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The quality of DPMC’s systems and its people are the two key “capability factors” that mean DPMC can work towards its intended outcomes with the optimal use of its overall resources.
DPMC’s appropriation for outputs during 2005/06 is broken down as follows:
| Departmental Output Class | 2005/06 Appropriation |
|---|---|
| 1. Policy advice and secretariat and co-ordination services (includes Contributing Outcomes 1, 2 and 4) | $7.010 million |
| 2. Support services to the Governor-General and maintenance of the residences (includes Contributing Outcome 3) | $3.337 million |
| 3. Intelligence assessments on developments overseas (includes Contributing Outcomes 1 and 4) | $3.097 million |
| Total departmental appropriation | $13.444 million |
The Cabinet Office has 24 staff and it:
The Policy Advisory Group has 15 staff and it:
The External Assessments Bureau has 29 staff and it:
The Corporate Services Unit has 14 staff and it:
The Domestic and External Security Group has 6 staff and it:
Government House has 30 staff and it:
The systems and structures of government are complex. Problems and issues change – often in subtle ways, and significant new events are always occurring. The ability to work well with all parts of the public service is central to DPMC’s effectiveness in dealing with complex public-policy issues. The adaptability and associated ability of staff members to learn quickly is also central to DPMC’s success – particularly in its “troubleshooting” and issues-management role, or when it needs to quickly assess, analyse and respond to a new development.
Many of the significant responsibilities of key staff members are specific solely to the needs of executive government – so a great deal of staff learning must take place on the job. Some key positions are skilled specialist roles that are the only ones of their type in the country, which means that the staff-selection process for appointees to key roles must be extremely rigorous.
Because of its strong servicing functions and explicit whole-of government responsibility for issues, capability issues are central to the DPMC’s ability to perform its role and achieve its outcomes. “Capability” for DPMC resides in its ability to organise its overall resources to increase the likelihood of meeting its intended outcomes. Sufficient flexibility is needed to change this mix progressively as outcomes change and evolve over time. DPMC also needs the ability to reallocate resources extremely rapidly to deal with major “sudden” issues. Our desired departmental capabilities are overviewed below.
Our staff require high-level conceptual, analytical and communication skills; specialist knowledge; a strong work ethic; impartiality and integrity; and a high level of commitment. They need to collectively show:
DPMC aims to obtain the voluntary co-operation of stakeholders in achieving outcomes through maintaining their confidence in DPMC’s impartiality, honesty, discretion, analytical rigour, and broad viewpoint. This includes having a track record of integrity from serving different administrations and supporting the continuity and stability of executive government.
DPMC must have excellent working relationships, based on high levels of trust, with all agencies that could influence or affect the business of government. This is necessary for gathering information, developing and testing policy advice, and generally gaining stakeholders’ engagement in policy implementation.
Effective infrastructural support includes the various corporate, administrative and information-support services, together with personal processes of interaction that support the work of staff members and promote high levels of consultation and sharing of information and knowledge across DPMC.
Technology capability remains essential to DPMC’s role of co-ordinating government policy and responding flexibly and quickly to issues that appear on the political radar with little warning.
DPMC has a medium-term replacement strategy for its computer hardware and software. The intention is to work on a four-year life cycle, but with progressive upgrading of key hardware components and operating system and applications software within this timeframe. For instance, one-third of desktop computers will be replaced each year as part of the strategy, and software systems will be upgraded so that DPMC is no more than one version behind the latest release.
DPMC’s information strategy is built around the key themes of commonality, effectiveness and efficiency. The main priority will be to focus on areas that support common needs across the department, while recognising that specific business-unit needs may require unique solutions. Standardising on common systems, software, hardware and policies will minimise overhead costs and make sure the department complies with public-sector information management standards. DPMC will be working closely with other agencies at the parliamentary complex to identify areas for greater collaboration.
The department deals with an increasing volume of information in the form of documents, but its key strength is in how its staff members use their knowledge by applying individual and collective experience, making comparisons, and using rigorous judgement in evaluating and analysing that information.
DPMC wishes to enhance these “knowledge activities”, but we first need to improve staff access to information by embedding good information systems, practices, rules, and processes into our normal business activities – which in turn will free-up staff from some of the administrative burden of managing information.
Some key activities for 2005/06 are to:
Our response as an organisation over 2005/06 will be to:–
Ensure that we provide all possible opportunities for individuals to obtain job satisfaction and appropriate training within a working environment that supports and values excellent performance:
Enable our staff to work across existing branch boundaries on projects and services. Intra-departmental groups are an important part of the way DPMC operates. Current working groups include the DPMC Health and Safety Committee, Internal Audit Committee, IT Governance Group, Intranet Steering Group, and the Work/Life Balance Group. Groups are also established for one-off projects such as the review of the DPMC conditions of employment, which will be completed early in the 2005/06 year.
Provide opportunities for the secondment of staff from other agencies to work with us for a fixed time to gain a whole-of-government approach to working with people and issues:
Maintain and develop a supportive work environment that values personal commitment to results-oriented work, while observing the highest standards of personal integrity and adherence to the values of the public service. The DPMC’s Code of Conduct will be updated and reviewed this coming year, together with the ethics and standards component of the DPMC induction programme.
Enable DPMC to learn from any results (intended or unintended) in order to systematically improve its business operation:
Ensure that staff can access and manage relevant information within DPMC, and across the government sector, as efficiently as possible:
Continue to monitor DPMC’s strategic human resources in terms of succession planning and the retention of specialist skills within the department – with a particular emphasis on the turnover of key personnel. The department has made a number of key appointments at the senior management level in the past year and is looking to develop a stable and cohesive management team over the medium term.
| Gender | Percentage of DPMC Staff |
|---|---|
| Female | 45.5% |
| Male | 54.5% |
| Age | Percentage of DPMC Staff |
|---|---|
| Under 20 | 1% |
| 20-29 | 12% |
| 30-39 | 29% |
| 40-49 | 22% |
| 50-59 | 26% |
| Over 60 | 10% |
Average age: 45
| Ethnicity | Percentage of DPMC Staff |
|---|---|
| NZ European/Pakeha | 79.5% |
| Maori | 10.7% |
| Asian | 1.8% |
| Pacific Island | 1.8% |
| Other | 2.7% |
| Not known | 3.6% |
Average length of service is 5.8 years – this is similar to recent years.
Staff turnover is 19 per cent – a similar level to recent years. Of those staff members who left voluntarily to take up or search for an alternative job, 52 per cent took up another position in the public service.
By embodying its capability factors in all it does, DPMC can minimise the risk of unintended negative consequences resulting from departmental action. The key dimensions of this type of risk are performance and capability risks. Performance risk is inextricably linked with capability risk. If DPMC does not stay on top of the issues that can result in capability risk, then DPMC is exposed increasingly to performance risk. The interrelationship between capability risk and performance risk can be seen in the table on page 44, which summarises recent risk-management actions we have taken.
DPMC is currently working on its risk-management framework – particularly around its information systems and computer technology – and in our statement of intent for 2006/07 will outline the new approach we are taking to managing risk.
| Performance Risk | Capability Risk |
|---|---|
| Not maintaining the quality of advisory and support services, and so failing to understand or meet the requirements of the users of DPMC’s services | Not developing and maintaining the necessary levels or mix of staff skills in DPMC. Our Response:
|
Not implementing and supporting available improvements in information and communications technology. Our response:
|
|
Not developing a supportive but challenging work environment where people are motivated to achieve a high standard. Our response:
|
|
| Failing to assess the nature or significance of changes in DPMC’s operating environment | Not developing and maintaining the necessary levels or mix of staff skills in DPMC. Our response:
|
| Not maintaining effective networks and processes of consultation with stakeholders | Not developing and maintaining the necessary levels or mix of staff skills in DPMC. Our response:
|
Chart 6: Organisational Structure
The Chief Executive is supported by five senior managers, they are the:
Staff in the Domestic and External Security Group (DESG) include:
Staff in the External Assessments Bureau (EAB) include:
Staff in Corporate Services include:
Staff in the Policy Advisory Group include:
The Secretary of the Cabinet and the Clerk of the Executive Council is supported by staff in the Cabinet Office and Government House.
Cabinet Office staff include:
Government House staff include: