Department Of Education Human Resources

Office of Human Resources

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) provides leadership and direction in the formulation and implementation of policies, programs, and systems to promote efficient and effective federal workforce management and provides operational support for the lifecycle of employment for employees of the Department of Education.

OHR represents the Department of Education on strategic workforce management matters with the Office of Personnel Management, Office of Management and Budget, other Federal agencies, the Congress and the public.

OHR is headed the Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO), who also serves as a Director, and reports to the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management.

The CHCO provides leadership and advice on matters affecting strategic human capital planning, workforce management, programs, policies, accountability, and reporting; and serves as the principal contact for the Department with OPM and on workforce management activities with OMB.

Responsibilities include formulating and executing departmental human resources and human capital management strategic planning, human resources and organizational management policies and programs, and employee and organizational learning and development.

The CHCO monitors the Department’s human capital management performance by evaluating and auditing the results of its policies, operations, and programs for compliance with merit systems principles and human resources assessment and accountability framework, identifying and reporting on necessary improvements, and monitoring corrective actions.
In performing its responsibilities, OHR:

• Promotes merit system principles to maintain the traditional values of the Federal civil service system to ensure integrity, continuity, nonpartisanship, and equal employment opportunity.
• Advises the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and other senior leaders on workforce management and talent acquisition and retention strategies that further the goals and objectives of the Department.
• Advises on strategic workforce management, talent acquisition and retention, employee and organizational development, and keeps abreast of innovations in the areas of human resources and organizational effectiveness.
• Identifies and develops strategic initiatives to support transformational workforce and organizational management to advance Departmental strategic goals and mission accomplishment.
• Identifies and implements new service and other delivery alternatives to advance the Department’s strategic management of human capital and organizational initiatives.
• Establishes and advises on strategic workforce planning with management officials within the Department.
• Ensures that Federal and Departmental workforce and labor management goals, policies, and practices are communicated to all levels of management and employees.
• Evaluates the effectiveness and compliance of human resources programs.
• Develops, tests, implements, and evaluates new human resources information systems for processing personnel and pay data to satisfy Departmental information requirements, including position management, accounting, accession data, employee and pay records systems, and payroll accounting.

Deputy, Human Resources Services

A Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer reports directly to the CHCO and serves as an alternate to the CHCO on operational aspects of human resource services, and works with  Human Resources Business Partners (HRBPs) to ensure that hiring officials are able to efficiently and effectively recruit, hire, and manage the federal workforce to meet mission needs.

The Deputy serves as strategic partner, leader, and technical human resources expert to manage those who oversee functions and activities related to:  talent management; recruitment and hiring; special emphasis initiatives/programs; labor and employee management relations; performance management; benefits and work/life; payroll and information systems; boards and councils; senior level and science and technology professionals; political appointees; and the senior executive service.

The Deputy manages the following Divisions, each of which is managed by a Director:

Human Capital Policy and Accountability Division

The Human Capital Policy and Accountability Division (HCPAD is responsible for developing human resources management policies for the administration of the Department’s human capital management initiatives to efficiently and effectively attract, recruit, develop, and retain a high-quality, productive workforce for the Department in accordance with merit systems principles.  HCPAD is responsible for the development of the Department’s human capital management strategic plan.

HCPAD manages and implements the Department’s Human Capital Accountability System through evaluation, measurement, data collection, and oversight of improvement plans and reports; conducts periodic and ad hoc accountability audits and reviews of human resources practices to ensure compliance with law, regulation, policies, and prescribed practices.

HCPAD is also responsible for overseeing reorganizations and delegations of authority and documenting them. HCPAD develops, tests, implements, and evaluates human resources information systems; provides coordination with the Department’s shared services provider for personnel and payroll processing; conducts periodic and ad hoc analytical studies and provides reports to management for improving workforce management;  conducts business process reviews and prepares process maps and supporting documentation to improve business operations in OHR; and provides project management support for enterprise OHR support services contracts and interagency agreements.

Executive Resources Division

The Executive Resources Division (ERD) provides operational support to the Department for the recruitment and management of executive positions, career and non-career.  ERD provides the full range of human resources management for Presidential Appointees, Senior Executive Service members, Schedule C employees, Senior Level (SL) and Scientific and Technology (ST) professionals, Administratively Determined (AD) senior-level positions, experts, consultants, and Intergovernmental Personnel Act program personnel.  ERD assists the Secretary and the Executive Resources and Performance Review Boards in managing the Department’s executive resources and the senior executive and senior level pay-for-performance systems.

Talent, Recruitment and Hiring Division

The Talent, Recruitment and Hiring Division (TRHD) provide operational support to the Department in the areas of staffing and classification, recruitment, student employment, and special hiring initiatives.  TRHD processes recruitment actions using appropriate systems and following merit system principles, laws and regulations, policies, and instructions to provide hiring officials with certificates of eligible candidates for consideration and performs the operational functions of processing personnel and pay actions/data to satisfy Departmental information requirements, including position accounting, accession data, employee and pay records systems, and payroll accounting.

Workforce Relations Division

The Workforce Relations Division (WRD) provides operational support to the Department in the areas of performance management, awards, benefits administration, work life program, labor relations, conduct and discipline, reasonable accommodations, and grievances.

WRD also carries out Executive Order 13164, “Requiring Federal Agencies to Establish Procedures to Facilitate the Provision of Reasonable Accommodation” (July 26, 2000).

WRD provides advice and operational support for the Department’s employee performance management programs, including appraisals, awards and administration of employee benefits, workers compensation, and workforce management programs, such as alternative work schedules, benefits, and telework/flexiplace programs, and oversees and manages employee assistance program services to promote healthy work/life balance.

WRD is the primary point-of-contact for labor relations for the Department; provides labor relations advice and assistance to all levels of Department management in support of strategic plans and other objectives of the Department and in alignment with the Collective Bargaining Agreement; assists in improving coordination, information dissemination and outreach between labor, management, and employees; acts in partnership with Principal Offices to administer the Department’s negotiated labor agreement and provides appropriate technical advice to ED employees, union leaders, managers and supervisors in the administration and interpretation of the agreement.

Learning and Development Division

The Learning and Development Division (LDD) manages the Department’s human capital efforts in the areas of organizational and employee development.

LDD performs competency assessments to identify agency priorities for employee training and development, and consults on leadership succession management and provides oversight of leadership development programs to address competency development.

LDD is responsible for developing and implementing the Department’s Workforce plan.

LDD provides managers with advice and assistance with organizational development needs, such as employee engagement, action planning in response to the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, organizational improvement and effectiveness, and employee suggestions, and provides operational oversight of training and development infrastructure, contracts, and external training programs in support of Department workforce development needs.

The Director of the Division also serves as the Department’s Chief Learning Officer.