OPM Guidance Calls for Transformation of Federal Job Titling

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued job titling guidance calling for “a transformation of federal hiring practices to ensure recruitment is efficient, merit-based and focused on practical skill and dedication to the U.S. Constitution.”

In a recent memo, the OPM outlined the guidance, which the agency says is designed to bring federal job titling in alignment with the Trump administration’s Executive Order 14170 and the administration’s Merit Hiring Plan.

According to OPM, the directive is intended to improve clarity and understandability for jobseekers, accurately convey the nature of the work and required skills, and “align federal job announcements with private-sector terminology to attract a broader talent pool.”

The memo laid out a number of requirements for federal job announcements. For example, all job listings must use “descriptive, organizational or functional job titles that resonate with jobseekers,” according to OPM. The memo states that federal job titles should also:

• Be written in plain language to ensure individuals outside of the federal government can easily match their skills to the role.
• Accurately convey the nature of the position and the skills sought by the agency.
• Leverage available tools and resources to ensure job postings are understandable and appealing to a broad talent pool.
• Not include jargon, abbreviations or acronyms that will be difficult for nongovernmental job seekers to understand.
• Not be merely generic or non-descriptive in nature.

OPM also listed a number of actions for HR managers to take in order to align their agencies with the Trump administration’s Merit Hiring Plan, including auditing and revising job titles and descriptions to “ensure they are descriptive, organizational or functional job titles that resonate with jobseekers—not generic descriptors.”

In addition, OPM urged federal agencies to review and update working titles for incumbents, and revise functional job titles or working titles to reflect the actual work performed, without abbreviations or jargon “that would be difficult for those outside the federal government to understand.” OPM suggested that chief HR officers and their HR teams work alongside supervisors to choose working titles that accurately reflect employees’ role with their agency.

“These reforms are essential to building a federal workforce that is capable, mission-driven, and reflective of American values,” wrote Veronica E. Hinton, OPM associate director of workforce policy and innovation.

“By modernizing job titles and embracing skills-based hiring, we can ensure that we are attracting and selecting the best candidates to serve the American people—while remaining compliant with merit reform efforts.”