Performance Improvement Officer
Department/Agency: Cross-Cutting Management Positions
Position:
Performance Improvement Officer
Executive Schedule: Other Pay Plan
Major Responsibilities:
- Assist agency head in developing performance measures and using results to ensure accountability for greater effectiveness
- Develop strategic plans and annual performance reports
- Coordinate performance management activities
- Convene front-line managers regularly to assess and improve program performance
- Increase transparency and usefulness of performance information
Key Competencies and Preferred Qualifications:
- Senior management experience in public or private sector, especially performance management leadership
- Knowing how to harness data to drive results
- Expertise in federal budget, appropriations and legislative processes
- Familiarity with Government Performance and Results Act of 1993
- Ability to communicate objective performance results to stakeholders, including Congress, OMB, civil servants and the general public
Insight:
Under Executive Order 13450: Improving Government Program Performance signed by President George W. Bush on November 13, 2007, every federal department and agency was required to designate a Performance Improvement Officer (PIO) to coordinate efforts to improve executive branch operations. The Executive Order also established a Performance Improvement Council (PIC) modeled on other successful management councils for the federal government's chief financial officers, chief information officers and chief acquisition officers. While still a fledgling, this newest Council will establish program performance standards and evaluation criteria, exchange information among agencies, coordinate and monitor performance assessments, keep the public informed, obtain feedback from stakeholders, and make policy recommendations to top management. The Performance Improvement Officers are members of the Senior Executive Service, usually working in top positions in budget or planning. The Council provides a new platform to share best performance management practices across the government. OMB Deputy Director for Management Clay Johnson III chairs the Council, with OMB Deputy Assistant Director for Management Dustin Brown and the State Department Performance Improvement Officer, Sid Kaplan, presiding over monthly meetings. Those two OMB officials are the main points of contact at the White House for those working on management issues throughout the executive branch. To carry out the Executive Order's mandate, performance review panels were established within each agency in January 2008. The Performance Improvement Officer's mission is to get different "stovepipes" within each agency talking with one another about how to elevate performance. With this new structure, PIOs will be able to share notes and experiences with colleagues from the established Management Councils. Already PIOs have partnered with the Chief Human Capital Officers Council (CHCOC) to form a joint committee on best ways to hold managers accountable for results. In a May 2008 memo, OMB Deputy Director Johnson wrote: "To help you drive management improvements in your agency and government-wide, we have established a process where each year you set goals for where you would be proud to be in your implementation of plans to resolve major management challenges by the next July 1." Agencies submitted their first "Proud to Be" goals to OMB the following month. Links to OMB guidance on the implementation of Executive Order 13450 can be found at www.omb.gov/part. Look for the box titled: Executive Order: Improving Government Program Performance. This web address soon will be retitled: www.omb.gov/performance.
Key Relationships – Within the Department or Agency:
Agency head and deputy Chief Human Capital Officer Other chief officers (financial, information, acquisition) Inspector General Assistant secretaries and program managers Performance management staff in line programs (e.g., FDA and NIH within HHS)
Key Relationships – Within the Government:
OMB Deputy Director for Management OMB Deputy Assistant Director for Management Government Accountability Office performance management staff Performance Improvement Office Council Congressional oversight committees
Key Relationships – Outside the Government:
National Academy of Public Administration The Council for Excellence in Government Partnership for Public Service American Political Science Association Carnegie Corporation of New York Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and other foundations involved with public service Independent Sector organization
Nomination Referred to:
Not subject to Senate confirmation. PIOs must belong to Senior Executive Service, but may be career or non-career officials.
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