29 May 2009
By Vivienne Russell
Finance directors in the public sector could do more to earn a place at the top management table, according to research from consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers.
A report published on May 22 urged public sector finance professionals to do more to demonstrate their capability and capacity as business partners and the value they bring to the organisation’s overall performance.
PwC’s research was based on 30 interviews with a range of public sector organisations.
The report – The changing role of finance in government and public sector – found little desire for a radical improvement to the finance function within organisations.
‘We found little evidence of finance aspiring to being world class, or being challenged to do so, notwithstanding the more regular use of this tag for the commissioning and delivery of public services,’ the report said.
It compared this attitude with the private sector, which had the ambition to restructure and refocus its finance function rapidly as business needs dictated.
‘We believe that pressure will build for the public sector to move faster,’ the report said.
