What is the Senior Executive Service (SES) Qualifications Review Board (QRB) and How Does it Work?

Qualifications Review Boards (QRBs) are Office of Personnel Management (OPM)-administered independent boards consisting of senior executive service members who assess the executive core qualifications (ECQs) of SES candidates. All SES candidates must have their executive qualifications certified by an independent QRB before being appointed as career members of the SES. The QRB review and certification is the last critical step in the SES selection process. QRBs certify that an SES candidate possesses broad leadership skills and demonstrated experience in Leading Change, Leading People, Results Driven, Business Acumen, and Building Coalitions. The experience must be relatively recent and at the executive level (typically the grade 15 in federal service or equivalent private sector experience).

The QRB provides independent and objective review and is intended to ensure that the Government is hiring executives with the qualifications needed in today’s environment, especially the ability to lead in times of change, and that technical expertise does not outweigh leadership skill in the selection of new senior executives.

QRB members are volunteers and are composed of three members of the SES, each from a different agency. At least two Board members must be career appointees, and, whenever possible, one of the three executives will have previously served as a QRB member. Board members do not limit their assessment of executive qualifications to the candidate’s ECQ documentation statement; they consider all of the information included in the application package. The candidate’s qualifications taken as a whole must demonstrate that the individual has the leadership qualities needed in today’s SES. Specifically, the QRB judges the overall scope, quality, and depth of a candidate’s executive qualifications within the context of the five ECQs; candidates must have demonstrated executive level expertise, possess a broad perspective of government, and possess leadership qualifications needed for entry and success in the SES.

Once an agency has selected a candidate for the SES, OPM staff review the case to ensure that appropriate merit staffing procedures were followed; that the documentation of executive core qualifications is adequate; and that the required documents are included. After reviewing and resolving any discrepancies, the case is forwarded to the QRB for action.

Board members independently review one QRB case at a time. After review, board members discuss each case. The OPM QRB Administrator facilitates this discussion to reach consensus. The QRB does not rate, rank, or compare one candidate’s qualifications against those of other candidates, nor does it discuss a candidate’s technical qualifications. Rather, board members judge the overall scope, quality, and depth of a candidate’s executive qualifications within the context of the five ECQs. The final decision to approve or disapprove is by majority vote.

If board consensus is to approve, the agency may then appoint the individual to the SES. If one or more of the members wants to disapprove the case, the Administrator will facilitate a general discussion of the candidate’s qualifications to determine if the Board can arrive at a consensus. If the consensus is to disapprove, the Administrator will note specific reasons, comments, and/or guidance, and provide a report detailing board disapproval reasons and recommendations to the submitting agency. The agency will be advised that it has the option of submitting the same case to the next scheduled QRB or having the case returned for revision or alternative action.

Current experience with QRBs indicates a high percentage of disapprovals. Candidates and their selecting agencies should be sure to follow OPM guidance for preparing ECQs (see: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/reference-materials/guidetosesquals_2012.pdf) including:

• Using two stories for each ECQ
• Ensuring that all stories are from the past 10 years (and 5 years is better, if possible)
• Covering the competencies outlined for each ECQ
• Stories are executive and strategic in nature, rather than managerial and tactical
• Use the Context, Challenge, Action, Result (CCAR) rubric
• Are devoid of personal philosophy or statements such as, “I always…”
• Use proper spelling, grammar, etc., throughout
• Meet requirements for font size, margins, etc.

As mentioned in earlier articles, there may be big changes on the way for SES applications in 2016. Potential SES applicants should watch this space for news as it develops.

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