THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT SERVICE AND

Abstract

The Senior Management Service (SMS) is in its fifth year of existence. This study explores the perceptions of SMS members in terms of their policy and management role, motivations and incentives, performance evaluation, accountability and the future of the SMS in the overall transformation process of the public service. The research data was obtained using a questionnaire and interviews, whilst both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyse the data. The perceived policy advice role of the SMS is to identify policy gaps and advise in policy development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Despite contrary viewpoints, the findings show that the SMS is seen as lucrative for private sector candidates. Job satisfaction is generally high while SMS members are motivated by the opportunity to perform public service, the opportunity to impact on policy and the intellectual challenge that the public service provides. Pay for performance is deemed to be appropriate for the SMS whilst the most critical issues for the future are the impact of HIV/AIDS, the use of information technology, combating fraud and corruption, policy implementation and capacity building. The findings in this study compare favourably with other studies conducted on SMS members in other countries regardless that South Africa is at a different position on the public service reform continuum.