Information for Managers of Presidential Management Fellows: The Simple Process of Hiring a Presidential Management Fellow

How do I hire a Presidential Management Fellows?

Presidential Management Fellows (PMFs) are funded by the hiring office and count toward Agency FTE. Once you have a hiring authority, you may choose to hire through the PMF Program rather than using the EZHire system. For additional guidance see chapter 1 of the Presidential Management Fellows Program Resource Manual.

If you would like to hire a Presidential Management Fellow, follow the steps below:

Draft a position description and submit it to the PMF Coordinator at EPA's Office of Human Resources (Kent Smith, email: smith.kents@epa.gov). The PMF Coordinator then submits these position descriptions to OPM's centralized website for PMF Finalists to access. While finalists who have an interest in your position description should contact you directly, OPM also makes Finalists' resumes available to hiring offices via the OPM PMF website. Most positions are submitted in early spring, prior to the annual Job Fair. However, you may post a position at any time throughout the year. The hiring officers in your office should receive a memo from Sharon Ridings in January or February describing the timetable.
Interview PMF Finalists. You can interview PMF Finalists during Office of Personnel Managements Job Fair in April, or you can set up interviews on your own. Many Finalists apply to multiple offices and Agencies, so it may be useful to set up the interviews prior to the Job Fair.
Make a formal offer to the PMF Finalist and complete hiring procedures. Most PMFs receive offers during or shortly after the April Job Fair, although it is possible to hire PMFs until December 31.

For additional guidance on the PMF hiring process, see pages 17-18 of the PMF Program Resource Manual.

How much does a Presidential Management Fellows cost?

Your hiring office is responsible for reimbursing Office of Personnel Management for the costs associated with the recruitment, selection, placement, orientation and graduation of PMFs. Currently, this fee is $6,000.00, which is separate from the salary your office will be responsible for paying your PMF.

How does OPM Recruit Presidential Management Fellows Finalists?

The PMF Program Office in the Office of Personnel Management, is responsible for selecting the pool of Finalists from which you may hire a PMF. The selection process proceeds as follows:

Academic programs nominate a maximum percentage of individuals who will receive graduate degrees (Master's degrees, JDs, or PhDs) during the recruiting year.
Nominees submit applications to Office of Personnel Management for initial screening of track record and accomplishments.
Semi-Finalists are invited to a structured assessment center where Office of Personnel evaluates Semi-Finalists' skills in group communication, writing, critical thinking, and policy analysis.
Overall scores determine Presidential Management Fellows Finalists, who are invited to interview with federal Agencies.

OPM lists Presidential Management Fellows Finalists by late March of each recruiting year. Agency managers can access Finalists' names and resumes.

Rotations: Hiring Without Hiring

As part of their fellowship, PMFs work out agreements to do one or more rotations during their two-year fellowship. Rotations can last anywhere from three to twelve months based on agreements between fellows, their home offices, and rotational offices.
Through a rotation, a manager can allow a PMF to work on a project without any payroll investment; the Presidential Management Fellows home office continues to pay the Fellow's salary while on rotation.
Rotations are a great way for PMFs to gain breadth of experience, beyond their current job, and even beyond their agency.
If you are interested in bringing a PMF into your office for a rotation, you can advertise your rotation to the PMF community via two avenues:
1. you may post your position in Office of Personnel Management's rotation bank, and/or
2. you may post your position on the rotation page (coming soon!).

In both methods, you should describe the nature of the position, desired duration, start date, and your contact information.

Information for Managers of Presidential Management Fellows: The Simple Process of Hiring a Presidential Management Fellow

How do I hire a Presidential Management Fellows?

How much does a Presidential Management Fellows cost?

How does OPM Recruit Presidential Management Fellows Finalists?

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