Review of Water Resources Division Branch of Human Resourcs Management Support
In Reply Refer To:
Mail Stop 441
June 11, 1996
WATER RESOURCES DIVISION MEMORANDUM NO. 96.30
Subject: Review of Water Resources Division Branch of Human Resources
Management Support
A recent internal review of the Water Resources Division (WRD) Branch of
Human Resources Management Support (BHRMS) gave an assessment of the
functions of that office, what services it provides to the division, and
made recommendations on the improvement of their service to WRD.
This memorandum summarizes the role of BHRMS in WRD. The six major
functions described are critical to the administration of the division
responsibility in human resources management. With the stated
definition of the scope of functions of BHRMS, it becomes clear that the
role of the regional human resource management specialists in providing
support to field managers at all levels is critical to the continued
effectiveness of the division's nationwide Human Resources Management
Programs.
We would like to thank the Review Team members--Janet Thomas, Marv
Fretwell, Connie Smith, and Rich Hawkinson--for their extremely
thorough analysis. We would also like to thank the many of you who
provided input to the study through the questionnaires. Those data were
invaluable to the Review Team's effort.
/signed/
Catherine L. Hill
Assistant Chief Hydrologist
for Operations
Attachment
Distribution: A, B, FO, DC, AO
ATTACHMENT
THE ROLE OF THE BRANCH OF HUMAN RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT SUPPORT IN THE WATER RESOURCES DIVISION
The Water Resources Division (WRD) administers human resources management
through the Branch of Human Resources Management Support (BHRMS) under the
Assistant Chief Hydrologist for Operations. The Branch has the following six
major service functions that constitute the full range of activities:
1. personnel service to headquarters staff
2. personnel service to various headquarters
satellite offices
3. advice and consultation to the division
4. management of division-level human resources
programs
5. highest level advice and advocacy
6. guardian of WRD personnel policies, programs, and
actions.
These services are more fully defined below:
Service 1--Personnel service to headquarters staff--personnel-related
activities similar to those done at the district level are handled by the
BHRMS for headquarters personnel. Service is to approximately 200
headquarters staff.
Service 2--Personnel service to headquarters satellite offices-- activities
similar to those provided by the four regional offices, but directed to
satellite offices of headquarters. These satellite operations are: Yucca
Mountain Project (110 FTE), National Water Quality Laboratory (170 FTE),
Branch of Technical Development and Quality Systems (27 FTE), Hydrologic
Instrumentation Facility and Office of Surface Water Facility (50 FTE), and
some limited support to National Research Program Regional Branch Offices (320
FTE).
Service 3--Advice and consultation to the division (provided to district and
regional management and to satellite offices)--Activity involves an advisory
and consultative role relative to development of nominations, staffing plans,
reorganizations, awards documentation, and promotion requirements.
Service 4--Manage division-level human resources programs--functions done
solely by BHRMS (not duplicated elsewhere in WRD). These include the
following major activities: support to Human Resources Management Committee
(HRMC), management of Cooperative Summer Field Training Program (NAGT),
Graduate School Program administration, administration of management training
programs, advisory role for certain positions involving complex classification
issues, national security clearances, and support to users of the WRD Career
Documentation Profile (CDP).
Service 5--Highest level advice and advocacy--This function involves
significant subject matter expertise and is one of the more important services
to the division's senior staff and field managers. Within this service are
studies of organizational dynamics and development and modification of
personnel policy. For example, part of this activity involves guidance on the
new performance appraisal system and awards system.
Service 6--Guardian of WRD personnel policies, programs and actions--Several
important aspects of this service are critical to the success of a sound
personnel management program: an "overview" function that affords
institutional memory to proposed actions; an "analyst" function that provides
for predictive contingency planning as it relates to the utilization of human
resources; and a "legal conformance" function.
Human resources regional representatives play a critical and integral role in
the effective discharge of duties and responsibilities under these major
functions. With this in mind, most human resources issues at district level
should first be brought to the attention of the appropriate regional
representative. In most cases, the issue can be resolved at that level. With
the proper utilization of all WRD human-resource support personnel at all
levels by field managers, the division will continue to have an effective
program of human-resources management support.
Return-Path: dilandro@operqvarsa.er.usgs.GOV
Received: from localhost (acadqvarsa [130.11.50.143]) by operqvarsa.er.usgs.GOV/ (Geomail 1.2.3) with ESMTP id PAA00155; Tue, 11 Jun 1996 15:52:17 -0400
Message-Id: <199606111952.PAA00155@operqvarsa.er.usgs.GOV>
To: "A - Division Chief and Staff",
"B - Branch Chiefs and Offices",
"FO - State, District, Subdistrict and other Field Offices",
"DC - All District Chiefs",
"AO - All Administrative Officers"
cc: "Catherine L Hill, ACH/Operations, Reston, VA ",
"Anthony Buono, Supv. Hydrologist, San Diego, CA ",
"Sandra E Mitrani, Secretary, Reston, VA ",
"Alice C Dilandro, Secretary (S), Reston, VA ",
"Janet T Thomas, Administrative Officer, Menlo Park, CA ",
"Marvin O Fretwell, Asst. Reg. Hydr., Intl. Pgms., Portland, OR ",
"Connie L Smith, Mnpr Mgmt Spec, Norcross, GA ",
"Richard O Hawkinson, District Chief, TX, Austin, TX ",
"File WRD Archive Reston, VA "
From: "Catherine L Hill, ACH/Operations, Reston, VA "
Subject: Review of WRD Branch of Human Resources Management Support
Date: Tue, 11 Jun 1996 15:48:10 -0400
Sender: "Alice C Dilandro, Secretary (S), Reston, VA "
In Reply Refer To:
Mail Stop 441
June 11, 1996
WATER RESOURCES DIVISION MEMORANDUM NO. 96.30
Subject: Review of Water Resources Division Branch of Human Resources
Management Support
A recent internal review of the Water Resources Division (WRD) Branch of
Human Resources Management Support (BHRMS) gave an assessment of the
functions of that office, what services it provides to the division, and
made recommendations on the improvement of their service to WRD.
This memorandum summarizes the role of BHRMS in WRD. The six major
functions described are critical to the administration of the division
responsibility in human resources management. With the stated
definition of the scope of functions of BHRMS, it becomes clear that the
role of the regional human resource management specialists in providing
support to field managers at all levels is critical to the continued
effectiveness of the division's nationwide Human Resources Management
Programs.
We would like to thank the Review Team members--Janet Thomas, Marv
Fretwell, Connie Smith, and Rich Hawkinson--for their extremely
thorough analysis. We would also like to thank the many of you who
provided input to the study through the questionnaires. Those data were
invaluable to the Review Team's effort.
/signed/
Catherine L. Hill
Assistant Chief Hydrologist
for Operations
Attachment
Distribution: A, B, FO, DC, AO
ATTACHMENT
THE ROLE OF THE BRANCH OF HUMAN RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT SUPPORT IN THE WATER RESOURCES DIVISION
The Water Resources Division (WRD) administers human resources management
through the Branch of Human Resources Management Support (BHRMS) under the
Assistant Chief Hydrologist for Operations. The Branch has the following six
major service functions that constitute the full range of activities:
1. personnel service to headquarters staff
2. personnel service to various headquarters
satellite offices
3. advice and consultation to the division
4. management of division-level human resources
programs
5. highest level advice and advocacy
6. guardian of WRD personnel policies, programs, and
actions.
These services are more fully defined below:
Service 1--Personnel service to headquarters staff--personnel-related
activities similar to those done at the district level are handled by the
BHRMS for headquarters personnel. Service is to approximately 200
headquarters staff.
Service 2--Personnel service to headquarters satellite offices-- activities
similar to those provided by the four regional offices, but directed to
satellite offices of headquarters. These satellite operations are: Yucca
Mountain Project (110 FTE), National Water Quality Laboratory (170 FTE),
Branch of Technical Development and Quality Systems (27 FTE), Hydrologic
Instrumentation Facility and Office of Surface Water Facility (50 FTE), and
some limited support to National Research Program Regional Branch Offices (320
FTE).
Service 3--Advice and consultation to the division (provided to district and
regional management and to satellite offices)--Activity involves an advisory
and consultative role relative to development of nominations, staffing plans,
reorganizations, awards documentation, and promotion requirements.
Service 4--Manage division-level human resources programs--functions done
solely by BHRMS (not duplicated elsewhere in WRD). These include the
following major activities: support to Human Resources Management Committee
(HRMC), management of Cooperative Summer Field Training Program (NAGT),
Graduate School Program administration, administration of management training
programs, advisory role for certain positions involving complex classification
issues, national security clearances, and support to users of the WRD Career
Documentation Profile (CDP).
Service 5--Highest level advice and advocacy--This function involves
significant subject matter expertise and is one of the more important services
to the division's senior staff and field managers. Within this service are
studies of organizational dynamics and development and modification of
personnel policy. For example, part of this activity involves guidance on the
new performance appraisal system and awards system.
Service 6--Guardian of WRD personnel policies, programs and actions--Several
important aspects of this service are critical to the success of a sound
personnel management program: an "overview" function that affords
institutional memory to proposed actions; an "analyst" function that provides
for predictive contingency planning as it relates to the utilization of human
resources; and a "legal conformance" function.
Human resources regional representatives play a critical and integral role in
the effective discharge of duties and responsibilities under these major
functions. With this in mind, most human resources issues at district level
should first be brought to the attention of the appropriate regional
representative. In most cases, the issue can be resolved at that level. With
the proper utilization of all WRD human-resource support personnel at all
levels by field managers, the division will continue to have an effective
program of human-resources management support.