Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF)
For more than four decades, the Presidential Management Fellows Program (PMF) has been the Federal government’s premier leadership development program for advanced degree candidates. The Program focuses on developing a cadre of potential government leaders.
The Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program is administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Each year, candidates apply for the prestigious title of PMF Finalists. Selected Finalists are then eligible to apply for positions with participating agencies, and become Fellows upon receiving an appointment.
To become a PMF, you must participate in an arduous, multi-phase process. It takes patience and endurance, but also gives you a chance to demonstrate your leadership ability and potential. As a PMF, you will have earned your place in the Program, and the opportunity to grow professionally, serve your country, and make a difference!
The very first step in successfully becoming a PMF is paying attention to the details of the annual application and assessment process. Once the application period opens, it will appear on USAJOBS. The application is typically open for two weeks in October and closes at 11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time) on the last day. Finalists are usually announced in late November.
If you will meet all advanced degree requirements (even though you have not necessarily graduated), including the completion or successful defense of any required thesis or dissertation, you are eligible to apply. Eligibility is based on completion of degree requirements by August 31st of the following year of the annual application.
– OR –
If you have completed an advanced degree from a qualifying college or university during the previous two years from the opening date of the PMF Program’s annual application announcement, you are eligible to apply.
Advanced Degree means a professional or graduate degree (e.g., master’s, Ph.D., J.D.).
NOTE: Individuals who previously applied for the program, but were not selected as a Finalist, may reapply if they meet eligibility requirements. Current Finalists who have not obtained a PMF appointment may apply for the next PMF application; however, they will forfeit their status as a current Finalist upon accessing the on-line assessment. Applicants who are in the process of completing their advanced degree are strongly encouraged to determine whether or not they will complete all degree requirements by the August 31 deadline. There is no regulatory provision to allow the PMF Program Office to waive or defer a Finalists’ appointment eligibility if he/she does not complete degree requirements. Completing degree requirements includes the successful completion/defense of any thesis/dissertation, which includes any deadlines or findings of the school’s review.
Opportunities for Federal employment for non-United States citizens through the PMF Program are extremely rare. By law, most Federal agencies are prohibited from paying anyone who is not a U.S. citizen for positions in the continental United States. There are certain exemptions to this restriction. A non-citizen may be eligible for employment if the individual is:
- Eligible to work under U.S. immigration laws. and
- Eligible for and pursuing U.S. citizenship or appointed by a Federal agency permitted by that agency’s appropriation act or agency-specific statutes to hire and pay non-citizens.
If a non-U.S. citizen is appointed as a PMF by a Federal agency and does not possess full U.S. citizenship by the conclusion of the two-year PMF fellowship, by Executive order, the non-U.S. citizen Fellow cannot be converted to permanent career or career-conditional employment. The employing agency is under no obligation to retain a Fellow who is not eligible for conversion upon completion of the PMF fellowship. The appointment will expire and the PMF will be separated from Government service. The PMF Program Office cannot extend a PMF’s fellowship to meet citizenship requirements for conversion.
The PMF Program accepts applications annually. Applying to the Program is only the first step in becoming a PMF. During the application process, you must take an online assessment, and submit a resume and transcript
Applicants take an un-proctored online assessment during the application process. The online assessment consists of four parts: Situational Judgment, Life Experience, Problem Solving, and Writing. Each part is timed and must be completed in the order listed.
The online assessment is designed to uncover evidence of the following competencies that are critical to success on the job across all PMF occupations and factored into the selection of Finalists: flexibility, integrity, interpersonal skills, public service motivation, problem solving, and written communication.
Each spring, Finalists may attend a government-wide job fair to be held in-person in the Washington metropolitan or virtually. Agencies may conduct interviews at the job fair, but candidates must apply for positions via a vacancy announcement in the Talent Management System (TMS).
The Department of State values its PMFs and has one of the most sought-after programs among Finalists. It is one of the largest consumers of PMF Finalists, and routinely offers the following positions: Budget Analyst, Financial Management Analyst, Foreign Affairs Officer, Human Resources Specialist, Information Technology Specialist, Intelligence Operations Specialist, Intelligence Research Specialist, Management Analyst, Program Analyst, and Public Affairs Specialist.
While the government uses at least six different pay scales, the majority of Civil Service employees are paid using the GS (General Schedule) pay scale. The General Service pay scale for Civil Service employees features 15 pay grades, GS-1 (lowest) – GS-15 (highest) with 10 steps within each grade. You can visit the GS pay scale here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages.
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