Requirements for secretaries-general and deputy secretaries-general at ministries, directors at the Government Office, directors-general at state authorities and inspectorates and heads of other government bodies referred to in the Regulation, and the procedure for their recruitment and selection and for their development and appraisal

(1) This Regulation lays down the requirements for secretaries-general and deputy secretaries-general at ministries, directors at the Government Office, the head of the Financial Intelligence Unit, directors-general at state authorities and inspectorates and the Director-General of the State Shared Service Centre (hereinafter ‘senior managers’), and the procedure for their recruitment and selection and for their development and appraisal.

[RT I, 18.12.2020, 33 – entry into force 21 December 2020]

(2) This Regulation shall apply to the Director-General of the Data Protection Inspectorate, the Director-General of Statistics Estonia and the National Archivist, subject to the specific provisions of the Acts governing their appointment.

(3) Sections 6 and 7 shall apply to the Director-General of the Police and Border Guard Board, the Director-General of the Rescue Board and the Director-General of the Emergency Response Centre, as shall Section 3 if an open competition is held to appoint someone to one of those positions, subject to the specific provisions of the Acts governing their appointment.

(4) Section 6(1) and (2) shall apply to the heads of the security authorities referred to in the Security Authorities Act [ julgeolekuasutuste seadus ], the Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces and the Government Office’s Director of National Security and Defence Coordination.

(5) Sections 6 and 7 shall apply to the Prosecutor General.

[RT I, 24.11.2017, 13 – entry into force 27 November 2017]

(1) Senior managers must have sufficient managerial experience, education and foreign language skills to perform their duties.

(2) The competencies required in a senior manager’s work are described in the competency model for senior managers in the Estonian civil service (hereinafter ‘the competency model’), which is set out in the Annex to this Regulation.

(1) Any open competition for a senior manager’s post shall be announced by the Secretary of State on the basis of a proposal from the relevant minister. Any open competition for a director’s post at the Government Office shall be announced by the Secretary of State.

(1¹) One competition may be held to fill several posts as senior manager, provided that information to this effect is included in the competition notice.

[RT I, 24.11.2017, 13 – entry into force 27 November 2017]

(2) The Government Office’s Senior Civil Service Excellence Centre (hereinafter ‘the Excellence Centre’) may propose to persons holding a post as a senior manager, to candidates for senior management as referred to in Section 9(2), and to other persons meeting the requirements for senior managers, that they should take part in an open competition.

(3) Open competitions shall be conducted by the civil service senior management selection panel (hereinafter ‘the senior management selection panel’).

(4) When selecting a senior manager, the procedure for recruiting and selecting officials [ ametnike värbamise ja valiku kord ] enacted on the basis of Section 10(1)(2) of the Civil Service Act [ avaliku teenistuse seadus ] shall apply, subject to the specific provisions laid down in this Regulation.

(5) Candidates for senior management shall be assessed on the basis of the requirements laid down in the Civil Service Act and in Chapter 2 of this Regulation and on the basis of the competency model.

(6) Once a competition has ended, the senior management selection panel shall put forward one to three candidates for appointment to the post to the person who is entitled either to propose that someone be appointed to the post or to appoint someone to the post. In the absence of suitable candidates, the senior management selection panel shall refrain from putting forward a candidate.

(1) If an open competition is not held for the post of a secretary-general, the Excellence Centre shall put forward at least one candidate for secretary-general to the minister.

[RT I, 24.11.2017, 13 – entry into force 27 November 2017]

(2) The Excellence Centre shall not put forward a candidate for secretary-general if the minister proposes to the secretary-general that he or she should be reappointed for a new term of office.

(3) Before making a proposal to the Government of the Republic, the minister shall put forward his or her candidate for secretary-general to the senior management selection panel for an opinion.

(4) The senior management selection panel shall assess whether the candidate for secretary-general meets the requirements laid down in the Civil Service Act and in Chapter 2 of this Regulation and assess the candidate on the basis of the competency model, and shall then send its opinion to the minister in writing.

(5) The final decision of the senior management selection panel as regards the candidate’s suitability shall be published on the Government Office’s website.

(1) The senior management selection panel shall be chaired by the Secretary of State and its composition shall be determined by the Government of the Republic.

(2) The senior management selection panel’s work shall be led by the chair of the panel. In the absence of the chair, the panel’s work shall be led, and the other functions of the chair shall be performed, by the deputy chair.

(3) The senior management selection panel shall conduct its work in the form of meetings. The chair of the panel may decide to hold a meeting remotely.

(4) The senior management selection panel shall have a quorum if the chair of the panel and at least half of the members are in attendance the meeting.

(5) The senior management selection panel shall take decisions by a majority vote of the attendees at a meeting. In the event of a tie, the chair shall have the casting vote.

(6) If the chair of the panel so decides, other experts may be involved in the panel’s work.

(7) Minutes shall be taken of meetings of the senior management selection panel, and these minutes shall be signed by the chair and the secretary of the panel.

(8) The senior management selection panel’s work shall be organised by the Excellence Centre.

(1) The aim of development for a senior manager is to contribute to achieving the Government’s strategic objectives and those of the relevant area of government, sector and body.

(2) The Excellence Centre shall advise senior managers on their development and organise appropriate development activities, including training, consultation, mentoring, placements and development programmes.

(3) Participating in development activities is a mandatory part of a senior manager’s duties.

(4) The competencies of a senior manager shall be evaluated on the basis of the competency model at least once every 2 years. This evaluation shall be organised by the Excellence Centre.

(1) A development and appraisal dialogue shall be conducted with a senior manager on the basis of Section 30 of the Civil Service Act, having regard to the results of the evaluation of competencies.

(2) Development and appraisal dialogues with deputy secretaries-general at ministries, the Prosecutor General, the head of the Financial Intelligence Unit, directors-general at state authorities and inspectorates, the Director-General of the Rescue Board, the Director-General of the State Shared Service Centre and the National Archivist shall be conducted by a secretary-general at a ministry. Dialogues with directors at the Government Office shall be conducted by the Secretary of State.

[RT I, 18.12.2020, 33 – entry into force 1 January 2021]

(3) The participants in a development and appraisal dialogue shall record the results of the dialogue and the objectives for development in a format that can be reproduced in writing.

[RT I, 24.11.2017, 13 – entry into force 27 November 2017]

(1) With the aim of enhancing cooperation and progress towards more consistent governance, and having regard to the results of the evaluation of competencies, the Secretary of State shall hold a dialogue with each secretary-general at a ministry at least once every 2 years.

(2) The participants in a dialogue referred to in subsection 1 shall record the results of the dialogue and the objectives for development in a format that can be reproduced in writing.

[RT I, 24.11.2017, 13 – entry into force 27 November 2017]

(1) The aim of keeping records of candidates for senior management is to support the recruitment of senior managers by ensuring that there are candidates for senior management.

(2) The persons who may be included as candidates for senior management are those who have completed the succession programme organised by the Excellence Centre and who meet the other requirements stipulated by the Excellence Centre, senior managers who have left their posts and persons who have taken part in an open competition for a senior manager’s post. The Excellence Centre shall be entitled to organise open competitions to identify candidates for senior management.

(3) The persons referred to in subsection 2 shall be included among the candidates for senior management by the senior management selection panel.

(4) The inclusion of a person on the list of candidates for senior management requires that person’s consent.

(5) If necessary, the Excellence Centre shall arrange for the professional development of candidates for senior management.

(6) Persons shall be included on the list of candidates for senior management until they are withdrawn from the list of candidates in the cases referred to in subsection 7, but for a maximum period of 5 years.

(7) A person shall be withdrawn from the list of candidates for senior management on the basis of a decision by the senior management selection panel if

1) the person is appointed to a senior manager’s post;

2) the person has made a request to this effect;

3) the person no longer meets the requirements to be taken on as an official;

4) the person has not taken part in the development activities offered by the Excellence Centre.

(8) Records of the candidates for senior management shall be kept by the Excellence Centre.