Our purpose
The Government Finance Profession leverages the expertise and scale of Government Finance Professionals across the system to inform, influence and lift the performance of finance functions within and across agencies in pursuit of delivering better outcomes for New Zealanders.
Who is a Government Finance Professional?
A Government Finance Professional can be any person working in the finance function of a government organisation, such as a department, Crown entity, or other organisation that is consolidated into the financial statements of the Government.
How we are organised
Oversight is provided by the Head of the Government Finance Profession, who chairs regular meetings of Finance Key Positions (a steering group), along with Chief Financial Officers forums. They are supported by a Government Finance Profession (GFP) team located within the Treasury.
The GFP team works with government financial professionals, other professionals and functional leads, and professional accounting bodies to develop and drive the work programme for the Government Finance Profession.
Our work programme
The work programme is organised around the Finance Development Programme and the following three workstreams:
- People: attracting, retaining, and developing finance professionals.
- Common practices: reusing, standardising, and sharing knowledge of core systems, processes, and policies.
- Issues management: A catch-all workstream that captures other initiatives where there is a clear benefit for a collective response or approach.
A Finance Capability Framework (The Framework) for Government Finance Professionals has been developed under the People workstream. The Framework identifies core individual capabilities across finance professionals’ roles in government.
Information on the Framework, how it can be of help to Government Finance Professionals, and guidance, can be accessed at The Finance Capability Framework for Government Finance Professionals.
The Finance Development Programme (FDP) provides regular forums, training, and networking opportunities for Government Finance Professionals.
Forums are typically targeted at the following cohorts: Chief Financial Officers, Senior Finance Leaders, Experienced Finance Professionals and Early in Finance Career professionals.
In addition, there are forums and workshops that cater to all finance professionals or specific interests. Finance professionals in local government and organisations associated with a ministerial portfolio are welcome to attend the FDP offerings.
The Government Finance Profession team also supports the Public Sector Finance Graduate programme, which is delivered by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA).
Projects to support the FDP and work streams are developed for the sector by the sector. This means they are often sponsored by a CFO or Senior Finance Leader, are driven by an inter-agency working group, and supported by a member of the Government Finance Profession team.
Please contact the GFP team if you would like to learn more about the Government Finance Profession, including how to participate in events, receive newsletters, for information on projects underway, and how to be more involved.
The Pacific Finance Network LinkedIn group is also updated with events of particular interest to the Pacific Finance Network.