Diversity in the Federal Government's Senior Executive Service

Abstract

The makeup of the Senior Executive Service (SES) has never mirrored the racial and ethnic diversity of our nation. African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos are particularly under-represented in the SES. Congressional and executive-branch efforts to improve diversity in the SES have been proposed but never implemented. The current administration’s hostility toward diversity in the federal workforce, as evidenced by directives that severely restrict federal agencies’ ability to engage in diversity training, may lead to further reductions in SES diversity. This proposal examines trends in diversity in the SES, as well as the value of implementing measures to enhance diversity in the workplace. This proposal further examines the feasibility of measures to close the diversity gap in the SES, including using data to better promote diversity and developing a stronger applicant pool. Though achieving a goal of mirroring the nation’s diversity in the makeup of the SES will be challenging, implementing efforts like the one proposed herein will demonstrate our nation’s commitment to creating a true representative bureaucracy.