IPA LAUNCHES STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME FOR PUBLIC SERVICE

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The IPA’s 2025 Strategic Leadership Programme has been developed to address critical leadership needs across the public service, encourage innovation and take an integrated approach to cross-governmental issues such as infrastructure, housing, climate change, healthcare and immigration. 

The SPS Strategic Leadership Programme for senior public service leaders, which has been designed to ensure that good leadership is at the core of public service, was recently launched by Jack Chambers TD, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform & Digitalisation.

The programme builds leadership capabilities to prepare for emerging areas impacting public services, including digital transformation, AI and sustainability. This year’s programme will equip almost 200 leaders at principal officer level and above, with the necessary strategic leadership knowledge, skills and expertise needed to navigate the complex and ever-changing operating environment.

Led by Dr Cedric Chau, IPA Director of Senior Public Service (SPS), the programme also seeks to cultivate a strong leadership community within the public service to meet succession planning needs and foster collaborative relationships within and between organisations. 

The SPS Programme, designed to contribute to the Better Public Services 2030 Transformation Strategy, has been aligned with the government’s vision to strengthen leadership capacity at senior levels. The aim is to ensure a resilient public service in an increasingly complex environment. 

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform & Digitalisation, Jack Chambers TD pictured with IPA Chair George Burke and Director General Helen Brophy, at the launch.

The IPA has engaged two delivery partners this year – Trinity College Dublin and the Roffey Institute. Speaking at the launch of the IPA’s training programmes for 2025, Helen Brophy, IPA Director General, said: “Investing in leadership development is central to providing better public services to the citizens of our country and the role of the IPA is critical to meeting the current and future challenges faced by the public service.”

She added that with its diverse education, learning and development programmes, the “IPA works in partnership with the public service to ensure that its over 425,000 staff and employees have access to supports that build an innovative, agile and resilient workforce for the future when, where and how they need it”.