance positions.

**Internship Programs**
**FCIP – Federal Career Internship Program**
- Two-year program designed to prepare college graduates for federal careers in accounting
- Targeted to college graduates interested in pursuing a career in accounting
- Selected candidates are appointed to accounting positions under the Schedule B Authority at grade levels GS-5, 7, and 9
- Candidates become eligible for permanent positions upon successful completion of the program
- Has proven to be an excellent source for filling hard-to-fill finance positions.

## Internship Programs (cont’d)

NAF – National Academy of Finance 	

Provides opportunity for talented area high school students to obtain hands-on experience in finance and accounting related fields
Offered in the summer between the students’ junior and senior years

Post Secondary Internship Programs

Paid internships are offered for a 10-week summer session, and during the academic year. Interns hosted through this program are not Commerce employees, but are matched through arrangements with grantee organizations.

**Internship Programs (cont’d)**
**NAF – National Academy of Finance**
- Provides opportunity for talented area high school students to obtain hands-on experience in finance and accounting related fields
- Offered in the summer between the students’ junior and senior years
**Post Secondary Internship Programs**
- Paid internships are offered for a 10-week summer session, and during the academic year. Interns hosted through this program are not Commerce employees, but are matched through arrangements with grantee organizations.

## 
Student Educational Employment Programs (Paid)

Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP)

Student Career Employment Program (SCEP) 

Student Educational Employment Program (Unpaid)

Student Volunteer Service

**Student Educational Employment Programs (Paid)**
- Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP)
- Student Career Employment Program (SCEP)** **
**Student Educational Employment Program (Unpaid)**
- Student Volunteer Service

## Developmental Programs/Succession Planning 

**ALDP (Aspiring Leaders Development Program)**
- 12-month program - provides a series of developmental experiences to enhance leadership competencies
- Track 1 targets employees at grade levels GS-7 through 9 (or equivalent)
- Track 2 targets employees at grade levels GS-11 and 12 (or equivalent)
- Includes weeks of formal core training, 60-day developmental work assignment outside of staff’s office, action-learning team projects, speaker events, book reviews, shadowing assignments, and mentoring from senior managers
**ELDP (Executive Leadership Development Program)**
- 18-month program - provides candidates with a wide variety of competency-based leadership development experiences
- Targets employees with high potential at GS-13 and 14 levels (or equivalent)
- Includes 120-day developmental assignment, an action-learning and team project, and access to individual mentors and coaches
- Concentrates on developing participants in the following leadership competencies:  creativity and innovation, conflict management, decisiveness, human resources management, and influencing/negotiating/mentoring

## SES CDP (Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program)
18-month duration
Prepares qualified candidates for SES positions

Careers In Motion
Improves skills and mobility of employees for potential advancement to higher levels
Includes career development workshops that best meet development needs 

Others
Mentoring Program
Administrative Professional Certificate Program

**SES CDP (Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program)**
- 18-month duration
- Prepares qualified candidates for SES positions
**Careers In Motion**
- Improves skills and mobility of employees for potential advancement to higher levels
- Includes career development workshops that best meet development needs
**Others**
- Mentoring Program
- Administrative Professional Certificate Program

## Flexibilities/Incentives

**Non-Monetary Incentives**
- AWS
- Telework
- Credit Hours
- Cross Training
**Monetary Incentives**
- Paybanding
- Performance Based Bonuses
- Technical Position Designation
- On-the-Spot Awards

## 
Retention Bonus

Student Loan Repayment  

Recruitment and Relocation Bonus

Cooperation with the CFO Council on Human Capital Initiatives

- Retention Bonus
- Student Loan Repayment
- Recruitment and Relocation Bonus
- Cooperation with the CFO Council on Human Capital Initiatives

## Questions?