A leading-edge Public Service needs a diverse group of strong and capable senior leaders — and the data shows we’re making real progress.

The number of Public Service leaders with Māori heritage has doubled in the last 5 years (this group is made up of our secretaries, chief executives, Public Service Commissioner and Deputy Public Service Commissioner). Added to this, Pacific people in the top 3 tiers of leadership have more than doubled in the same period. Across these 3 leadership tiers, women now hold 53.5% of these roles, up from 49.6% in 2019 (and 39.8% in 2010).

To strengthen essential capabilities, public servants can now consistently access core leadership development as they step into their first senior leadership role. Leaders can quickly connect with the wider Public Service through tailored communications, made possible by joined-up digital platforms and increased automation.

By gathering more comprehensive data on our leaders, we’re increasingly able to see the impact of our investment sooner. This helps us to develop new initiatives to strengthen our leadership in the right areas, and to deliver better outcomes and services for New Zealanders.

Public Service leadership