About Us
History and Overview
Bearing the Presidential Seal, the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program is the Federal Government's premier leadership development program for advanced degree holders across all academic disciplines. Since 1977. the PMF Program has matched outstanding graduate students with exciting Federal opportunities. It has gone through several changes over its 40+ year history, but its essential mission remains the same: to recruit and develop a cadre of future government leaders from all segments of society. The PMF Program creates a lasting bond among Fellows and Alumni, and instills a spirit of public service, which, for Fellows who complete the program successfully, can ultimately encourage and lead to a career in government.
For Future Leaders
The PMF Program is a unique leadership training ground. You'll perform valuable service to the American people while jump-starting your career, whatever you envision that to be. The 2-year fellowship comes with full salary and benefits, challenging assignments, training and development, mentoring, plus an opportunity to make government work better. Find out more.
For Federal Agencies
Agencies can hire competitive, qualified, and diverse individuals with a variety of academic backgrounds that have been selected as Finalists. Finalists are pre-qualified at the GS-9 level, although agencies may initially appoint at the GS-9, GS-11, GS-12, or equivalent. Find out more.
Our DEIA Efforts
The PMF Program continues to recruit and develop a cadre of future government leaders from all segments of society. OPM continues to engage in robust recruitment and outreach efforts to increase awareness about the PMF Program, particularly among underrepresented groups. Recruitment and outreach efforts are guided primarily by the following goals:
- Recruiting qualified candidates to meet agency needs, and
- Recruiting for maximum representation to draw in PMF Program applicants from the broad diversity of the United States.
The following are highlights of our efforts to enhance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA):
- PMF Assessment Process
- For the PMF Class of 2022 application and assessment process, OPM analyzed the results of past assessments and revised the online assessment batteries, so we could continue testing for key PMF competencies while working to address any past issues.
- Prior to the upcoming Class of 2023, OPM engaged with subject matter experts (SMEs) from the PMF community (e.g., PMF Supervisors, current Fellows, and PMF Alumni), OPM’s Assessment and Evaluation Branch (AEB), and external contractors and non-profits to redesign the assessment process.
- OPM conducted a job analysis to refresh the skills and competencies needed for today’s PMF Program which served as the basis for competencies that will be measured through the 2023 assessment. Information about the process, including competencies, can be found under our Assessment Process page.
- To identify updated assessment tools, AEB worked with a team of public, private, and non-profit sector experts to recommend a strategy that optimizes the development of instruments that will identify qualified/talented applicants from diverse backgrounds to become Finalists.
- PMF Leadership Development Program (PMF LDP)
- OPM partnered with OPM’s Center for Leadership Development (CLD)/Federal Executive Institute (FEI) on redesigning the PMF LDP with stronger learning methods, diverse faculty, and up-to-date examples that develop PMFs to handle the leadership situations they will face.
- The refreshed LDP is designed to accomplish the following:
- Establish a learning community;
- Practice the leadership behaviors and skills needed to sustain efforts to create inclusive cultures within PMF and at Federal agencies;
- Identify individuals’ leadership vision and values;
- Work through real-time challenges of leading in government, and analyze them at the level of the organization, system, team, and self;
- Explore honestly and openly how we ourselves are part of the challenges we face; and,
- Create capacity to navigate the unique terrain of Federal Government more effectively.
- See additional information under our Leadership Development Program page.
- Engagement with Agencies on PMF Hiring for Class of 2022 Finalists
- The PMF Class of 2022 has 1,100 Finalists; the largest Class of Finalists in history.
- After Finalists were selected, OPM facilitated three informational webinars to prepare Finalists for the appointment process. We also conducted a series of “Agency Meet-and-Greets.” These webinars allowed agencies to introduce their agency to Finalists, explain why their agency is a great environment for PMFs, and offer additional information on upcoming appointment opportunities.
- OPM conducted a hiring fair with over 30 Federal agencies and over 400 Finalists in May Agencies are currently in the process of interviewing and selecting Finalists for posted agency positions.
- OPM Director Kiran Ahuja and OMB’s Deputy Director for Management, Jason Miller, strongly encouraged President’s Management Council agencies to increase their participation in the PMF Program to bring the highly qualified pool of Finalists into government service.
- Throughout the year, OPM works to continuously promote the program to HR staff and prospective hiring managers through agency briefings and engage interagency channels and groups such as the CHCO Council, the President’s Management Council, and the Veterans Councils.
- The PMF Program encourages current PMFs and PMF alumni to promote the program as PMF Ambassadors, and we continue to work with the alumni community on a regular basis.
- For the upcoming 2023 cycle of Fellows, OPM will conduct an annual Workforce Planning Survey this summer for participating Federal agencies to submit their estimates on how many PMFs they plan to hire.
To learn more, visit the following sections on Policy, Meet the Team, and the PMF Honorary Awards.
UPDATED: 08-03-2022