What it is to Lead a Federal Agency
Every day in the Senior Executive Service (SES) is different, and the same could be said for our members at the Senior Executive Association (SEA). Some days, an SES will develop and initiate agency wide policy to meet taxpayer needs and improve government programs. Other days, an SES may be tasked with managing challenging political dynamics to ensure the American people receive services without interruption. This looks a little different at every agency and in every unique SES role, but one thing remains the same: the Senior Executive Service serves as the bridge between 2 million career federal employees and an administration’s approximately 4,000 political appointees.
In the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, the SES was created to “...ensure that the executive management of the Government of the United States is responsive to the needs, policies, and goals of the Nation and otherwise is of the highest quality.”
An SES is among the most skilled leaders in public service who help ensure mission outcomes across federal agencies. They utilize their knowledge, technical skills, and executive leadership abilities to guide federal agencies through national challenges and crises. Most of these leaders are career employees themselves, who have worked throughout the civil service.
On a panel in 2019, James McConnell, Associate Administrator for the Office of Safety, Infrastructure, and Operations at the National Nuclear Security Administration, explained the work of an SES as “always being on the clock” to tackle tough challenges.
“There’s a class of problems that you get to tackle as an SES member. The problems are generally larger, more complicated, more significant, and more impactful to the mission,” he explained. “Both the challenge itself and the opportunity to have access to a diverse group of people to address those large challenges, that’s the most exciting and motivating thing about it for me.”
As an SES, they must take an active role in leading their organization by providing vision, identifying and ensuring agency-wide strategic goals are accomplished. They must manage around funding constraints and considerations to ensure mission outcomes. Most days, an SES are working with other agency leaders to develop innovative solutions to resolve uncommon problems.
Another critical daily aspect of SES work is assisting in the development of the next generation of federal leaders. An SES are active mentors within federal agencies. They also participate widely in the development of the federal community by serving on panels and speaking at conferences. These activities play a critical role in expanding access to federal leadership, achieving innovative solutions across agencies, and communicating the value of government work to the American people.
Whether it is managing a Veterans Affairs Hospital or coordinating the deployment of resources at our Southern border, an SES touch and influence every spectrum of government service. They serve as a bridge between political and career public servants. Every day presents new challenges, but it is the commitment of an SES that ensures federal agencies fulfills their missions in support of the American democracy.
This column, written by the Senior Executives Association (SEA), is part of the FEDforum, an initiative to unite voices across the federal community. The FEDforum is a space for federal employee groups to share their organizations’ initiatives and activities with the FEDmanager audience.
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