A successful government comprises elected officials and public servants who ensure the smooth running and management of all government entities and services in South Africa. Public administrators create policies and build programmes that offer equal opportunities to South African citizens. Public managers, on the other hand, help with the daily operations of public sector companies and ensure policies are implemented effectively.
The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) manages public administration and management job profiles. These jobs range from entry-level to senior positions within government departments and state-owned enterprises.
In this article, we will cover popular public administration and management jobs and the skills and qualifications required to attain them.
Table of Contents
What Is Public Administration and Management?
Public administration and management jobs are available in the government sector. These jobs help implement the agenda and policies of the elected government. Overall, while the roles differ, the common goal is the betterment of South Africa’s citizens.
Public Administrators effectively manage public resources and services that impact citizens’ needs. They also help to regulate industries and ensure citizens have access to basic infrastructure, healthcare, and education. Public administration jobs help to shape public policy and introduce programmes that help create equal opportunities and access to services.
Public management refers to managing and operating public sector enterprises such as municipalities, national governments, provincial governments, universities, and agencies. Public managers help implement tested streamlined practices and efficiency of the private sector into government enterprises. Public management jobs optimise operations and help to improve the allocation of essential resources to the public.
What are Some Popular Public Administration and Management Jobs?
Jobs in the public sector are created to help efficiently operate and manage all government enterprises. While these entities are set up similarly to private corporations, they have bureaucratic hurdles to handle. This can help reduce efficiency and, in some cases, effectiveness when it comes to the dispersal and allocation of resources and services.
Public administration and management jobs are created for individuals who wish to improve the efficacy of these corporations. These roles can be in a variety of departments, including finance, human resources (HR), and administration.
Let us explore some popular Public administration and management jobs with the South African government.
Public Manager: These are managerial positions within an enterprise or department. Public manager jobs can be in marketing, HR, or supply chain management. These public management jobs help to ensure the seamless running of their department and help to manage the disbursement of resources and services.
Policy Analyst: This is a highly specialised position within the government, where the job is to examine current government policies and their effectiveness. Policy analysts can help make recommendations for existing policies to help them better address the current needs of the citizens.
Human Resource Manager: In this role, managers help to recruit employees for various public administration and management jobs in South Africa. They also work to address any internal conflicts and help to foster a safe and productive work environment.
Financial Manager: These managers perform many of the same functions as private sector financial managers. They help budget and allocate capital for various policies and programmes that fall under the domain of a particular department or organisation. They can also help with auditing and ensure that all financial regulations comply.
What are Some Entry-Level Jobs in Public Administration?
While Public administration and management jobs are essential in running a government smoothly and are in high demand, they follow the same hierarchical structure as private sector jobs. Fresh graduates can gain admission into public sector jobs by applying to entry-level positions.
Public sector employees gain experience and are promoted to senior public sector roles. These roles can be within the same department, or employees can switch organisations to improve their skills and gain experience in a specialised field.
According to Paylab, entry-level public administration salary in South Africa can range from R17,364 to R35,468, as of November 2024. These are some entry-level careers in public administration available for fresh graduates in South Africa.
- Administrative Assistant: In this entry-level role, employees are responsible for organising and managing the smooth running of the office. It can also include maintaining documents, scheduling appointments and meetings, and helping draft official communication.
- Junior Policy Advisor: This is a support role in which a junior policy advisor helps to shadow and provide research and analysis as per the needs of the Senior Policy Advisor. They also help to improve existing policies by communicating with relevant stakeholders.
What are Some Senior-Level Jobs in Public Management?
Public servants who hold senior or executive-level positions might have been promoted within the organisation or from other governmental agencies. In some cases, private-sector employees can be recruited.
Careers in public management require several years of experience in impactful positions that have helped create transformative change. These can be organisational changes, such as quality control or supply chain management, or external factors, such as policy implementation or efficient resource distribution.
Some helpful skills for public management roles include communication, negotiation, problem-solving, budgeting, and decision-making. Most of these are also skills managers require when working in private corporations.
According to Talent.com, experienced workers can expect to take home R2,280,000 annually as of 2024. In addition to the base salary in South Africa, public management salaries include housing allowance, medical benefits, and pension.
These are some senior-level public management jobs:
- Chief Administrative Officer (CAO): This is a senior position within a public sector organisation. CAOs are responsible for efficiently managing and functioning the various departments within their domain. They report directly to the CEO and have at least 10 years of administrative and leadership experience.
- Director of Public Affairs: In this senior-level position, candidates oversee the public affairs department. They help project a positive image to external stakeholders by communicating and responding to public opinion. They also need to build and maintain relationships with media outlets and prominent communication firms.
Roles and Responsibilities of Senior Managers
As public servants climb the corporate ladder, they gain additional skills and practical knowledge to succeed in the public sector. Senior managers are responsible for their particular department’s performance and help facilitate the transfer of resources and information from other departments within the organisation.
Senior managers create strategic targets and implement plans that allow their department to meet the organisation’s goals and overall objective. They are strong leaders, which helps them effectively communicate their goals and objectives.
These are some of the roles and responsibilities required for senior public management jobs.
- Focus on Governance
- Resource Management
- Leadership
- Building Relationships
What Are The Key Skills Required for Public Sector Jobs?
Public administration and management jobs are designed to serve the public’s interests. As they gain experience, public sector employees gain diverse skills, some of which might be optional in the private sector.
They learn to navigate bureaucratic hurdles and make decisions based on political agendas rather than on market trends or consumer expectations.
- Leadership and Communication Skills: To be a successful and effective manager, individuals must display leadership skills. This is evident when they are exemplary communicators, can adequately explain policies and implementation strategies, and help change the public’s mindset.
- Analytical and Problem-Solving Abilities: They are likely to encounter numerous problems daily and need to differentiate between priority scenarios. They must also be able to analyse situations and provide quick solutions that can be implemented.
- Financial and Strategic Planning Skills: Public sector managers must also have a solid understanding of finance since they are in charge of spending taxpayer money to improve society.
What are the Qualifications Needed for Public Administration and Management Jobs?
Individuals interested in serving their country and applying for public administration and management jobs should pursue an education that matches the required qualifications.
An undergraduate degree in Public Administration or Management is the first step towards a career in public service. To gain relevant experience, individuals can seek projects and internships in governmental agencies and departments.
Senior positions require candidates to have advanced qualifications, memberships with professional bodies, and several years of relevant prior experience.
Entry-level and senior public administration and public management jobs are advertised on the DPSA website weekly. Some department positions might require candidates to submit to additional examinations or medical checks.
Read more on What Jobs Can I Get With a Public Administration Degree in South Africa
Conclusion
Public administrators and managers are responsible for developing and implementing public policy consistent with the elected government’s goals and objectives. To succeed in these roles, candidates must possess leadership, analytical, and financial management skills.
Those aspiring to join the public sector should stay informed about job openings and ensure they meet the educational and professional requirements for their desired positions.
Students interested in a career in public service should check the details of the Public Management programmes at the Regenesys School of Management.
FAQs on Public Administration and Management Jobs
What are public administration and management jobs?
These job profiles are developed to fulfil the needs of public sector companies and government departments.
What are some public administration jobs?
Some public administration roles include policy analyst, government relations manager, community health specialist, etc.
What are the required skills for public management jobs?
Some important skills include communication, negotiation, problem-solving, budgeting, and decision-making.
How to qualify for entry-level and senior public sector positions?
Those interested in working in the public sector can complete an undergraduate degree in public management or public administration. They can support that with projects and internships within government organisations. Entry-level and senior public administration and public management jobs are advertised on the DPSA website weekly.
Can private-sector employees transition into public administration roles?
Many senior public administration roles allow for recruiting experienced individuals from the private sector, especially for senior positions.
What skills are important for public administration and management jobs?
Individuals in these roles need to be strong leaders with excellent communication, negotiation, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
