Draft

Parenthetical Classification Titles

AND

Competency-Based Job Profile

(Qualification Standard)

for the

Computer Specialist Series

GS-0334

and the

Telecommunications Series

GS-0391

Workforce Compensation and Performance Service Employment Service

Office of Performance and Compensation System Design Nationwide Examining Policy Office

Classification Programs Division

October 1999

OCT 19, 1999

MEMORANDUM FOR DIRECTORS OF PERSONNEL

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERS COUNCIL

FROM: MARY LOU LINDHOLM

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

FOR EMPLOYMENT

HENRY ROMERO

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

FOR WORKFORCE COMPENSATION

AND PERFORMANCE

SUBJECT: Revision of Classification and Qualification Standards for Information Technology (IT) Occupations

Earlier this year, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) undertook an initiative to revise the classification and qualification standards for critical information technology (IT) occupations. Our goal is to respond to agency concerns that today’s tight labor market requires innovative, optimal approaches to IT recruitment and assessment, with particular reference to information security issues. This IT initiative has been conducted in close collaboration with agency HR and IT experts whose assistance has been invaluable to the progress we have made to this point. To date, we have:

conducted an extensive literature review to identify issues and common practices relative to IT classification, compensation, recruitment, selection, training, and retention;

identified the critical competencies and tasks used to describe IT work throughout the American labor force, both now and in the future; and

conducted a series of focus groups, nationwide, with Federal, academic, and private sector representatives to provide recommendations on a titling framework and to evaluate task and competency requirements for IT occupations.

Based on this work, OPM is issuing the following products, in draft form, for your review:

a framework of new parentheticalspecialty titles that provides a basis for more accurately describing IT work covered by the GS-0334 Computer Specialist and GS-0391 Telecommunications series. These specialty titles will be available for use as parenthetical titles for GS-0334 positions in advance of establishing a new Information Technology Specialist series, which will replace both the Computer Specialist and Telecommunications series; and

a competency-based job profile to replace the current qualification standards for the Computer Specialist and Telecommunications series, which will provide the foundation for developing IT recruitment and assessment strategies. (Job profiles for the Computer Engineer and Computer Scientist series will be issued at a later date. In addition, after further research, OPM will issue guidance on competency requirements specific to each parenthetical specialty title.)

These draft products are being distributed via hard copy and email to the CIO Council, Personnel Directors, Classification Chiefs, and Staffing Chiefs. They can also be accessed on the OPM web site at

Please submit your comments no later thanNovember 30, 1999. Comments may be submitted either by mail to the addressees listed below or by phone or emailtoRich D’Adamo on (202) 606-8005 (for comments related to the new job titles) or Leslie Pollack on (202) 606-1426 or (for commentsrelated to the job profile).

We believe these two products will significantly improve the Government’s ability to recruit and retain a well qualified IT workforce in coming years. As we move into the next phase of the IT initiative, which will involve pilot testing the new parenthetical specialty titles and job profile with volunteer agencies and the development of a job family classification standard for the IT occupations, we look forward to continuing support and input from agencies and the CIO Council. If you would like more information about becoming a pilot agency, please contact Leslie Pollack at (202) 606-1426 or by email .

Thank you for your time and consideration on this important initiative.

Attachments

Mail Comments on New Titles to:Classification Programs Division

Workforce Compensation and Performance Service

Office of Personnel Management

1900 E. Street, NW., Room 6H31

Washington, D.C. 20415-9810

ATTN: Rich D’Adamo

Mail Comments on Job Profile to:Nationwide Examining Policy Office

Office of Personnel Management

1900 E Street, NW., Rm. 2458

Washington, DC 20415-9810

ATTN: Leslie Pollack

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR REVIEWING

THE DRAFT PARENTHETICAL SPECIALTY TITLES

The following document contains proposed new parenthetical specialty titles for the

GS-0334 Computer Specialist series. We would like to call your attention to several key aspects of this proposal:

- The proposal includes eleven new parenthetical specialty titles. These titles are proposed as parenthetical additions to the GS-0334 Computer Specialist series. Parenthetical titles will allow for immediate recognition of current and future trends within the information technology workforce and facilitate the ability to respond to changes that may result from the continuing evolution of the occupation.

- The Communications Services parenthetical specialty title is being proposed to cover work now included in the GS-0391 Telecommunications series. This proposed change reflects the changing nature of the communications occupation to include data, video and other communications media in addition to voice/ telephony. This parenthetical specialty may eventually replace the GS-0391 Telecommunications series.

When providing your comments, we request that you respond to several questions:

1. Do the proposed new parenthetical specialty titles cover the full range of information technology specialties? Are there other specialties that need to be included? Could any of the proposed specialties be eliminated or combined?

2. Are the proposed definitions sufficiently specific to make distinctions between the specialties?

3. Is it feasible to abolish the GS-0391 Telecommunications series and to cover the work associated with this area via a parenthetical title, i.e., Communications Services, in the GS-0334 Computer Specialist series?

4. Does your organization expect to use the new parenthetical specialty titles when they first become available?

Your comments on any other aspects of the proposal are welcome including suggested revisions to the proposed definitions.

If approved, the new parenthetical specialty titles will be available for immediate use within 30 days of the end of the review and comment period. Use of the new titles will be optional.

PROPOSED PARENTHETICAL SPECIALTY TITLE DEFINITIONS

1. Communications Services - This specialty covers planning, analysis, design, development, implementation, maintenance, and/or enhancement of voice/data/video communications capabilities and systems. Functions may include analyzing information communications needs, determining appropriate communications media, designing communications systems, acquiring communications resources, ensuring integration of data, voice, and video networks, and ensuring the efficient operation of installed communications systems. Includes positions commonly referred to as telecommunications specialist, communications analyst, and communications engineer.

2. Customer Support - This specialty covers planning and delivery of customer support programs and services including installation, troubleshooting, user assistance, and/or training. Functions may include diagnosing and resolving problems in response to user reported incidents, researching trends and patterns of problems, developing and maintaining problem tracking databases, installing, troubleshooting, maintaining, and repairing hardware and software, performing backup and recovery operations, and providing user training. Includes positions commonly referred to as technical support specialist, user support specialist, help desk representative, and maintenance specialist.

3. Data Management - This specialty covers development, implementation, and administration of systems for the acquisition, storage, and retrieval of data. Functions may include analyzing and defining data requirements and specifications, designing, developing, implementing, modifying, and managing databases, ensuring the accuracy and accessibility of data sources, analyzing and planning for anticipated changes in data capacity requirements, developing and administering data standards, policies, and procedures, defining data flow and developing data flow diagrams, building and maintaining data dictionaries, and developing physical data models. Includes positions commonly referred to as database developer, database administrator, data analyst, data administrator, and data architect.

4. Enterprise - This specialty covers a wide range of corporate-level, organization-wide activities including strategic planning, capital planning, workforce planning, policy and standards development, budgeting, knowledge management, information architecture/infrastructure planning and modeling, and information security. Functions may include assessing policy needs and developing policies to govern IT functions, providing policy guidance to IT management, staff, and customers, coordinating the review of IT functions and processes to determine policy priorities, developing and maintaining strategic plans, defining current and future business environments, preparing IT budgets, and identifying and addressing IT workforce issues, such as recruitment, retention, and training. Includes positions commonly found in the Office of the Chief Information Officer or similar entity.

5. Information Security - This specialty covers planning, analysis, development, implementation, maintenance, and enhancement of systems, programs, policies, procedures, and tools to ensure the integrity, reliability, accessibility, and confidentiality of information systems and assets. Functions may include developing security policies and procedures to prevent and defend against unauthorized access to networks, systems, and data, conducting risk and vulnerability assessments of planned and installed systems, conducting security evaluations and audits, developing contingency plans and disaster recovery procedures, and participating in network and systems design to ensure implementation of security policies. Also may include developing and implementing programs to ensure that users understand and adhere to security policies and procedures. Includes positions commonly referred to as information security analyst/specialist and information assurance analyst/specialist.

6. Network Services - This specialty covers the planning, analysis, design, development, testing, quality assurance, configuration, implementation, integration, maintenance, and/or administration of network systems including LANs, WANs, and MANs, and Internet/Intranet systems. Functions include defining and maintaining physical network architecture and infrastructure, configuring and optimizing network servers, analyzing network workload, monitoring network performance, diagnosing problems, making adjustments to ensure proper load balancing, developing backup and recovery procedures, and installing, testing, maintaining, and upgrading network operating systems software. Includes positions commonly referred to as network administrator, LAN/WAN administrator, network analyst, network designer, and Internet specialist.

7. Project Management - This specialty covers planning, development, organization, coordination, and management of IT projects. Functions may include defining, acquiring, and assigning resources, developing and gaining approval of project plans and budgets, conducting cost/benefit analyses and risk assessments, monitoring and reviewing project progress, serving as liaison with customers, adjusting schedules and plans as necessary, identifying and resolving issues, and obtaining user acceptance of completed products/services. Also may include ensuring the technical proficiency and productivity of project staff and the quality of project deliverables. Where appropriate, can be used in combination with one or more of the above specialty areas.

8. Software Development - This specialty covers the development, modification, and implementation of new or existing applications or operating systems software. Functions may include analyzing systems requirements, writing code, validating data acquisition and output media/formats, defining user interface requirements and designing interfaces, working with users to test and debug applications, assuring software quality and functionality, writing and maintaining program documentation, developing compilers, assemblers, utility programs, and operating systems, installing new or modified software releases and updates, and evaluating new software applications and new systems and programming technologies. Includes positions commonly referred to as programmer, programmer analyst, systems programmer, applications developer, software engineer, software developer, and software quality assurance specialist.

9. Systems Administration - This specialty covers planning and coordination of the installation, testing, troubleshooting, operation, and maintenance of hardware and software systems. Functions may include planning and scheduling the installation of new or modified hardware/software, allocating systems resources, managing accounts, network rights, and access to systems and equipment, monitoring the performance, capacity, availability, serviceability, and recoverability of installed systems, implementing security procedures and tools, resolving hardware/software interface and interoperability problems, ensuring systems functionality, integrity, and efficiency, maintaining systems configuration, and managing the installation and integration of system patches, updates, and enhancements. Includes positions commonly referred to as systems administrators and site administrator.

10. Systems Analysis - This specialty covers the planning, analysis, design, and development of information systems to meet organizational and user needs. Functions may include conducting needs analyses to define opportunities for new or improved applications, consulting with users to identify requirements, conducting feasibility studies and trade-off analyses, defining systems scope and objectives, developing overall functional and technical requirements and specifications, evaluating and recommending sources for systems components, and ensuring the integration and implementation of applications, databases, networks, and related systems. Includes positions commonly referred to as systems analyst.

11. Web Development - This specialty covers planning, design, development, implementation, and management of internal and external web sites. Functions may include determining overall web site design and structure, monitoring web site functionality, security, and integrity, troubleshooting problems, reviewing and integrating new web pages, collecting and analyzing web site statistics, and serving as technical consultant on web-based applications. Includes positions commonly referred to as webmasters, web specialists, web managers, and e-commerce specialists

No Specialty - This covers positions not classifiable in any of the other specialties, e.g., new or rapidly evolving specialty areas.

Information Technology
Competency-Based Job Profile

I. Overview

Background:

In spring of 1999, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) began working with the Chief Information Officers (CIO) Workforce Committee, the Federal HR community, and other interested stakeholders to develop new IT qualification standards. The Committee and OPM shared a concern that the standard did not adequately specify the competencies required for IT occupations in the Federal government, both for today and for the future.

The Committee and OPM followed a new model for qualification standards that captures the full range of general and technical competencies required for IT occupations from the entry to the senior expert level. Competency-based job profiles will replace the current qualification standards. The job profile provides the competencies required for successful job performance, a description of the general and technical competencies, and a range of suggested assessment methods, to be used individually or in combination, as appropriate, for measuring an applicant’s competencies. The job profile was developed using OPM’s governmentwide occupational analysis survey data, along with focus group sessions with IT managers and senior-level employees from a diverse group of agencies, as well as representatives from the private sector.

The draft is being issued in conjunction with new parenthetical specialty titles for IT occupations. The two documents were developed through a coordinated OPM effort and, therefore, are designed for concurrent application, as described below in the Implementation section.

Purpose:

There are indications that many agencies will face the need to recruit substantially increased numbers of new employees in coming years, particularly in critical occupations, such as information technology occupations. These trends are a result of factors such as the large number of employees currently eligible for retirement, coupled with continuing turnover in these critical occupations.

The new competency-based job profile approach allows organizations to be responsive to these labor market and demographic trends. It will identify the critical general and technical competencies required for positions at all levels - entry to the senior expert level. When used in conjunction with the new parenthetical specialty titles, the profile also will assist agencies in developing vacancy announcements and selection criteria for specific positions. Competency-based position descriptions will benefit potential applicants and employers by providing a clear picture of what a job requires and how it will be measured.

Coverage:

This job profile is being issued on a pilot basis, for phased implementation. Subject to the provisions of the Implementation section of this guide, it applies to all new or vacant positions properly classified under OPM Classification Standards in the GS-0334, Computer Specialist, and GS-0391, Telecommunications series. Upon full implementation, it will replace previous versions of the qualification standard for

GS-0334 and GS-0391, as contained in OPM’s Operating Manual Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions. OPM is conducting focus groups and interviews to develop parenthetical specialty titles and competency requirements for Computer Scientists, GS-1550 and Computer Engineers, GS-0854, which will be issued at a later date. The IT job profile will be revised at that time to incorporate competency requirements for these IT occupations as well.

Concept:

OPM currently publishes qualification standards for all Federal occupations. Qualification standards are intended to identify applicants who are, based on their education and experience, likely to be able to perform successfully on the job, and to screen out those who are unlikely to do so. This current approach emphasizes quantitative factors, such as years of experience and amount of education, without reference to the quality of that experience and education.

In contrast, the job profile employs a qualitative approach focusing on the competencies required for successful job performance. Although primarily designed to provide guidance to agency HR staff in developing vacancy announcements and evaluating applications, it is also potentially useful for managers, job placement personnel, and applicants. Users of this material should be aware that the broad guidelines are not intended to provide detailed information or specialized experience requirements for a particular position.