Are you considering a career that combines leadership, service, and tangible impact in the real world?
Working in the public sector can be incredibly fulfilling—after all, you’re not just clocking in; you’re helping shape communities and improve lives.
From managing large-scale development projects to ensuring everyday services run smoothly, public managers play a vital role in the success of government departments, non-profits, and international organisations.
With such a wide range of career opportunities, it is possible to build a meaningful and exciting path that aligns with your skills and passions.
- But what exactly is public management?
- How is it different from private sector management?
- And what kinds of jobs can you pursue with a Bachelor of Public Administration?
In this article, we’ll explore the world of public management—what it entails, how it differs from the private sector, the challenges professionals face, and the numerous rewarding roles available in this field.
What is the role of public management?
Public management is about how government agencies and public sector organisations are run. Think of it as the business side of government—it focuses on making public services (like healthcare, education, infrastructure, etc.) more efficient, effective, and accountable.
Here’s typically what it involves:
- Planning and public policy-making: Helping shape what governments do and how they do it.
- Organising public resources: Managing people, money, and systems in government departments.
- Implementing programmes: Ensuring that public services are delivered effectively to the community.
- Monitoring and evaluation: Verify that goals are being met and implement necessary improvements.
Explore the crucial role public administration plays in South Africa’s development.
How does public management differ from private sector management?
While public and private management are both focused on helping organisations provide better services to the “customer” (whether this be the community or the end consumer), they are different in many ways:
Main goal
Public: The primary objective of public management is to serve the public interest and improve the quality of life. This includes ensuring access to basic services such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, and safety.
Private: In contrast, the primary goal of private management is to maximise profit and deliver value to owners and shareholders.
Accountability
Public: Public managers are accountable to the public, the government, and legal frameworks. Their actions are often scrutinised through audits, public feedback, and political oversight.
Private: On the other hand, private sector managers are accountable to business owners, shareholders, and investors. For example, a government department must justify its spending to taxpayers and Parliament, whereas a private company focuses on satisfying investors and increasing its stock price.
Performance measures
Public: Performance in the public sector is evaluated based on social impact, quality of service, transparency, and equity.
Private: In the private sector, success is typically measured by metrics such as profit margins, market share, customer retention, and return on investment.
Funding
Public: Public companies are typically funded by taxes paid by the country’s citizens, grants, and donations.
Private: On the other hand, private companies are financed by sales (i.e., profits reinvested in the company), investments, and capital markets.
Decision-making
Public: In the public sector, decisions are often made by the government with the help of pubic input. This means that these decisions typically take a considerable amount of time.
Private: In the private sector, decisions are made based on the business strategy and, therefore, tend to move much faster.
It’s also worth noting that, despite these differences, both sectors employ similar management systems, including human resources, budgeting, and planning, and often adopt modern tools and technologies to enhance efficiency and outcomes.
What job opportunities can I pursue with a degree in Public Administration?
Public managers can work in various fields, including government departments, state-owned companies, non-profit organisations, and international organisations. Let’s take a deeper look at each of these and provide you with specific job roles.
Government Departments
Public administration graduates can work at the national, provincial, or municipal level in various government departments.
- Job roles: Policy Analyst, Budget Analyst, Municipal Manager, Public Affairs Specialist, Compliance Officer, Administrative Officer.
- Example: Working in the Department of Health to manage the rollout of healthcare services in rural areas or helping develop policies for housing delivery in the Department of Human Settlements.
State-Owned Companies (SOCs)
These are companies owned by the government that operate in sectors such as energy, transportation, and communications.
- Job roles: Operations Manager, Project Coordinator, Procurement Officer, Human Resources Manager.
- Example: Managing community engagement projects at Eskom or overseeing procurement for PRASA (Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa).
Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs)
Managers can help drive impact and public accountability in NGOs and NPOs focused on social development, education, and human rights.
- Job roles: Program Manager, Fundraising Manager, Grants Administrator, Advocacy Officer.
- Example: Coordinating relief projects at the Red Cross or managing youth education programmes at UNICEF South Africa.
International Organisations
Many global organisations value the leadership and policy management skills that public administration graduates bring.
- Job roles: Development Officer, Effective Governance Advisor, Project Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist.
- Example: Working at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on sustainable development initiatives or with the World Bank on public sector reform projects.
FAQ
How do public managers balance political and administrative roles?
Public managers often walk a fine line between political leadership and administrative responsibility. While they aren’t elected politicians, their work is deeply influenced by political decisions, and they must implement those decisions effectively and fairly.
For example, when it comes to setting goals, a politician may set the goal of improving public transport. The public manager then has the job of designing and running the operational plan to make it happen.
What challenges do public managers face in their roles?
Public managers play a critical role in keeping the wheels of government and public service turning—but it’s not without its hurdles. Some of the biggest challenges they face include:
- Balancing politics and professionalism
- Limited resource allocation in the government and budget constraints
- Slow government systems
- Public security and accountability
- Resistance to change
- Ethical dilemmas, such as corruption
Can public management practices be enhanced to address contemporary challenges?
Yes, public management practices can and should evolve to meet modern challenges, such as digital transformation, growing citizen expectations, climate change, and global health crises.
However, to achieve this, it must adopt digital systems, adopt more citizen-centred approaches, and upskill its public workers.
Study public management with REGENT
There’s no question that a job in public administration and management is significant and can allow you to make an actual impact on people’s lives.
If this is something you’re interested in, have a look at REGENT’s Bachelor of Public Administration here to see if it’s the right fit for you.
