Increasing Professionalism in Public Finance Management

In countries such as the United Kingdom, the need to manage fi nances in a professional manner
has been hampered by the severe fi scal constraints of the 2008 fi nancial crisis. These pressures
are likely to persist in the long term as a result of an aging population and rising public expectations
of the quality of public services.

Whereas much attention has been paid to technical reforms to improve budgeting, expenditure
control, accounting, and auditing, less attention has been given to the process of developing skilled
financial managers, whose expertise is key to sustained improvement in the management of public
finances. Successive governments in the United Kingdom have recognized the need to strengthen
professionalism in financial management, but the financial crisis gave an additional impetus for
change. This change has been refl ected in policy statements, changes in recruitment and human
resource management practices, and the development of professional networks in accounting,
audit, procurement, and project management.

Increasing Professionalism in Public Finance Management: A Case Study of the United Kingdom
describes the journey from a civil service where generalist skills were overwhelmingly preferred toward
one where professional technical skills in finance are recognized and valued. This book represents one
of a number of country case studies aimed at sharing information about alternative paths and models
to help developing countries seeking to strengthen public fi nancial management skills on a long-term
sustainable basis.

This book will be of importance to public policy makers and public practitioners looking for ways
to improve the quality of public sector management and to a range of professional finance/
management bodies looking to strengthen their relevance to the government sector.