Summary The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is sponsoring a Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SESCDP) which is targeted to begin in May 2025. We are anticipating a class size of 20-25 participants. The SES CDP prepares individuals who have demonstrated executive potential for senior leadership positions at the NRC. The selecting official for this program will be the Executive Director for Operations. Responsibilities Program Curriculum Length of Program: This is a 16-month, part-time program. Participants continue to occupy their regular positions except while they are attending training or seminars, or while on rotational assignments. Individual Needs Assessment: Each participant completes a 360-assessment exercise prior to orientation, which is designed to determine those competencies which will be developed or reinforced during the program. Results of this assessment will be discussed individually with each participant during orientation. Senior Adviser (Mentor): Through their experience, proven capabilities, and management perspective, SES senior advisers assist participants in further clarifying their developmental objectives and in identifying developmental assignments and activities. Initial meetings include a discussion on the candidate’s developmental needs and assistance in identifying developmental assignments and activities. They meet with the candidate on a regular basis to provide coaching and monitoring of performance. Executive Development Plan: An Executive Development Plan (EDP) is prepared by each participant, together with the immediate supervisor and the senior advisor (mentor). The EDP is used to identify, track, and document completion of competency-based needs of the participants. It is approved by the NRC Executive Resources Board (ERB), and is updated or revised, as needed, throughout the program. Rotational Assignment: Significantly challenging rotational assignments totaling at least 120 days of full-time service are required of all participants. One assignment must be at least 90 continuous days in a position other than, and substantially different from, the candidate’s position of record. These assignments are designed to help prepare participants for the nature and scope of positions they are likely to assume in the SES. Interagency Training: The program requires at least 80 hours of formal interagency training throughout the duration of the program that addresses the executive core qualifications and their application to SES positions Government-wide. The training experience includes interaction with a wide mix of senior managers and executives outside the candidate’s organization or agency to foster a broader perspective. Agencies sending candidate to the NRC SESCDP will need to provide funding for interagency training not to exceed $25,000. Leadership Development Sessions: Candidates participate in bi-monthly one and one-half day leadership development sessions at NRC headquarters in Rockville, MD that consist of leadership development activities, relevant group discussions, individual, or group discussions with Commissioners, office directors, regional administrators or other members of the Senior Executive Service. Some of these sessions may be in-person at NRC headquarters or at other locations. Candidates present leadership topics or bring in a guest speaker. If possible, the candidates will visit another agency. Agencies sending candidates to the NRC SESCDP will need to arrange and provide funding for travel. Group Project: Candidates are assigned a group project topic and an executive sponsor for each team. The candidates will work as a team to research and prepare a presentation for the completion ceremony. Agencies sending candidates to the NRC SESCDP will need to arrange and provide funding for travel, if needed. Progress Review: Progress in meeting EDP requirements is closely monitored by the SES CDP Program Manager, senior advisor (mentor), and the ERB, and is evaluated periodically to assure timely completion of program activities. Candidate Certification: After a candidate completes the program, the NRC’s ERB determines if the candidate successfully completed all SES CDP requirements and demonstrated that the candidate is prepared to serve as a member of the SES or if more development is needed. Once the ERB determines that a candidate has successfully completed the program, the candidate, in collaboration with the CDP Program Manager, prepares all documentation required by OPM procedures. If the ERB determines that more development is needed, it provides the candidate with specific recommendations for additional training or development assignments necessary to successfully complete the SES CDP. Cost: Travel and per diem costs to attend the program, participate in an NRC rotational assignment, projects and interagency training costs (not to exceed $25,000) associated with the program are paid by the candidate’s home agency. Every effort will be made to accommodate regional and external participants when scheduling group training and program activities. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a United States Citizen to apply. You must be a current Federal Civil Service employee. You must qualify see "Qualifications Required" below. Background investigation leading to a clearance is required for new hires. You must meet the requirements of this announcement by the closing date. NOTE: We are accepting 350 applications for this vacancy. When 350 applications have been received, the vacancy will close effective midnight. You must meet the requirements of this vacancy announcement by the closing date. Qualifications NOTE: We are accepting 350 applications for this vacancy. When 350 applications have been received, the vacancy will close effective midnight. The NRC’s SES CDP requires that individuals have at least one year of supervisory/leadership experience and have demonstrated exceptional executive leadership potential. Leadership experience is normally obtained by serving in positions at the Grade 15 or equivalent. Applicants must demonstrate competence or potential for development in the five SES Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) listed below. The ECQs are the leadership criteria defined by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to certify candidates for SES positions. OPM will certify candidates primarily on their demonstrated mastery of the ECQs. All applicants must submit an online resume and online written statements (narrative or bullet format acceptable) describing your accomplishments against each of the ECQs. Note: A proven sustained record of accomplishments and the recency of experience are factors in the selection. You must address each ECQ separately and are required to respond to all ECQs. Abbreviated responses to the ECQs, such as "significant experience" or "see resume" do not provide enough information and should not be used. You will not be considered for this position if you leave any of the ECQs and vacancy questions unanswered. Additional information on the ECQs is available at http://www.opm.gov/ses/recruitment/ecq.asp. When addressing the ECQs, applicants should include one or two notable examples using the Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) model: Challenge: Describe a specific problem or goal. Context: Talk about the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked, to tackle a particular challenge (e.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale). Action: Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge. Result: Give specific examples of the results of your actions. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills. Each accomplishment should be clear, concise, and emphasize your level of responsibilities; the scope and complexity of the programs, activities, or services you managed; program accomplishments; policy initiatives undertaken; level of contacts; the sensitivity and criticality of the issues you addressed; and the results of your actions. You should use action oriented leadership words to describe your experience and accomplishments (e.g., Led the development and implementation of…) and quantify your experience wherever possible to demonstrate your accomplishments (e.g., number of employees supervised; size of budget managed; amount of money saved, etc.). You should provide a reference (name, position, organization, contact information), preferably a current senior executive familiar with your specific accomplishments, for every example in your ECQ submission. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS: ECQ 1 - Leading Change: The ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment. Competencies: Creativity and Innovation, External Awareness, Flexibility, Resilience, Strategic Thinking, Vision ECQ 2 - Leading People: The ability to lead people toward meeting the organization’s vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts. Competencies: Conflict Management, Leveraging Diversity, Developing Others, Team Building ECQ 3 - Results Driven: The ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. Competencies: Accountability, Customer Service, Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving, Technical Credibility ECQ 4 - Business Acumen: The ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. Competencies: Financial Management, Human Capital Management, Technology Management ECQ 5 - Building Coalitions: The ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, non-profit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals. Competencies: Partnering, Political Savvy, Influencing/Negotiating Education Please select the most applicable series related to your work experience and/or education. Depending on the series you select, educational requirements may apply. See educational requirements per series below. GG-0801 (General Engineering Series): Basic Requirements: Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor’s degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. OR Combination of education and experience: college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1, or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions. Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A. Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor’s degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.) GG-1301, (General Physical Science Series): Basic requirements: Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics. OR Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. General Attorney series 0905: You must be a graduate of an accredited law school with a J.D., LL.B., or equivalent degree, and you must be an active member in good standing of the Bar of a state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. You must include an unofficial or official copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application. Transcript must include the School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). Education must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of credibility of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. If you have multiple degrees (e.g., BS, MS, PhD) please submit transcripts for each degree. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation. GG-0340 (No educational required) Additional Information NOTE: We are accepting 350 applications for this vacancy. When 350 applications have been received, the vacancy will close effective midnight. The SESCDP prepares individuals who have demonstrated executive potential for senior leadership positions. Participants in the program engage in developmental assignments and formal training activities to enhance their executive competencies and to increase their awareness of public policy, programs, and issues. The program promotes the development of a government-wide, as well as an agency-wide, corporate SES culture through exposure to ideas and concepts across Government and ensures that the NRC has a sufficient pool of well qualified and diverse candidates to meet present and future executive needs. Geographical Mobility or Availability NRC strongly values and benefits from executives with broad agency experience and who are willing to serve where most needed. NRC executives may serve at NRC Headquarters (Rockville, MD) or NRC regional offices (Region I: King of Prussia, PA; Region II: Atlanta, GA; Region III: Lisle, IL; Region IV: Arlington, TX). Candidates’ willingness to be geographically mobile upon graduation is not considered in rating candidates or identifying best qualified candidates. Candidate Status Candidates selected from within the NRC serving in career or career-type appointments retain their grade, pay, and status of their current position while completing the program and remain employees of their current organizations. Candidates selected from outside of NRC who are currently serving in career or career-type appointments in other agencies may participate in the program while serving in their current agencies upon negotiation of a Memorandum of Understanding with the candidate’s home agency. Alternatively, NRC may offer a career type General Grade Schedule (GG) 15 position to a career civil service candidate selected from another agency. Considerations in deciding between a Memorandum of Understanding and an offer of employment may include availability of full-time grade 15 work for which the candidate is well qualified, willingness or ability of the candidate’s home agency to enter into a mutually acceptable agreement, budget, etc. Candidates selected who are serving in other than career or career-type appointments (e.g., temporary appointments) are offered limited-term excepted service appointments (comparable to a Schedule B appointment) at Grade 15 level for the duration of their participation in the program, but not to exceed 3 years. Such appointments are made to full-time positions created for SES CDP developmental purposes and may not be used to fill regular positions on a continuing basis. The appointments do not confer civil service status. If an SES CDP participant serving on a limited-term excepted service appointment discontinues participation in the SES CDP for any reason, his or her employment with NRC terminates because it is authorized only for executive development positions established in conjunction with the SES CDP. Similarly, if the participant graduates from the SES CDP, but does not obtain an SES position before the appointment expires, his or her appointment with the NRC also terminates. Note: Participation in the program does not guarantee placement in an SES position.