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Public Service Act 2020

People working in public service - Public service chief executives, system leaders, and public service leadership team - Public service chief executives

53: Functional chief executives

You could also call this:

"Special bosses in government called functional chief executives have their own rules and jobs"

Illustration for Public Service Act 2020

You have a special kind of chief executive called a functional chief executive. They have to follow the same rules as other chief executives, as stated in Section 52(1), but with some changes. They are responsible to the Minister for the things they are supposed to do, but only if those things are related to their specific job.

You are responsible for doing your particular job within the department that hosts you, and you cannot do other jobs in that department unless the law says you can. As a functional chief executive, you have other responsibilities and powers, but only if they are related to your specific job.

The chief executive of the department where you work is not responsible for what you do, unless the law says they are, and you work independently in your role. If you want to compare this to an older law, you can look at s 32(2) of the 1988 No 20 law.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS356903.

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Part 3People working in public service
Public service chief executives, system leaders, and public service leadership team: Public service chief executives

53Functional chief executives

  1. Section 52(1) applies to a functional chief executive (with any necessary modifications).

  2. However, they are responsible to the appropriate Minister for the responsibilities listed to the extent only that those responsibilities are relevant to their particular functions.

  3. A functional chief executive—

  4. is responsible for carrying out their particular functions within the host department only, and not any other functions of the host department unless expressly provided in this Act:
    1. has other responsibilities, functions, and powers of chief executives under this Act to the extent only that any of these are relevant to their particular functions.

      1. The chief executive of a department is not responsible for the performance of functions or duties, or the exercise of powers, of or by a functional chief executive hosted by the department unless expressly provided in this Act.

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