Preparing for 

the Senior 

Executive 

Service

T h e Fe d e r a l C a n d i d a t e 

D e v e l o p m e n t Pr o g r a m

Great Leaders for Great Government

UNITED STATES OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

Kay Coles James, Director
A Message from the Director of the United 

States Office of Personnel Management

On April 10, 2003, the Office of Personnel Management launched the 

Senior Executive Service Federal Candidate Development Program (Fed 

CDP), a governmentwide endeavor to train outstanding leaders of the 

future for the Federal Government who will guide us through the challenges and 

opportunities of the 21st Century. 

Our team has worked extensively with agencies and associations to develop this 

program. The Fed CDP will help Federal agencies meet their succession planning 

goals and contribute to the Government’s efforts to create a high-quality Senior 

Executive Service leadership corps that draws upon the strength of America’s 

diversity. We are confident the Fed CDP will attract the best and the brightest 

from both inside and outside the Federal Government. 

Our recruitment starts now and will be consistent with our Merit System 

Principles and veterans’ preference – which is the foundation upon which we 

have built a strong civil service. President Bush and I are committed to expanding 

leadership opportunities to build a diverse civil service that draws from the 

richness, strength, and diversity of our society and our way of life. The Fed CDP 

will help all qualified individuals bring their talents into leadership positions in the 

Federal Government.

The information contained in this brochure describes the educational model for 

this program which underscores a feedback-intensive experience through positive 

mentoring. The Fed CDP will expose the candidates to the best senior level 

executives in the Federal Government. Graduates of the Fed CDP will be submitted 

for certification by an SES Qualifications Review Board and, if they are so 

certified, may be selected for an SES position anywhere in the Federal Government 

without further competition.

Please join us in our journey to ensure we continue to have great leaders for great 

Government.

Kay Coles James

Director, United States Office of Personnel Management
As you consider moving into a leadership position within the

 Federal Government, your first step is to get the training 

you need to achieve your goals. OPM, working in partnership with 

Federal agencies and key stakeholder groups, has developed this 

governmentwide Federal Candidate Development Program 

(Fed CDP) to help you achieve these goals.

If you are accepted into the program, you will undergo 14 

months of feedback-intensive training to prepare you for the 

Senior Executive Service (SES). The program revolves around 

helping you to achieve the Executive Core Qualifications 

(ECQs) required for entry to the Senior Executive Service. 

ECQs define the competencies and characteristics needed to 

build a Federal culture – one that is results-driven, serves customers, and builds successful teams and coalitions inside and 

outside the organization.

You will develop, and therefore be able to offer, a broader perspective as you learn with and from other agency candidates. 

The curriculum is comprehensive and includes classroom work, 

interagency experience, on-the-job learning, mentoring, coaching, field work and Web-based learning. 

A core benefit of the program is the access you will have to 

senior White House and Cabinet-level officials who will be 

serving as speakers and workshop leaders. In addition, you 

will work on team projects performed at the agency level. 

The Federal Candidate 

Development Program “I support the goals 

of the Candidate 

Development Program 

to identify and develop 

individuals with great 

potential for the senior 

leadership cadre which 

reflects the rich diversity 

of America.”

– Rep. Danny K. Davis
Applying for 

the Program

OPM is aggressively recruiting 

candidates from both inside 

and outside Government and 

working closely with agencies 

to identify and meet their specific needs with regard to 

succession planning and hardto-fill positions. Merit will be 

the driving principle in the 

process. Nationwide recruitment 

will include efforts focused on 

groups traditionally underrepresented in the SES.

Application and 

Selection Process

n OPM will announce 

the Fed CDP on 

www.usajobs.opm.gov.

n Eligible candidates – individuals must be able to show one 

year or more of leadership 

experience at the GS-14 level 

or above in the Federal service, 

or comparable experience, to 

be considered.

n Participating agencies will 

review, interview, and 

select candidates using 

OPM-approved guidelines.

n Candidates selected from 

within the Government who 

meet the applicable qualifications requirements, will serve 

in General Schedule grade 

GS-15 positions (temporary or 

permanent depending on their 

existing positions), for the duration of their participation in 

the program. Candidates from 

within the Government who do 

not meet the applicable qualifications for GS-15 will serve 

in GS-14 positions (temporary 

or permanent depending on 

their existing positions), for the 

duration of their participation 

in the program. Candidates 

from within the Government 

who are not serving under 

career appointments or under 

career-type appointments will 

be given a temporary Schedule 

B appointment. Candidates 

selected from outside the 

Government will be appointed 

to temporary GS-15 positions 

(or temporary GS-14 where 

the applicable qualifications are 

not met), through Schedule B 

appointments, for the duration 

of their participation in the program. A Schedule B appointment is used for developmental 

purposes connected with an 

SES candidate development 

program.

n Agencies will certify their 

candidate selections to OPM.

Balancing Work 

& Training

The 14-month program allows 

you time to complete your 

training and development. 

You will receive three nonconsecutive weeks of residential 

training, and you will attend 

several one-day workshops 

and sessions held locally, as 

well as sessions with mentors, 

other team members and 

instructors. Your sponsoring 

agency will pay your program 

fees and expenses, including 

travel and per diem. 

Comprehensive 

Leadership 

Training

The Fed CDP draws from the 

latest research on learning and 

leadership development. The 

program offers an ongoing cycle 

of assessment, feedback-intensive 

training, challenging work and 

“....[N]ever take the honor of public 

service for granted....[A]ll of us 

should dedicate ourselves to great 

goals. We are not here to mark time, 

but to make progress, to achieve 

results, and to leave a record of 

excellence.”

– President George W. Bush

October 15, 2001

Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs)

ECQ 1

Leading Change

Continual Learning

Creativity/Innovation

External Awareness

Flexibility

Resilience

Service Motivation

Strategic Thinking

Vision

ECQ 2

Leading People

Conflict Management

Leveraging Diversity 

Integrity/Honesty

Team Building

ECQ 3

Results Driven

Accountability

Customer Service

Decisiveness

Entrepreneurship

Problem Solving

Technical Credibility

ECQ 4

Business Acumen

Financial Management

Human Resources

 Management

Technology Management

ECQ 5

Building Coalitions/

Communications

Influencing/Negotiating

Interpersonal Skills

Oral Communication

Partnering

Political Savvy

Written Communication
n Complete a personal assessment battery, including 

skills assessment instruments and exercises to highlight strengths and areas for development

n Craft and implement a personalized Executive 

Development Plan

n Join an Executive Learning Team that will serve 

as a learning and support vehicle throughout the 

program and beyond graduation

n Complete a high level Team Leadership Project

pertaining to a significant leadership issue that 

affects all Government agencies

n Work with a team and executive coach

to establish and reach individual learning and 

performance goals

n Gain organizational savvy, support, and wisdom 

from a Senior Executive Service mentor

n Participate in three weeks of interagency, residential 

executive training

n Attend seminars with Cabinet-level and 

White House speakers and policy leaders 

in executive leadership

n Access additional training resources to meet 

individual needs

n Undertake four months or more of developmental 

assignments in one or more executive positions 

with operational responsibilities 

n Participate in Issues Forums and Leadership Visits

that will uncover key issues facing the nation and 

exceptional leaders

n Engage in Field Experiences to explore leadership 

from unusual vantage points, such as “Leadership 

at Gettysburg”

n Read and discuss cutting edge leadership literature

n Participate in Web-based learning that will provide 

readings, links to other sources, and chat rooms for 

participant-led discussions

learning opportunities, coupled 

with support from mentors and 

coaches. Through a combination 

of classroom, hands-on projects, 

and inter-agency experience, you 

will experience a powerful mix 

of learning methodologies that 

will prepare you for the variety 

of challenges you will face as 

an executive within the Federal 

Government.

Fed CDP Program 

Milestones

Program 

Curriculum 

Details

Classroom Learning

Program Orientation

You and your supervisor will 

be invited to a program orientation. This two-hour session 

will include a welcome from 

OPM, a briefing on the program, Q&A, and an informal 

networking social.

Executive Leadership 

Assessment Experience

Prior to attending the first 

week of residential classroom 

training, you will complete 

skills assessments and targeted 

readings on values-based leadership. The focus for this initial 

week will be five-fold: 

1. Engaging participants 

in an active and supportive 

learning community, 

including a participantled and managed Leadership 

Forums Committee (a 

Committee formed during 

the first week of training); 

2. Preparing a personalized 

Executive Development Plan;

3. Establishing Executive 

Learning Teams 

(5-7 candidates plus a 

faculty executive coach); 

4. Providing individual feedback on leadership skills 

through skills assessment 

instruments completed prior 

to and during the week;

5. Building skills in the areas 

of values-based leadership, 

emotional intelligence, and 

team development.

Mentor Selection 

and Training

You will select an SES mentor 

from a pool established for the 

program. You will initially 

meet with your mentor to 

establish a mutual set of expectations and to receive assistance 

in finalizing your Executive 

Development Plan and its 

activities. Your mentor will 

continue to meet with you 

throughout the program.
Strategic Leadership 

Seminar

This one-week residential 

seminar will focus on those 

competencies critical to strategic leadership: vision, external 

awareness, strategic thinking, 

political savvy, and partnering. 

You will participate in a mix of 

readings, lectures, discussions, 

and interactive projects, drawing upon experts in the field.

Focused Skills Seminar

This one-week residential seminar will be custom-designed 

to address developmental 

needs based directly on your 

assessments and Executive 

Development Plan. This 

ensures that a core portion 

of the classroom component 

responds specifically to your 

development needs. For 

example, topics could include 

working with the Congress, 

media relations, e-Government, 

homeland security, and performance management.

Individual Learning 

Classes

You will also receive a small 

budget to acquire specific 

skills training. Based on 

your approved Executive 

Development Plan, you may 

use these funds to take formal 

classes or to participate in 

online learning programs.

Administration Speakers 

and Policy Leaders

You will interact and attend 

lectures with White House and 

Cabinet-level speakers. These 

top-level speakers, along with 

senior experts charged with 

implementation coordination, 

will provide you with critical 

executive perspectives and a 

broad view of high-level leadership and policy issues. The 

program will also bring you 

together with policy leaders in 

executive development to provide the most current thinking 

on high performance leadership.

Federal Executive Institute 

OPM’s Federal Executive Institute (FEI) will manage and deliver the curriculum. 

For over 30 years the Federal Executive Institute (FEI) has served as the Federal 

Government’s development center for senior executives. FEI brings SES members 

and high-performance GS-15s together for courses that help executives develop 

broad viewpoints, understand their constitutional roles, and enhance essential 

leadership skills.

Reasonable Accommodations: OPM provides reasonable accommodations to 

applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any 

part of the application, hiring and training processes, please notify OPM. The 

decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.
Work-based Learning

Based on the initial assessments, 

the program will organize 

candidates to accomplish the 

following supplemental learning activities that take place 

outside of classroom learning. 

Developmental 

Assignments

You will complete at least four 

months of developmental 

assignments involving challenging operational 

responsibilities outside your 

position. These assignments 

are designed to expand your 

understanding about the 

functions of Government, its 

operations, and the role of senior executives in public policy 

formulation and administration, as well as to build 

executive skills. You will select 

assignments to address specific 

goals outlined within your 

Executive Development Plan. 

Team Leadership Project

Your participation in an 

Executive Learning Team will 

include a group project at the 

Department/Agency level. You 

will explore an important leadership issue, practice and 

receive feedback and coaching 

on individual and team skills, 

and provide a product useful 

to the broad community of 

Government leaders. Examples 

might include such activities 

as developing a guide of best 

practices in succession planning, 

creating a “lessons learned” 

database on knowledge management, or providing a 

workshop on change management and decision making.

Executive Coach

Your Executive Learning Team 

will have a faculty executive 

coach. The coach is responsible 

for helping form the team, 

enabling it to facilitate its own 

work, coaching the team during the program, and teaching 

the team members to coach 

each other. Also, the coach will 

meet privately with you, on 

at least a quarterly basis, to 

help you form and reshape 

developmental goals, formulate 

strategies for current challenges, 

identify personal strengths and 

barriers, and assess progress on 

an ongoing basis.

Leadership Forums 

Committee

You will learn a great deal from 

other candidates who will draw 

from their own networks and 

have access to a wide range of 

leadership learning possibilities. 

The Leadership Forums 

Committee, formed during the 

program’s initial residential 

session, will tap your resources 

to offer two types of learning 

events: (1) Issue Forums – oneto two-hour sessions facilitated 

by candidates to help your colleagues address a compelling 

leadership or public policy 

issue in their agency, and (2) 

Leadership Visits – half-to fullday visits to see and talk to 

high-level leaders in action at 

Government agencies.

Field Experiences

A series of one-day offsite 

leadership programs will 

host you in settings normally 

unavailable to you. Such 

unique experiences might 

include leadership lessons that 

can be learned from: (1) a leadership tour of the Gettysburg 

battlefield; and (2) a tour of 

the Holocaust Museum and 

conversations with museum 

historians. Additional leadership experiences may include: 

(1) a day spent with the executive team of a non-profit 

organization; or (2) a day spent 

exploring succession planning 

at a major corporation. 
Reading Groups

Successful leaders continually 

explore new ways of thinking. 

You will be expected to read 

relevant materials throughout 

the program and share your 

insights and applications with 

others through discussion 

groups. Information sharing 

may be through meetings or 

via Web-based chat rooms.

Web-Based Learning

The Fed CDP will have its 

own Web site to support learning outside the classroom. The 

site will include: (1) all key 

program materials and guidelines, (2) profiles of all mentors 

and developmental assignment 

opportunities, (3) work rooms 

to support team projects and 

the Leadership Forums 

Committee, and (4) chat rooms 

for reading groups and other 

topical conversations. Program 

faculty and candidates will also 

be encouraged to post articles and other leadership 

learning resources.

Program Completion

The program concludes when 

you have:

n Completed all of the program requirements; 

n Accomplished the learning

 objectives set in your 

Executive Development 

Plan; 

n Received certification from 

your mentor that you have 

completed the work. Your 

mentor will also submit a 

letter summarizing your 

learning in the program. 

This letter may be used to 

accompany your application 

when it is submitted to the 

OPM Qualifications Review 

Board upon graduation from 

the program.

A graduation ceremony 

will be the last formal event 

in the program.

Program Timeline

Selection Process

Fed CDP Application Period Opens Week 1

(remains open for 21 days)

Fed CDP Application Period Closes Week 3

Fed CDP Selection Weeks 8–11

Fed CDP Content

Fed CDP Orientation for 

Candidates and Supervisors Program Start

n Assessments Distributed

n Mentor Matching Process Described

Mentor Pool and 

Developmental Assignments 

Identified Month 2

Initial Assessment 

Week (residential) Month 3

Mentor Training/First Meeting 

with Mentors Month 4/5

Second Core Training 

Week (residential) Month 7

Third Core Training 

Week (residential) Month 11

Program Graduation Month 14

Please contact us at:

fedcdp@opm.gov

www.opm.gov/ses/fedcdp

CLCS-Fed CDP-2004-B

June 2004