Professional public management: the key element of administrative reform

It's well known that Catalonia, like the rest of Europe, urgently needs to move forward with the reform of public administration. For some time now, organizations across different fields and sectors have been calling for a more modern, competitive, effective, efficient, and transparent administration — one capable of supporting businesses and society as a whole through this period of accelerating change.

In recent years, companies and organizations have been making major efforts to transform and adapt to an unpredictable, fast-changing world. Public administration cannot be exempt from this transformation — on the contrary, it has a duty to lead it, safeguard the country's competitiveness, and at the same time effectively guarantee public services and citizens' rights. Because there can be no prosperity without good administration.

When we talk about reform, we mean administrative simplification, reducing bureaucratic burden, cutting regulatory complexity, and making it easier to do business, among other things. But this modernizing recipe requires one essential ingredient: the human factor — specifically, the professionalization of public management.

For years, the organizations that make up the Forum of Entities for Administrative Reform have worked to build an institutional framework and a public–private commitment capable of driving this reform agenda forward. With that in mind, we welcome the fact that the Government of Catalonia has recently introduced the draft Law on Professional Public Management and its Institutional Public Sector, which I'd like to turn to now.

The best people working for the public good

I think there's broad consensus that people are any company's or organization's greatest asset. That's why we all work hard to attract and bring in top talent — increasingly so.

And yet, when it comes to public administration — which we might consider "everyone's organization" — why aren't we always equally demanding? Why do we accept appointments and hires based on criteria unrelated to merit, without adequate guarantees of the capability and experience needed to take on certain responsibilities? We need to move toward a model of management geared toward excellence, one capable of attracting the right profiles to manage what belongs to all of us.

At the same time, it's worth correcting a mistake we in the private sector often make when weighing in on public management. We're often reminded of something as simple as it is relevant: "running an administration isn't like running a company." That's true, and it's worth keeping in mind to avoid recipes that sound appealing but turn out to be misguided or unworkable in practice. It also helps explain the initial frustration some good professionals feel when they take on responsibilities within the administration. As with any profession, you need to understand its particularities — and, naturally, those specific to each area of work. Only then can we avoid an all-too-common situation: senior public managers who are only just getting the hang of their roles as the legislative term draws to a close.

That said, recognizing these differences doesn't mean giving up on learning from private-sector best practices, or on demanding the highest standards of professionalism and competence in public management. 

What the draft law proposes

As the law's explanatory statement notes, it aims to move toward a model that allows people in management roles to be appointed based on merit, competence, and suitability, with minimum requirements around experience and qualifications. It also envisions strengthening accountability, establishing a culture of ongoing evaluation, and fostering greater autonomy.

Another significant element is the intent to decouple appointments from political cycles, through seven-year appointments or contracts — renewable and subject to evaluation — along with the option of fixed compensation plus up to 15% in variable pay tied to meeting objectives and results. 

"The reform aims to move toward a model that allows people in management roles to be appointed based on merit, competence, and suitability."

All of this would apply to varying degrees across the three categories that make up the scope of professional public management: managerial leadership positions; operational leadership positions (held by civil servants); and leadership roles within the institutional public sector.

From here, it remains to be seen how this will be rolled out through regulation, and what the fine print will look like to ensure the law's spirit is actually honored. Above all, it will be important to track how the text evolves during negotiations as it moves through parliament.

With that in mind, it would be worth paying close attention to the finer details around the selection, evaluation, and renewal of these positions, as well as to the appointment and functioning of the independent qualifying bodies responsible for selecting these managers. It will also be worth reviewing the exceptions envisioned in the draft and clearly defining which positions will be subject to them.

A political responsibility, and a national one

At Cecot, we welcome progress on a key element in transforming public administration. That's why we invite parliamentary groups to debate it thoroughly, but with generosity, a sense of shared national purpose, and a long-term vision. Catalonia cannot afford to keep leaving public management in the hands of people without the necessary experience and/or ability, appointed arbitrarily or on the basis of political affinity.

"What's at stake is a better-prepared, results-oriented administration and, ultimately, the country's ability to respond more effectively to the collective challenges it faces"

Passing this law — and passing it well — is essential. It's now Parliament's responsibility to improve it and equip it with the safeguards needed for professional public management to become a genuine lever for transformation. What's at stake is a better-prepared, results-oriented administration and, ultimately, the country's ability to respond more effectively to the collective challenges we face.