An executive order and clarifying directive from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) ensure that Senior Executive Service (SES) officials are properly accountable to the President and the American people. A proposed rule to reform the Senior Executive Service (SES) was issued by OPM on May 1, 2025.
There needs to be some kind of rule to make sure that “seniors” continue to do senior level work. In many cases they end up in jobs that really are not at that level but the agency has to find SOMEPLACE to put them.
I think the Senior Foreign Service has some kind of regulations along these lines. Also it should be easier for upper management to demote people back down to 15 if they aren’t still in a key executive role.
Certainly most seniors are in tough jobs, and those people are grossly underpaid compared to private industry (at least in my experience). But there are many who have somehow managed to find a comfy spot or are able to go from one obscure role to another without losing their Senior-ness.