United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and 

Technology (NACEPT) Remarks

Presented by

Nanci Gelb

Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator

Office of Administration and Resources Management 

and

Raul Soto

Associate Assistant Administrator

Office of Diversity, Outreach and Collaboration

September 27, 2010
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

1

Overview

1.Current Challenges

2.Our Priorities 

What we have done, what we are planning to do, and what advice you 

would give us in the areas of:

•Executive Leadership Development

•Enhancing Diversity in the Workforce

•Workforce Planning

3.Timeline
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Current Challenges

Large component of workforce is retirement eligible

Potential for significant loss of institutional knowledge

Ensuring that staff has cross functional skills and 

competencies

Growing demand for increasing diversity in the workforce

A competitive labor market

Little growth in budget and FTE

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Our Priorities 

Workforce Planning (Scientific and Technical Occupations)

– Recruitment 

Executive Leadership Development

– Succession Management

Ensuring Diversity (Agency-wide, all levels in the workforce)

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Strategic Workforce Planning Process

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D e m a n d

S u pply 

G a p A n a lysis

S tr a te g ies 

a n d 

S o lu tions

S tr a te g ic 

W o r k fo r c e 

P la n n in g

D e m a n d

S u pply 

G a p A n a lysis

S tr a te g ies 

a n d 

S o lu tions

S tr a te g ic 

W o r k fo r c e 

P la n n in g

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2

3

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Workforce Planning: What We Have Done

Developed EPA’s 2006 Strategic Workforce Plan (SWP)

Identified 19 Mission Critical Occupations (MCOs) (2006)

Conducted Agency-wide competency assessments for employees and their 

supervisors for 12 priority MCOs (2007-2009)

Developed a retirement projection model for EPA’s workforce to enable 

planning around staff retirements (2008)

Refined DRAFT guidance (not published) to aid the Agency’s Local Level 

Workforce Planning (LLWP) process (2007-2010)

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Mission Critical Occupations

Toxicologist

Public Affairs & Information 

Specialists

Mechanical Engineer

IT Specialist

Human Resources Specialist

Health Scientist

Grant Specialist

Financial Specialist

Physical Scientist

Environmental Engineer

Economist

Ecologist 

Contract Specialist

Chemist

Biologist

Auditor

Attorney

Accountant

Environmental Protection Specialist

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Workforce Planning: What Is Next?

Revisit and update The Strategic Workforce Plan to promote greater 

involvement on the part of our senior management.

Align Plan with the Agency’s budgeting process, the Administrator’s 7 

Priorities, Program and Regional priorities, and our national recruitment 

efforts.

Ensure our National Strategic Recruitment Plan addresses our desire to 

enhance our diversity profile.

Incorporate evaluation measures/tools such as surveys and other 

mechanisms to give us feedback.

Final Product – to develop a complete set of guidance, tools, and metrics 

for managers and supervisors.

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Recruitment/Talent Sourcing: What is Next?

Currently in the process of updating our National Strategic Recruitment 

Plan to help expand and strengthen EPA’s nationwide recruitment efforts, 

improve the overall diversity of EPA’s workforce and eliminate barriers to 

employment

Improve training for national recruiters 

Develop a strong branding and marketing campaign which takes advantage 

of Social Networking

Evaluate our systems such as EZhire as well as OPM’s USAJOBS tool 

Establish mechanisms to frequently monitor, measure and evaluate 

progress

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Workforce Planning Discussion:

What Advice Would You Give Us?

Before we complete our Plan, are there any specific areas that you feel 

should be included?

Do we have the right 19 Mission Critical Occupations? 

Have you used or seen an effective strategy that you feel we should 

incorporate in our approach? Especially one which can help us in our 

future scientific and technical requirements?

Is there any agency / company / organization that you would recommend 

we contact that has been successful in developing and implementing 

workforce and recruitment plans?

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

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Executive Leadership Development: 

What We Have Done

Developed EPA Executive Development Strategy

Outlined what we want our Leadership Capabilities and Culture to look like

 Maintained an active Executive Resources Board

– Makes recommendations on Agency-wide policies 

– Promotes leadership and continuous learning for current senior executives 

and aspiring SESers to improve the overall management of the Agency 

– Executive Development Committee focuses on insuring that EPA has a 

plan for its pipeline of employees to assume Agency leadership positions.

– Assesses and offers programs and developmental opportunities for senior 

executives at all stages in their careers
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

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Orientation for 

New Senior 

Executives

EPA Strategic Plan

EPA’s Human Capital Plan 

EPA’s Employees are highly capable and perform to their highest potential to 

support the Agency mission.

Strategy for Executive 

Leadership and 

Development

Senior Advisors 

to Government 

Employees 

Aspiring

Senior Executives 

Curriculum

Strategic Workforce Plan

Succession Plan

SES CDP

Strengthening the Agency’s Workforce

Budget & 

Annual 

Plan

Performance 

Management

SES Mobility

Mid-career 

Executive 

Development

Executive Development Strategy
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Leadership Capabilities and Culture “One EPA”

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Leadership Capabilities

 New Thinking 

 Alignment

 Outcomes

 Ownership

Leadership Culture

Purposefulness

“Count-on-ableness”

Synergy/Interdependence –

Connectedness/Inclusiveness

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Executive Development: What Is Next?

We have been evaluating models for High Impact Leadership Development 

for our executive corps.

We have researched “best practices” in the federal and private sectors 

which indicates that there are 10 elements required for a truly successful, 

high impact leadership development program.

 We are adopting that model and are beginning to work on the first three 

which are:

(1) a profile of leadership effectiveness

(2) creating a leadership development curriculum that integrates learning 

with application

(3) integration of core organizational and individual values into leadership 

development

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Succession Management: What Is Next?

Working on updating our Succession Management Strategic Plan

– Focus on leadership development

– Asking offices to identify their key leadership positions and those which 

require a unique set of skills

– Include strategies designed to close gaps between those in the SES and 

those prepared to move into these positions

– Evaluating and determining the readiness of current staff to assume 

leadership positions

– Developing programs and activities that include coaching and mentoring 

to develop and to train those in the pipeline

– Develop a knowledge retention program

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Executive Development Discussion:

What Advice Would You Give Us?

Are our Executive Development Programs and Activities sufficient?

What do you see as the barriers or obstacles that block the pathway of 

individuals who aspire to enter the senior executive ranks?

When should we begin to identify and develop leadership talent?

Are we using the right methods to identify future leaders?

Are we offering the right leadership training and development programs?

What are some successful strategies and methods for retaining institutional 

knowledge?

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

DIVERSITY AGENCY-WIDE

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Themes in Diversity Practices

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Facilitating One EPA

 ODOC Intranet Site

► Comprehensive portal of EPA’s diversity portfolio and resources 

that includes:

- Wikis

- Recruitment Toolkit

- Conference Toolkit

- Regional highlights

- Headquarters highlights

- Diversity Blog

External Affairs 

and 

Environmental 

Education

Small 

Business 

Programs

Human 

Resources ODOC 

Intranet 

Portal

Office of 

Civil Rights

HQ & 

Regional 

Efforts

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Enhancing Diversity : What is Next?

Increasing Inter-Agency Collaboration between VA, DOI, 

NASA, DOJ, CIA, IRS, and USAID

ODOC is assessing other Federal partner’s diversity practices

Educating the public that EPA values diversity

Conducting a comprehensive review of current versus 

potential future state of diversity structures

Developing a variety of new tools to support managers and 

supervisors 

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

Enhancing Diversity Discussion: 

What Advice Would You Give Us?

Has the NACEPT community studied the issue of diversity and how it impacts 21st century 

technical and scientific organizations?

Are our strategies comprehensive enough to address EPA’s mission looking forward five years 

and beyond?

What are some of the best and latest techniques used to attract or draw underrepresented 

groups into the workforce, especially in the leadership ranks? What are the obstacles and 

barriers?

What are some of the policies and practices that can be enhanced or implemented to ensure 

that our culturally diverse workforce remains stable and grows?

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United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

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Timeline

Q1 FY 2011 Q2 FY 2011 Q3 FY 2011 Q4 FY 2011 Q1 FY 2012 Q2 FY 2012

W

orkforc

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Pla

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N

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N

A

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P

T

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p

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Strategy Update 

Comment /Review Period

Evaluation and 

Revision

Strategy Update

Comment/Review Period

Evaluation and 

Revision

Strategy Update

Comment & Review 

Period

Evaluation and 

Revision

Workforce Planning Interim Response

National Recruitment Interim Response

Succession Management Interim Response

Full Report

Implementation & 

Training

Implementation & 

Training

Implementation & 

Training
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

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Summary

Successful Workforce Planning 

Leaders Prepared to Lead

A Diverse, competent, capable workforce

One EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Administration and Resources Management

EPA Resources

Raul Soto, Associate Assistant Administrator, Office of Diversity, Outreach and Collaboration 

(202) 564-0229: soto.raul@epa.gov

VirDella Denwiddie, Acting Director, Human Capital Management Branch (202) 564-0948: 

denwiddie.virdella@epa.gov

Rosyletta “Roz” Simms, Chief, Human Capital Planning Branch (202) 564-5185: 

simms.rosyletta@epa.gov

Claire Milam, Lead, Executive Leadership Development, Executive Resources Division, (202) 

564-7582: milam.claire@epa.gov

James Hiscock, Analyst, Human Capital Planning Branch (202) 546-7645: 

hiscock.james@epa.gov

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