Understanding the SES Qualifications Review Board (for Federal Job Seekers)

The following post explores Understanding the SES Qualifications Review Board (for Federal Job Seekers).

If you’re a federal job seeker pursuing a position in the Senior Executive Service (SES), you are entering a highly competitive hiring process that involves multiple stages of evaluation.

Read: How the Merit Hiring Plan Affects Federal Job Seekers

Related: Navigating Major SES Changes

The final stage, known as the Qualifications Review Board (QRB), is a make-or-break step that can determine whether your selection translates into a permanent SES appointment.

Here’s what you need to know.

Overview

Landing an SES role is highly competitive. Simply reaching the stage of being selected for an SES position is a significant accomplishment in it’s own right.

However, being selected by the agency isn’t the final step in the hiring process. Before you can receive a permanent SES appointment, you typically must navigate the QRB process.

The QRB is essentially an extra layer of scrutiny in the SES hiring process. Even after an agency selects you for a position, the board reviews your qualifications to make sure you meet the leadership standards required at the federal executive level.

Why the QRB Matters

If you want to move from being selected by an agency to actually being appointed to the SES, you need to perform well at the QRB stage.

The QRB is an independent evaluation panel that reviews SES candidates. The QRB is looking to determine whether the candidate demonstrates the requisite executive leadership competencies.

This means that selection alone doesn’t guarantee you’ll be appointed to the SES. Performing well with the QRB is a critical step that confirms you’re ready to serve as a Senior Executive.

QRB Cases

The QRB evaluates candidates under one of three main types of cases, or “criteria.” Which one applies depends on your background and the pathway through which you’re entering the SES.

• Criterion A is for candidates with existing executive experience.

• Criterion B is for those who completed an OPM-approved SES Candidate Development Program (CDP).

• Criterion C is for candidates with special or unique qualifications indicating potential for success in the SES.

Below is a screenshot with the three different types of QRB cases that exist and the criterion used.

Which criterion applies depends on your situation, but all three focus on one thing: whether you have the leadership skills needed to succeed at the SES level. For now, just be aware that the QRB can assess candidates in different ways, and the ECQs are the standard it uses.

Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs)

A central part of QRB review is the evaluation of a candidate’s Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs).

The ECQs are designed to assess the executive leadership competencies required to perform at the SES level. Your ECQs are not just paperwork — they are the primary lens through which the QRB determines whether you are ready to serve as a federal executive.

Without going into too much depth about what ECQs are (or how they work), I will simply forewarn you that ECQs are complicated and not something to put off until the last minute. If you’ve never done ECQs, you may want to consider hiring a professional ECQ writing service. 

To learn more about ECQs, I recommend exploring these articles: Understanding the New ECQs, Tips for Selecting Your ECQ Stories, and How to Write ECQs Using CCAR. 

In Conclusion

In conclusion, I hope this article is helpful for Understanding the SES Qualifications Review Board. While the QRB may feel like a daunting step, seeing it as an opportunity to demonstrate your executive leadership readiness can help you approach the process with confidence.

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