The Obama administration announced on Dec. 15 that it will lift the caps on SES performance-based awards to 2010 levels in an effort to draw new talent to the embattled service.

In an executive order entitled "Strengthening the Senior Executive Service," the administration laid an out a framework that combines initiatives to draw in new talent, keep it with compensation incentives, balance it through agency rotation and keep it from going off the rails with more accountability.

"Earlier this spring, the White House Advisory group on the SES identified a number of recommendations to strengthen the Senior Executive corps," said Shaun Donovan, director of the Office of Management and Budget. "Today, we are able to announce a set of actions that the administration will take to further improve the way the federal government recruits, hires, develops, manages, retains and ensures accountability for senior career leaders."

Related: Read the order.

With the SES facing 60 percent of its workforce being eligible to retire next year, the administration has tasked agency deputy secretaries with an increased role in recruitment and talent management. OPM will also make the application process easier to navigate to attract new talent.

The order sets out the goal of 15 percent of SES members rotating agencies every 120 days to broaden executive experience and skill sets.

It will also set up an SES onboarding program to help new hires with mentorship from current and former executives, based off of a six-agency pilot program conducted this year.

To greater incentivize compensation, tThe White House has lifted the aggregate spending caps for performance-based awards from 4.8 to 7.5 percent, a level last seen in 2010. It also sets up compensation structures to ensure that SES salaries exceed those of subordinate general schedule employees.

Finally, OPM is launching an education campaign for more accountability within SES and will "establish an expert team to consult two or three agencies to address SES conduct and performance challenges, according to a release from OMB.

The executive order was rolled out at an administration event, "Unlocking the Full Potential of America's Federal Workforce," that recognized the Presidential Rank Awards and the inaugural class of the President's Customer Service Awards, with Donovan, acting Office of Personnel Management director Beth Cobert and White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough on hand.

"As the president said, we cannot win the future with the government of the past," McDonough said. "Today's executive order is an important step for fostering the leaders of tomorrow, drawing on the successes of today and preparing our government for the challenges of the next decades of the 21st century."

News of the new order drew praise from some industry stakeholders, like Partnership for Public Service president Max Stier.

"Today, the president and his administration took significant steps to strengthen this all important federal leadership corps," Stier said in a statement. "Investing in how agencies recruit, retain and develop their leaders will fundamentally change how our government works. We commend the administration for its leadership, and we look forward to helping the White House implement these much-needed reforms."

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