The Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program is a prestigious two year paid government fellowship sponsored by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for recent graduate students who seek a two year fellowship in a United States government agency. Selection begins with the nomination of the student by the school followed by a rigorous assessment process. Agencies that hire PMFs include the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Interior, Justice, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Library of Congress, NASA and the United States Agency for International Development. Following the conclusion of the two year fellowship, PMFs have the opportunity to convert their fellowship into a full-time permanent position.
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The PMF Program was established by Executive Order in 1977, and amended by Executive Order in 2003[1] to attract to the Federal service outstanding citizen-scholars from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs. By drawing graduate students from diverse social and cultural backgrounds, the PMF Program provides a continuing source of trained men and women to meet the future challenges of public service. The PMF program was formerly referred to as the Presidential Management Internship (PMI) program.
Graduate students from all academic disciplines who expect to complete an advanced degree from a qualifying college or university by August 31 of the academic year in which the competition is held, are eligible to become Fellows. The multi-step application process is highly selective and requires a series of resume submissions, and assessment examinations. Potential fellows should demonstrate breadth and quality of accomplishments, capacity for leadership, and a commitment to excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs.
Fellows are hired at the GS-9, GS-11, or GS-12 (or equivalent pay band, depending on agency) levels with Excepted Service appointment status for the beginning of their two-year internship. Following satisfactory completion of each year of the fellowship, they are eligible for promotion to the next GS level (or equivalent pay band, depending on agency) but cannot be promoted higher than GS-13 during the fellowship. After successful completion of the two-year fellowship, the agency must non-competitively appoint the Fellow to a full-time, permanent position, granting the Fellow career or career-conditional status.
OPM sponsors a three-day PMF orientation program within the first year of the fellowship and a two-day PMF graduation program at the conclusion of the fellowship.
Training has always been considered a fundamental part of the PMF Program. Hiring agencies are responsible for ensuring that Fellows receive at least 80 hours of formal classroom training each year of the fellowship. For each Fellow, the appointing agency will provide a minimum of 80 hours per year of formal classroom training that addresses the core competencies required of the occupation or functional discipline in which the Fellow will most likely be placed upon completion of the Program and conversion to a full-time, permanent position.
Each Fellow should create an Individual Development Plan (IDP). The IDP is an important part of the 2-year fellowship. The IDP process helps to make the fellowship a positive experience for both the agency and the Fellow. Each PMF is required to develop an IDP with assistance from his or her supervisor. The IDP must contain specific descriptions of assignments and learning objectives, and incorporate other elements of the program such as rotations, career development group participation, and training events. An IDP should be considered a vital and flexible planning document to be reviewed periodically and revised as appropriate.
Hiring agencies are also to provide Fellows with at least one developmental assignment of 4 to 6 months in duration in the occupation or functional discipline in which the Fellow will most likely be placed, with full-time management and/or technical responsibilities consistent with the Individual Development Plan.
As employees of the Federal Government, PMFs earn annual leave and sick leave, and are entitled to paid Federal holidays. PMFs are covered under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Upon appointment, PMFs may elect life insurance, health insurance, and Thrift Savings Plan options.
Federal agencies are authorized to repay student loans under the Federal Student Loan Repayment Program, as provided for in part 537 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations. The amount paid by the agency is subject to the following "pre-tax" maximum limits: (1) $10,000 per employee per calendar year, and (2) a total of $60,000 per employee. Presidential Management Fellows are eligible to receive student loan repayments, but these programs are agency-specific.
The non-profit Presidential Management Alumni Group (PMAG) was organized in 1981 to advance the professionalism of public service and augment the education and career development of those who have served in or assisted the PMF Program. PMAG is not sponsored by OPM. The membership comprises former and current Fellows, and other individuals interested in recruitment and development of Federal Government career managers. PMAG sponsors professional and social activities, maintains a network among the over 3,500 former Fellows, and provides support to maintain the PMF Program as the Federal Government’s premier mechanism for recruiting future managers.