Position Description
Job Title:
Deputy State Services Commissioner
Team/Group:
Office of the Head of State Services
Location:
Wellington
Date:
December 2014
This great opportunity has arisen due to the upcoming retirement of the current Deputy State
Services Commissioner in April 2015.
Our Role
The State Services Commission (SSC) provides leadership to the State Services to help them perform
strongly and with high levels of integrity. Our work at SSC takes us across the public sector to ensure
the efficient and effective delivery of public services. Results are important to us and our work
programme contributes to the aim of delivering better, smarter public services. We do this to ensure
we look after New Zealand for present and future generations.
Working for us is about being part of a small agile team, with a big ambition. We need people who
are talented in many ways. From influencers who can inspire others through to team members who
are focussed on helping us to deliver our services at SSC. We offer exciting career opportunities to
gain breadth of expertise through work that focuses across the sector. The common purpose for all
of us at SSC is working towards making a difference to New Zealanders.
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Position Purpose
There are several leadership aspects to the purpose of the position of Deputy State Services
Commissioner.
The Deputy Commissioner is a statutory officer appointed by the Governor-General on the
recommendation of the Prime Minister. Subject to the control of the Commissioner, the Deputy has and
may exercise all the functions, duties, and powers of the Commissioner. These powers and references to
the Deputy State Services Commissioner are set out in Part 1 of the State Sector Act 1988
(see Appendix 1).
Another important aspect of the role is to provide support to the Commissioner in the exercise of his
responsibilities as Chief Executive of the SSC, the Head of State Services, and the employer of public
service chief executives, and in this regard the Deputy State Services Commissioner must be able to step
in when the Commissioner is unavailable. The Deputy State Services Commissioner also maintains
strategic oversight of the Commission’s effectiveness in chief executive recruitment, appointment and
performance management and has a key role in ensuring the highest standards of conduct and integrity
are upheld by senior leaders across the system.
The Commissioner, Deputy State Services Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner, State Sector
Reform work as a team within the Office of the Head of State Services with a broad sharing of
responsibilities for the State sector reform agenda and the performance of the system as a whole.
The Deputy State Services Commissioner is at the forefront of building and managing effective
relationships with chief executives as individuals and as a cohort and, with Ministers across a broad
range of issues.
As part of the Commission’s senior leadership the Deputy State Services Commissioner plays a critical
role in ensuring the Commission fulfills the promise and ambition of its strategic direction by ensuring the
right capability is focused on the right priorities and that interconnections between the different parts of
the organisation are surfaced, understood and managed appropriately.
Position Scope
Key Dimensions of Resources Controlled:
Financial:
$26 million (SSC overall Budget)
Direct reports:
6
Key Relationships
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Public Service chief executives & other leaders
Minister of State Services and all other Ministers
Central agencies
Executive Leadership Team
Senior Management Team
Commission staff
Range of external stakeholders
International jurisdictions and contacts
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Key Accountabilities
Key Result Areas:
Key accountabilities/expectations:
System Leadership
Executive Management & Development
 Providing strategic oversight and direction for all chief
executive appointments and reappointments.
 Participating in processes associated with appointing and
reappointment of chief executives, inducting new chief
executives and managing executive performance.
 Playing an active role in the individual development of chief
executives, succession planning and the development of
chief executives as a cohort team.
 Leading or contributing to fora with chief executives,
Ministers and/or other senior leaders and providing advice
and support to individual chief executives and Ministers.
 Contributing to the development of current and future
leaders of the Public Service.
State Sector Performance & Reform
 Help drive and embed the shifts in public sector behaviour
and performance envisioned by the Better Public Service
reforms.
 Leading and supporting initiatives to support improved State
sector performance and reform.
 Participating with central agency colleagues in governance
and other groups progressing the reform agenda and
providing context and making connections for chief
executives and other leaders within the system.
Public Management System Standards and conduct
 Providing leadership to the State Services to ensure State
servants carry out the business of the Government with high
ethical standards, shared values and in a spirit of service.
 Promoting the rights and responsibilities of State servants
with departments encouraged and supported to foster a
culture of high standards of integrity and conduct.
 Leading or assisting the Commissioner with responses to
requests from the Prime Minister and Ministers to
investigate specific issues and the management of their
resolution.
 Undertaking investigations or inquiries through to resolution
relating to matters in the public management system and/or
assisting the Commissioner with these.
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Key Result Areas:
Key accountabilities/expectations:
SSC Leadership
Executive Leadership
 Contributing to setting the strategic direction of SSC,
establishing priorities and ensuring the allocation of
resources required to deliver on the business strategy and 4
year plan.
 Fostering customer focus, ‘outside in’ perspectives, and
collaborative work practices within the Head of State
Services (HoSS) Office and across the SSC to enable joined up
interventions and work programmes.
 Demonstrating through the SSC Operating Model and with
Portfolio Leads the practice of good governance and a
performance culture where individuals and teams are
encouraged to excel in delivering on results.
 Leading and/or contributing to fora within SSC including
chairing the Senior Management Team and contributing to
the Executive Leadership Team.
SSC Culture & Capability
 Contributing to building a culture of working collaboratively
with external parties, including developing strong
partnerships.
 Role modelling agile work practices and decision making,
underpinned by strong accountability for achievement of
results and good performance.
 Empowering staff through communicating about the
political, system and organisational context.
 Developing SSC’s senior leaders including ensuring
development and succession plans are in place and
representing their interests to the Career Board.
Stakeholder relationships
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Establishing and maintaining effective trusted relationships
with Ministers.
Developing and maintaining relevant and effective
relationships including community and business links to
promote the role of the State sector and SSC.
Undertaking speaking engagements to promote State sector
reform and the work of the SSC.
Acting as required as spokesperson with the media including
taking part in interviews.
Establishing and maintaining effective and productive
relationships with central agency colleagues to achieve
improvements in system cohesion and performance.
Contributing to system wide policy and operational reforms.
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Key Result Areas:
Key accountabilities/expectations:
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Managerial responsibilities
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Setting performance expectations with direct reports and
ensuring development / career plans are in place.
Providing context, advice, support and direction.
Continuing to build on the SSC’s portfolio leadership model
and ensuring effective organisational governance.
Modelling behaviours that exemplify the highest standards
of personal integrity and promoting these standards across
the SSC.
Experience, qualifications, skills and knowledge
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A tertiary qualification in relevant discipline.
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Substantial experience as a senior leader.
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Proven experience in leading and managing sensitive issues including the ability to solve
problems in ways that ensure constructive resolution with minimal repercussions.
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Proven ability to perform a statutory role with wisdom, integrity and courage.
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In depth knowledge of the New Zealand system of government including how Ministers and
Parliament functions day to day, as well as a thorough understanding of the constitutional
arrangements and conventions that apply.
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Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
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Outstanding interpersonal and influencing skills.
Security Clearance: The appointee must be a New Zealand citizen. Appointment will be
subject to a New Zealand Government Top Secret Special security clearance.
Terms and Conditions:
Remuneration and related conditions are determined by the
Remuneration Authority. Other conditions of appointment, including leave and other entitlements
are agreed between the Deputy State Services Commissioner and the State Services Commissioner.
Position specific
competencies
The descriptors below summarise the aspects of a successful leader
the Deputy State Services Commissioner will need to demonstrate,
based on the State Services Commission’s current situation. The full
Leadership Success Profile setting out the behavioural competencies
expected for this level role is located at: http://www.ssc.govt.nz/seniorleader-development
Deliver results through
vision
Set coherent and achievable strategies, aligned with system and sector
priorities, with challenging objectives and success measures.
Develop and generate common ownership of outcomes with Ministers,
sector and agency leaders and central agency partners.
Deliver results with
people
Ensure the SSC workforce has the capacity and diversity to deliver on
its vision and strategy, proactively recognise and seek through the
Senior Management Team to remedy any diversity and capability gaps
or shortfalls.
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Identify, nurture and mobilise leadership and management talent in
individuals, planning effectively for succession in key posts and sharing
talent across the system.
Deliver results through
execution
Manage performance and efficiency.
Utilise high quality, timely and well-understood performance information
to track and manage performance and risk.
Sustain ongoing continuous improvement and reform of the current
system.
Deliver results through
self
Demonstrate political ‘nous’ and navigate complex political situations
effectively, stepping up in the face of political tensions and public
scrutiny.
Remain calm and objective in the face of conflict and criticism.
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