Job Aids for the Competency Based Position Classification and Qualification Standard for the Information Technology Management Series, 2210

April 13, 2026 Memorandum for Chief Human Capital Officers From: Veronica E. Hinton Associate Director Workforce Policy and Innovation Subject: Job Aids for the Competency Based Position Classification and Qualification Standard for the Information Technology Management Series, 2210 On April 13, 2026, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued guidance memoranda titled, “Issuance of the Competency Based Position Classification Standard for the Information Technology Management Series, 2210” and “Competency-Based Qualification Standards for the Information Technology Management Series, 2210.” To aid agencies in implementing these new position competency-based classification and qualifications standards, OPM is providing agencies the implementation guidance listed below. • Designing a Competency-Based Assessment Strategy Aligned to the Job Analysis Provides a modern framework for federal agencies implementing OPM’s skillsbased hiring initiative. It also outlines how to design assessments grounded in competencies derived from job analysis, ensuring fair, defensible, and mission aligned hiring. • Competency-Based Hiring: What Hiring Managers Need to Know Explains the central role of Hiring Managers in implementing competencybased hiring. In addition, it outlines five steps where Hiring Manager involvement is essential to ensuring fair, mission-aligned, skills-based hiring. • How Applicants Are Rated and Placed on a Referral Certificate Explains how applicants move through the Federal hiring process—from meeting minimum qualifications to being placed on a referral certificate provided to the Hiring Manager. •

What Competency-Based, Skills-Focused Hiring Means for You Explains how the Federal Government’s competency-based, skills-focused hiring approach benefits employees and applicants by creating a clearer, fairer, more 2 transparent system focused on demonstrated ability—not degrees or time in a role. • Collaborative Human Resources and Hiring Manager Roles in Applicant Rating, Ranking, and Certification Outlines how Human Resources and Hiring Managers work together across each stage of the hiring process—from defining job requirements to final selection. Furthermore, it highlights shared responsibilities, the flow of decision making, and the partnership needed to ensure a legally-compliant, fair, and mission aligned hiring process. • Competency-Based Classification Process Guidance for Classifiers Outlines the modern competency-based approach to federal job classification. Instead of focusing primarily on duties, it evaluates positions based on the competencies, knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors (KSAs) required for successful performance. The approach ensures alignment with OPM policy, job analysis, and competency frameworks. • Competency-Based Qualifications Standard Outlines how agencies determine whether applicants are qualified for federal positions based on competencies and proficiency levels, rather than degrees as proxies. It modernizes qualifications policy to support skills first hiring, aligns with the Merit Hiring Plan, and emphasizes validated, job-related capability requirements. •

How To Determine Who Is Qualified Job Aid Explains how agencies determine whether an applicant is qualified for a federal position under competency-based hiring. Applicants must demonstrate the required proficiency level for every required competency identified in the qualification standard. Applicants must achieve the required passing threshold on assessments used to determine minimum qualifications. For any follow up questions regarding this implementation guidance, agency headquarters-level human resources offices may contact fedclass@opm.gov. Agency Human Resources Departments may assist with other implementation questions.