Status Report

Letter: NASA Standards for Selection into the Senior Executive Service (SES)

By SpaceRef Editor

September 12, 2003

Filed under NASA HQ, US

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Office of the Administrator

Washington DC 20564-0001

August 21, 2003

TO: Officials-in Charge of Headquarters Offices, Directors, NASA Centers

FROM: AD/ Deputy Administrator

SUBJECT: Standards for Selection into the Senior Executive Service (SES)

Recently, considerable attention as been focused on selections into the SES. At the Senior Management meeting in June 2003, we discussed the critical need for our SES leaders to be fully prepared to deal with the management and leadership challenges of their new positions beginning on their very first day on the job. This means ensuring that NASA executives have a solid management background, diversity of experiences, and sound people-leadership skills. Fully meeting these criteria is a necessity if NASA is to be successful in the future. Therefore, we have established high standards for selection into the SES. At the time candidates are recommended to the Administrator for the SES, they must have demonstrated their readiness for their new leadership role through progressively responsible supervisory and managerial experiences, assignments in different organizational settings, and appropriate formal management or executive leadership training.

The enclosure outlines the specific standards and documentation requirements that must be met when selecting individuals for SES positions. Please note that the selection documentation must provide evidence that the individual has met these standards prior to selection. Earlier guidance had suggested that experience and training gaps could be filled in after appointment into the SES. This is no longer the case. Exceptions to these standards will be very rare and will need to be discussed with me and approved by the Administrator.

These standards supplement, not replace, the seven SES selection factors that were introduced in my memorandum of February 21, 2003. Both sets of criteria must be addressed fully for all candidates who are recommended for entry into the SES. Although these standards and factors focus on NASA candidates, external selections must exhibit comparable depth and breadth of experience and training.

I expect you to communicate these standards to all current and aspiring SES members and to support developmental efforts in your organization that will enable NASA’s future leaders to acquire these leadership qualities. Please contact John Pennington on (202) 358-1195 if you have any questions on applying the enclosed standards. Directors of Human Resources will receive additional guidance concerning preparation of selection packages.

[signed]

Frederick D. Gregory

Enclosure

Distribution:

Officials-in-charge of Headquarters Offices (list)

Directors, NASA Centers (list)

SES Selection Checklist

Selections for SES positions must focus on the nominee’s ability to lead people and manage resources and programs. In addition to addressing the seven SES evaluation factors, selection documentation should show clear evidence tat the proposed selectee meets the following criteria:

Supervisory/Managerial Experience

Progressively responsible supervisory/management experience, normally with several years’ supervisory/management experience at the GS-15 level, to demonstrate clearly the ability to lead people and manage resources. Highlight:

Numbers of employees supervised
Scope of respons9ibility (size and complexity of the organization and its roles/responsibilities)
Resources managed (size of budget, etc.)

Multiorganizational Experience

Progressively responsible experience at an appropriate level that illustrates versatility and broad perspective

Work experience at more than one NASA Center; and/or
Work experience in another agency or private sector; and/or
Work experience in multiple functions, i.e. someone who, over a number of years, became a skilled and respected leader in a function and subsequently served in a different function as an exceptional leader for a number of years; and/or
A developmental work assignment for a minimum of 6 months at another NASA Center

Formal Executive/Leadership Development

Formal executive development that addressed the full spectrum of executive competencies and focused on filing competency gaps (follow the SES Candidate Development Program model: at least a total of 80 hours of training; course(s) should be at least 1 week in duration and involve non-NASA participants). Examples: