Raraunga Ohumahi 2022 — Kāhua kaiārahi matua Workforce Data 2022 — Senior leader composition

Senior leader metrics (tiers 1 to 3)

As at 30 June 2022, there were 1,295 senior leaders in the Public Service (defined as the top 3 tiers of managers with chief executives being tier one). This compares to 1,325 senior leaders last year.

The percentage of women in the top 3 tiers of senior management was 55.8% (up from 53.5% last year and 47.9% in 2017), while male representation is 43.9%. 

Senior leaders reported being 80.2% European, 14.5% Māori, 5.1% Pacific peoples and 3.0% Asian (these add to more than 100% as it includes those with multiple ethnicities). Although, Pacific and Asian leaders continue to remain under-represented compared to either the Public Service workforce or the New Zealand population, there has been improvement in representation over the past five-years:

• Māori representation is now 14.5% (up from 13.5% in 2021 and 12.3% in 2017).
• Pacific representation is now 5.1% (up from 4.3% in 2021 and 2.4% in 2017).
• Asian representation is now 3.0% (up from 2.9% in 2021 and 2.4% in 2017).

Annual sick leave usage for senior leadership is very low, at 4.2 days in 2022. This compares with 6.2 days for the other managers group and 8.7 days on average for non-managerial staff.

Public Service Leaders Group

Te Pae Turuki Public Service Leaders Group (PSLG) is about working together and providing strong collaborative leadership. They enable continued innovation to tackle some of the biggest and most complex issues facing New Zealand today.

Members of the PSLG are nominated by chief executives according to role-based criteria that we set. Members must meet one or more of the following criteria:

• is a member of an executive team
• runs a public service business for New Zealand or a significant region
• heads a corporate function in a medium or large organisation
• creates high strategic impact, working across larger organisations and, in concert with other organisations.

As at 30 June 2022, there were 1,181 members of the PSLG, 50% male and 50% female.

Te Pae Turuki Public Service Leaders Group 

Diversity in Public Service leaders

As at 30 June 2022, leaders reported being 87.2% European, 17.9% Māori, 2.6% Pacific peoples and 7.7% Asian (these add to more than 100% as it includes those with multiple ethnicities).

At that same point in time, women held 19 of the 39 public service leader roles. Current information can be found on the Public Service Leaders page.

Leaders profiles