Workforce Management Office (WFMO) Serving NOAA's Most Valuable Asset - People
NOAA Supervisory Resource Guide
Information for NOAA Managers Interested in Hiring a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF)
What is the PMF Program? The PMF Program is designed to attract outstanding students at the masters and doctoral degree level to the Federal sector from a wide variety of disciplines that are interested in and committed to a career with the Federal government. The PMF Program seeks candidates who display excellent communication, interpersonal, planning and analytical skills, decision-making ability, and the potential to perform in leadership positions. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) manages this rigorous two-year program.
Why Should I Consider Hiring a PMF? The PMF Program is one of the few direct hire authorities that managers can use to bring someone onboard quickly. Hiring a PMF can help you populate your organization with quality employees who are pre-screened for high potential, and provide a mechanism to fill vacancies at entry level positions. If you need an individual with leadership abilities and outstanding skills in analytical thinking and oral and written communication, the PMF Program is a great resource!
NOAA has a long, successful history with the PMF program. We hire an average of 10 new PMFs a year and PMF alumni serve at high levels of leadership in NOAA, including the current Chief of Staff and Chief Financial Officer, and the former Deputy Assistant Administrators for NOAA Research and NOAA Satellites.
Is there a Cost involved for Hiring a PMF? There is a fee required by OPM to participate in the program. The fee is $6000 per Fellow, payable by the hiring office within 30 days of their start date.
What is the Promotion Schedule for PMFs? PMFs must be appointed at the GS-9 level or equivalent, at a minimum. However, if the hiring office determines that a Fellow meets the requisite qualification requirements, the Fellow may be appointed at the GS-11 or GS-12 level, or their equivalents. For offices participating in Demonstration Projects or Alternative Personnel Management Systems, the supervisor may set pay anywhere within the pay band to which the fellow is appointed.
Once appointed, PMFs serve under a full-time, excepted service appointment that augments the Fellow's advanced education with on-the-job training, developmental assignments, access to high level managers, and other developmental experiences.
Fellows may be promoted up to the GS-13 level or its equivalent. PMFs as excepted service employees are not required to meet the 1-year time-in-grade requirements. However, as the minimum assessment period under the performance appraisal system is 120 days, PMFs will not be eligible for promotion until that minimum timeframe has been met. Additionally, promotions may not be recommended by the supervisor until the PMF meets all requirements for promotion as identified by his/her Individual Development Plan (IDP). The IDP must indicate the competencies required for each level as well as provide a benchmark identifying the successful acquisition of the needed competencies. Future promotions after completing the PMF program are dependent upon the Department's or bureaus' Merit Assignment Program, the position's career ladder and full performance level, the employee's time-in-grade, and his/her performance.
For the majority of NOAA Fellows, upon successful completion of the first year (52 calendar weeks) of the fellowship, PMFs are eligible for promotion to a GS-11 (or equivalent). Upon completion of the two-year fellowship, PMFs are eligible for conversion to career-conditional or career status and are eligible for promotion to a GS-12 (or equivalent) on or after the date of conversion to the competitive service. Following conversion to a career or career-conditional appointment, former PMFs may be promoted without competition within their career ladders.
Are there Mandatory Training and Developmental Assignments for PMFs?
80 hours of mandatory training each year of the fellowship.
Two (2) mandatory developmental assignments (one 30-180 days; one 120-180 days).
In addition, NOAA Fellows are required to establish and maintain a relationship with a mentor outside of their normal chain of command. Fellows must also develop an IDP in conjunction with their supervisor and submit four versions of it for review at set times throughout their fellowship to the NOAA PMF Training Program Manager.
For more information on the training and developmental assignment requirements, visit the “NOAA PMF Guide for Current Fellows & Their Supervisors” at: http://www.wfm.noaa.gov/pmf/pmf_portal.html.
Where Do I Start? First, determine whether or not you have a vacant GS-12 or GS-13 (or equivalent) position that you would be willing to fill at less than the full-performance level (i.e., at the GS-9 or equivalent level or above). Then, find out whether your office has the budget to fund a Fellow. The current charge assessed by OPM to the hiring agency per Fellow is $6000 for costs associated with the recruitment, selection, placement, orientation, and graduation of PMFs.
Also, ascertain whether your office is willing and able to provide the necessary support and resources required for the Fellows’ training and development (ie., travel/per diem expenses, and mandatory absences) during the two year Fellowship. For more information on NOAA's mandatory PMF training and development program, visit the "NOAA PMF Guide for Current NOAA Fellows & Their Supervisors" at: http://www.wfm.noaa.gov/pmf/pmf_fellows_supers_two.html#training_reqs.
Basic Steps: The Workforce Management Office sends an e-mail in January/February of each year to all NOAA Line Offices and Corporate Offices announcing the open season to submit position descriptions for PMF recruitment. Once you have established that your organization has the required budget to fund a Fellow, work with the NOAA PMF Recruitment Program Manager to accomplish the following action items:
Submit a PMF position description for inclusion in the OPM PMF Projected Positions System to NOAA PMF Recruitment Program Manager (normally between mid-February to mid-March, depending on the dates of the OPM PMF Career Fair). The position announcement should include:
A brief introductory statement that provides background on your organization’s mission/goals.
The exact title of the position(s) being recruited.
The number of positions being recruited.
Location of the position(s).
A description of the duties to be performed by the Fellow.
Position contact information to include: a supervisor/contact name for each position being recruited; telephone and fax numbers; and e-mail address.
Indicate whether or not a background investigation is required for the position, and if so, indicate if it requires completion of a SF-85 or a SF-86.
Prepare a performance plan for the position.
Develop a plan for when and how you will conduct your selection process.
The PMF Program is subject to Veteran’s Preference.
Resumes of all approved PMF Finalists are made available by OPM to Agencies in advance of the annual PMF Career Fair. NOAA hiring supervisors need to request access to view the resumes by e-mailing the NOAA PMF Recruitment Program Manager.
Review the resumes and contact the candidates prior to the PMF Career Fair to arrange interviews if desired. Conducting preliminary telephone interviews and scheduling interviews with PMFs BEFORE the PMF Career Fair are two practices that are strongly encouraged.
Respond to inquiries from PMF Finalists. Provide them with the schedule of your selection process.
Consider participating in the PMF Career Fair in Washington, D.C. This provides you an opportunity to meet and interview the Fellows in person. If you are interested in conducting onsite interviews at the Fair, you must notify the NOAA PMF Recruitment Program Manager at least two weeks prior to the Fair. You may conduct candidate interviews via telephone or at your office either before, during, or after the Career Fair.
Make your selection for the job.
You must submit the SF-52 (Request for Personnel Action) to the NOAA PMF Recruitment Program Manager for the Fellow you selected with appropriate funding/organization and task code information along with a completed OPM Form 1616. The NOAA PMF Recruitment Program Manager or your servicing WFMO Human Resource Advisor will then extend an official offer of employment to the PMF Finalist and establish the Fellow’s starting date.
To complete OPM Form 1616 (PDF format), or please visit: Presidential Management Fellows Program. OPM Form 1616 is the second form from the bottom of the page titled “FY'05 OPM Form 1616 for Reimbursement of PMF Hires - IPAC Billing”.
The NOAA PMF Recruitment Program Manager will:
Verify completion of graduate degree requirements by August 31 of the current year for PMFs before appointment. Proof of graduation is required before the Fellow’s Entrance on Duty (EOD) date.
Verify that the Fellow is a U.S. citizen (U.S. citizenship is required prior to conversion to a permanent Federal position).
Process the Fellow’s security clearance (if applicable).
Confirm the Fellow’s EOD date.
Once the NOAA PMF Recruitment Program Manager notifies you that the PMF Finalist has accepted the position, you should notify non-selected Finalists as a courtesy.
Bring the PMF on board by March of the following year.
Where Can I Go for More Information on the PMF Program? Managers interested in participating in this program should contact the NOAA PMF Recruitment Program Manager, Theodoris Corbett, using the contact information below:
Contact Theodoris if you are a PMF Finalist, a NOAA manager interested in hiring a PMF, or a new Fellow with questions about your PMF fee reimbursement to OPM.
Contact Tracy if you are a current NOAA PMF or supervisor with questions regarding developmental assignments, IDP development, training, the NOAA PMF Orientation, and/or developmental opportunities.
