OPM Directs Federal Agencies to Reduce Senior Executive Staffing

Following the federal workforce reductions that occurred throughout 2025, the Trump administration is now directing agencies to fundamentally rethink their senior executive staffing structures. In a November 24, 2025 memo, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) encouraged federal agencies to consider reducing their staffing allocations for senior-level positions as a consequence of the dramatic cuts to the overall federal workforce. This directive represents the next phase of the administration's approach to reshaping the federal government after surpassing its goal of cutting more than 300,000 positions.

OPM's memo requires agencies to submit comprehensive workforce assessments no later than December 19, 2025, detailing their current staffing allocations for various senior-level positions and specifying by how much they plan to reduce those allocations going forward—if at all. The directive includes a template that agencies must fill out with detailed information on their projected allocations. The assessment must reconsider allocations for three categories of senior positions: Senior Executive Service (SES) members, Senior Level (SL) positions, and Scientific/Professional (ST) positions.

The timing and context of this directive are significant. OPM reported that approximately 317,000 federal employees have left the government during 2025, surpassing the administration's stated goal of reducing the federal workforce by more than 300,000 employees. With this massive reduction in the overall federal workforce achieved, the administration is now pushing agencies toward the next phase of staffing adjustments by targeting the leadership and senior technical positions that oversee reduced workforces.

The push to reduce senior executive allocations comes at the same time the administration has taken steps to give agencies more flexibility in hiring politically appointed senior leaders. Over the summer of 2025, the White House created a new "Schedule G" employment classification specifically focused on hiring non-career federal employees for roles involving policy-making or policy-advocating work. This new classification expands the administration's ability to place political appointees in positions that were previously held by career civil servants, potentially replacing career senior executives with politically aligned appointees.

The combination of these policies—reducing career senior executive positions while simultaneously expanding political appointment authorities—represents a fundamental restructuring of federal government leadership. Senior executives across government have experienced numerous other changes from the Trump administration during 2025, and this latest directive adds another layer of uncertainty and transformation to the federal Senior Executive Service, which has traditionally provided continuity and expertise across administrations.

Key Points

• OPM issued memo on November 24, 2025, directing agencies to assess senior executive staffing levels
• Agencies must submit workforce assessments by December 19, 2025 (25-day deadline)
• Assessment must detail current allocations and planned reductions for senior positions
• OPM provided template agencies must use to report projected allocations
• Three categories of senior positions targeted: Senior Executive Service (SES), Senior Level (SL), Scientific/Professional (ST)
• Directive follows Trump administration exceeding 2025 goal of reducing federal workforce by 300,000+ employees
• Approximately 317,000 federal employees left government during 2025
• OPM describes this as agencies' "next steps for staffing plans"
• Memo "encourages" rather than mandates reductions, but expectation of reductions is clear
• Summer 2025: White House created new "Schedule G" employment classification
• Schedule G focuses on hiring non-career federal employees for policy-making/policy-advocating roles
• Schedule G expands political appointment authority for senior leadership positions
• Parallel policies: reducing career senior executives while expanding political appointee positions
• Senior executives have experienced "number of other changes" from Trump administration in 2025
• SES traditionally provides continuity and expertise across administrations
• Timing suggests administration restructuring federal leadership after achieving workforce reduction goals
• No indication whether agencies can refuse to reduce senior executive allocations
• Policy represents fundamental shift in federal government leadership structure
• Career civil service leadership being replaced with politically aligned appointees
• Raises questions about institutional knowledge retention and continuity
• Follows pattern of Trump administration targeting federal workforce throughout 2025

Author: Federal News Network Staff
Source: Federal News Network
Link: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/ses/2025/11/opm-advises-agencies-to-consider-reducing-senior-executive-staffing/