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NOAA Workforce Management Office
Serving NOAA's Most Valuable Asset - People
NOAA Supervisory Resource Guide
What you should know about Position
Management
Typical Scenario:
- Reorganization/Reprogramming ?
Management decides to establish or abolish an
organizational unit(s) as a result of acquisition,
restructuring, discontinuance, abolishment of
functions, or from the movement of functions between
organizational elements.
http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/ames/administrative_orders/
chapter_200/200-7.html
- Reduction-in-Force (RIF) ?
Management must consider executing RIF procedures when
an employee is faced with separation or downgrading for
a reason such as reorganization, lack of work, shortage
of funds, insufficient personnel ceiling, or the
exercise of certain reemployment or restoration rights.
http://www.wfm.noaa.gov/policies/rif_refs.html
- Recruitment ? Management has the need to fill a vacant position or anticipate the loss of an employee. http://www.wfm.noaa.gov/hiring_staffing/hiring_guide/index.html
Position management methods and techniques develop the most efficient organization. It will allow managers to consult with their Human Resources Advisor (HRA) to identify and correct workforce inconsistencies, prepare for reorganizations, Reduction-in-Force, and Recruitment.
Position management is a key requirement in an agency's Strategic Plan (and the subsequent implementation issues considered by the Human Resources Office in the process of developing Strategic Alignment options) is an accurate review of the agency's position management policies.
Agencies should structure positions to reflect appropriate entrance levels, and patterns of career progression that later allow employees to move to other positions, including positions with additional skills and/or higher grades.
Where Do I Start?
You should contact your HRA to discuss the impact of the organizational structure, staffing and classification factors pertinent to the position management process.
This is the process of designing and/or redesigning positions to combine logical and consistent duties and responsibilities into an orderly, efficient and productive organization to accomplish its mission. Position management planning is essential to the future effectiveness of agencies implementing reshaping/restructuring plans.
Proper position management assists management in establishing:
- Organizational goals for the short-term, mid-term and long-term (these may be the same, similar, or different);
- The most productive organization;
- The most efficient organization;
- Streamlined work flow patterns; and
- Positions that are designed, as best possible relative to a situation, to provide employees with work that is rewarding, stimulating and challenging.
Sound position management is also critical to the Strategic Alignment process. For example, position management helps the agency identify where it should consider additional training for its current staff in order to meet the agency's future staffing requirements through succession planning.
Position management plans should be reviewed on a regular basis to assure that the position and organizational structures meet the agency's mission requirements and needs of its customers, as identified in the agency's Strategic Plan.
Other benefits of effective position management include an optimum ratio (relative to the organization) of (1) supervisors/managers to other employees, and (2) support positions of all types (e.g., personnel, fiscal, automated systems, legal, etc.) to other positions (e.g., professional, administrative, and technical).
Basic Steps:
The manager and HRA should review the position management plans on a regular basis to assure that the position and organizational structures meet the agency's mission requirements and needs of its customers, as identified in the agency's Strategic Plan.
HRA should inform managers and supervisors at all levels about what is expected and must be actively involved in the efforts to implement the plans. They should call upon the HRA, as necessary, to advise on job analysis, job redesign, organization, career patterns, staffing and training implications, and coordination of efforts. Others who are knowledgeable about the organization can be called upon to assist in this process, as needed.
Good Management Practices:
Reorganization can be very disruptive to an organization in terms of its overall capability to meet customer needs. This is especially true if the reorganization will result in fewer employees in the agency, the relocation of employees to different local commuting areas, or the downgrading of employees. A key requirement in an agency's Strategic Plan (and the subsequent implementation issues considered by human resource organization in the process of developing Strategic Alignment options) is an accurate review of the agency's position management policies.
Agencies should structure positions to reflect appropriate entrance levels, and patterns of career progression that later allow employees to move to other positions, including positions with additional skills and/or higher grades.
Other benefits of effective position management include an optimum ratio (relative to the organization) of (1) supervisors/managers to other employees, and (2) support positions of all types (e.g., personnel, fiscal, automated systems, legal, etc.) to other positions (e.g., professional, administrative, and technical).
Checklist:
Organization Strategic Plan/Mission Statement
NOAA Organization Chart
Position Organization Listing
Position Description(s)
A Note on the Commerce Alternative Personnel System (CAPS):
Position management methods and techniques apply to the CAPS.
WFMO Contact Lists
Page last edited: October 27, 2008
