Management plays critical role in the effective and efficient functioning of the Public Service.

It is the responsibility/task of our senior managers to convert the policy mandates of government into effective departmental strategies, plans and programs. It is their responsibility to ensure that resources both material and human are effectively used and accounted for in the pursuit of performance delivery. Content of the strategic plan (a) The strategic plan should cover a period of three years and be consistent with the departments published medium term estimates. In addition, it should: Define the vision, mission or strategic focus of the department, as informed by government policy and the constitutional mandates of that department. Set out clear strategic goals and objectives, strategies for achieving them and service delivery improvement plans (see Part IIIC of Chapter 1 of the PSR) Record budget decisions on strategic resource allocation based on strategic decisions, plans and what will be needed to implement them. This is the MTEF budget exercise, which should be an integral part of strategic planning and directly related to the goals, strategies and plan. The budgeting process should not be run as a separate and parallel process as is often happening; Provide the basis for departmental and unit level business planning, by allocating to specific units the responsibility and resources for achieving an aspect of the overall departmental strategy within a financial year; and Lay a clear basis for the monitoring of progress and evaluation of achievement by clarifying expected results with indicators, criteria and standards. This should provide a sound basis for the PAs of individual managers and for directly linking them to departmental and unit responsibilities and plans. Strategic planning and performance assessment (a) The content of PAs should clearly and directly devolve from and be related to the departments strategic/operational plan and the plans of the specific unit for the coming year. In practice this entails that departments should aim to have their plans prepared prior to the commencement of the financial year. This will enable relevant and appropriate PAs to be developed for members of the SMS and, if applicable, for other officials. (b) Individual performance assessments should therefore, be informed by and, in turn, inform the evaluation and review of organisational and unit achievement over the preceding period. Reviews of achievement against departmental strategic objectives and business plans should coincide with individual quarterly performance reviews, to enable individual and organisational performance to be more effectively linked. The mid-term individual performance review should coincide with the annual departmental or unit strategic review. Annual individual performance appraisals should be linked to and informed by evaluation of unit and organisational performance. New PAs should reflect decisions on how results could be improved in the forthcoming year.