Talent Pool Management and Succession Planning Board

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Department of Veterans Affairs SES Management
Transformation People-centric, Results-driven,
and Forward-looking
Brief to Mr. Martin Herbert, Democratic Staff
Director and Mr. Arthur Wu, Republican Staff
Director Subcommittee on Oversight and
Investigations, Committee on Veterans Affairs
U.S. House of Representatives May 5, 2010
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Secretarys Transformation Challenge

• Secretarys Vision
• Transform VA into an agile, adaptive organization
  
• capable of leading change,
• not waiting to be dragged into it.
• This requires a 21st Century Leadership Team.
• All VA SES Members MUST BE a vital part of this
  team
• Multi-skilled, adaptable, flexible leaders
• Enterprise, corporate thinkers
• Strategic vision, strategic thinking ability
• Global and cultural astuteness
• Business Acumen
• Results driven
• Capability to build partnerships
• Able to leverage technology across the
  enterprise

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Answer to the Challenge

• A Centralized (corporate) approach to SES
  Management -
• Drives a Culture to reinforces that SES members
• Are a vital part of the leadership team
• View their responsibilities in the context of the
  enterprise and public policy interests
• Work effectively across organizational boundaries
  and functional areas
• Helps to ensure
• Emphasis on the importance of the leadership team
• Recruitment and selection of diverse talent
• Deliberate development through structured series
  of well-planned developmental and educational
  experiences
• Performance management culture that focuses on
  the Secretarys priorities and encourages and
  rewards creativity, innovation, intelligent
  risk-taking, critical thinking
• Strong focus on Senior Executives across the
  Agency

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Fall 2009 Secretary Shinseki stood up the
Corporate Senior Executive Management Office
(CSEMO) to Manage his SES Resources

• CSEMO Responsibilities
• Utilization of allocations (establish/abolish
  positions)
• Utilization of executives
• Assignments, developmental opportunities
• Staffing and Recruitment
• Executive Resources Board that leverages best
  practices
• Training and Development
• VA Learning University focused on 21st Century
  Leader Development
• Executive Coaching
• Succession Management and Workforce Planning
• Building the Bench, Identifying gaps
• Leverage SES Candidate Development Program
• Establishment, implementation, oversight of
  policy and processes
• Delivery of a fair, transparent, credible
  performance management system
• Increased Diversity in SES
• Executive Recertification
• Employee Relations Program focused on Executives
• Strong, ethical, honest leadership

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Executive Life Cycle Management

• Organization Structure
• Identification of Requirements
• Placement in Hierarchy (Role/Responsibility)

• Preparatory Counseling
• Recognition Ceremony
• Retirement Processing

Virtual War Room

• Accessions/Sourcing
• In Processing
• Branding and Outreach

• Formal Education
• Joint Assignments
• Broadening

Executive Staffing Suite
Executive Development System

• How VA Runs
• Leader Imperatives
• Operational Exigencies

• Performance Management
• Compensation
• Benefits

Executive Development System
Performance Management System

• Allocations vs. Requirements
• Initial Executive Assignment
• Succession Plan

• Talent Management
• Assessment
• Assignment

Talent Management System
Executive Management System
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VA Performance Management

• Deputy Secretary W. Scott Gould President
  Obama and Secretary Shinseki
• have committed resources and capital to invest in
  delivering high quality services
• and benefits to our Veterans.  Transforming
  requires investing in people and
• new business processes to improve outcomes for
  Veterans. 
• Continuous, multi-faceted process to hold
  executives accountable for organizational
• performance
• Monthly Organizational Performance Reviews
• SecVA Mid-Year and End-of-Year Budget Reviews
• Quarterly Major Initiative Assessments
• Senior Officials directly responsible for success
  or failure of their systems and programs
• Performance Plans focus at least 60 on achieving
  organizational results
• Performance Review Board (PRB) process enhanced
• Corporate Board (with outside member)
• Strong focus on individual and organizational
  performance and results achieved
• Partnered with consultant to deliver training,
  review plans, coach executives
• Benchmarking to adopt best practices and automate
  program
• Baseline survey to monitor fairness,
  transparency, equity, customer satisfaction

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SES Performance Management System? Secretary
personally reviewed each rating in 2009?
Ratings adjusted based on individual and
organizational performance - Every executive
provided feedback ? VA has implemented an
aggressive training and review effort to ensure
that plans and metrics are adequate ? Focus
on ensuring that there are meaningful
distinctions in performance - Recognize the
truly outstanding performers
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Focus Areas

• Diversity
• Developmental Assignments, details, sabbaticals
• Executive Mix
• Non-government executives, SES transfers to VA,
  GS-15 promotions
• Use of SES allocations
• Increased training opportunities
• Establish Mandatory Training and Individual
  Development Plans
• Credible, transparent performance management
• Baseline survey
• Satisfaction among SES members
• Baseline survey
• Executive On-Boarding

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Corporate Senior Executive Management Office
Deputy Assistant Secretary Christine L.
Kluh Loreen Orage Program Assistant GS-9
Georgia Koliopoulos Operations Director GS-15
Program Management Director 15 Wendy Hepker
Policy and Strategic Planning Supervisor 15
Administrative/Budget Analyst 13/14
Dadrian Brown HR Specialist 14 (Perf
Management)
Team B Sue Ellen Scannell HR Specialist GS-14
Team A Shannon Carroll HR Specialist 14
Judy Bee Welch HR Specialist 14 (Benefits)
HR Specialist Strategic Planning Reports 14
HR Specialist 13 (Perf Management)
Joycelyn Jones HR Specialist 14
Jeannette Jones HR Specialist GS-14
HR Specialist 14 Missouri
Deborah Rodriguez HR Specialist 14 (Employee
Relations)
HR Specialist 13 (Policy)
Joyce Mitchell HR Specialist 14
Laterica Curtis HR Specialist GS-13
Nikole Ellis HR Specialist 11
HR Specialist 14 (Exec Dev Training)
Class Specialist GS-14 Vacant
HR Specialist 14 Robinson
Denise DeShields Program Support Assistant 7
HR Specialist 13/14 (Exec Dev Training)
Class Specialist GS-14 Vacant
Holly Imler HR Specialist 13
Isaac Alston Program Assistant 7
Angela Robinson HR Assistant GS-8
Brandon Boston HR Assistant 7