Public sector skills in the search for public value

Today’s civil servants address problems of unprecedented complexity in societies that are more pluralistic and demanding than ever. At the same time, the systems and tools of governance are increasingly digital, open and networked. Civil servants need the right skills to keep pace. This chapter looks at how the work of civil servants is changing, and presents a framework to identify which skills will be needed to produce a civil service which is fit-for-purpose today and into the future. These include skills to develop evidence based policy advice, to engage citizens for more effective service design, to commission services through third party delivery agents, and to manage in networks that extend beyond institutional borders. Each of these four skills areas contribute to a professional, strategic and innovative civil service.