Public employment service manager

A Public Employment Service (PES) Manager is a senior professional who oversees the delivery of employment services provided by government or publicly funded agencies. Their primary role is to plan, coordinate, and improve programs that support jobseekers, employers, and labor market development. PES Managers ensure that services such as job matching, career counseling, skills training, unemployment benefits, and employer support are delivered effectively and equitably, helping to reduce unemployment and improve workforce readiness in their communities.

Public employment service managers typically do the following:

• Lead the strategic planning and day-to-day management of public employment offices or regional employment programs.
• Supervise staff such as employment advisors, career counselors, case workers, administrative personnel, and partner agencies.
• Design and implement services that support jobseekers, including job placement, vocational training, career guidance, and reemployment programs.
• Manage programs that assist specific groups (e.g. youth, long-term unemployed, migrants, persons with disabilities) in accessing the labor market.
• Collaborate with employers to understand workforce needs and help them find qualified candidates or access government hiring incentives.
• Monitor service performance, develop key performance indicators (KPIs), and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with labor market legislation, public funding rules, data protection standards, and equity in service delivery.
• Manage budgets, allocate resources, and prepare reports for government authorities or stakeholders.
• Oversee digital platforms and systems that support job matching, labor market data collection, and client case management.
• Represent the public employment service in community meetings, inter-agency collaborations, and national labor policy consultations.

The following job titles also refer to public employment service manager:

jobcentre manager
jobcentre plus manager
employment service manager
DWP manager
national careers service manager
careers advice manager
department of work and pensions manager
job centre manager

Public Employment Service Managers typically work in government offices, regional employment centers, or labor ministry departments. The role is primarily office-based but may include regular travel to visit local employment branches, training centers, community partners, and employer sites. Standard business hours apply, but flexibility may be required during major projects, job fairs, or policy rollouts. The role demands strong leadership, public service ethics, and the ability to balance administrative oversight with community engagement.

Education: A bachelor’s degree in public administration, labor economics, human resources, sociology, or a related field is typically required. A master’s degree in public policy, social work, or business administration (MBA) is advantageous for senior roles.

Experience: 5–10 years of experience in employment services, public administration, social programs, or labor market policy, with progressive responsibility in leadership or management.

Training: Knowledge of active labor market policies (ALMPs), social inclusion programs, digital tools for job matching, and government reporting systems is critical.

Certifications: While not always required, professional certifications in project management (e.g., PMP), HR (e.g., CIPD, SHRM), or public administration can enhance qualifications.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Public employment service manager is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to public employment service manager.

employment programme coordinator
equality and inclusion manager
labour market policy officer
corporate training manager
labour relations officer

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of public employment service manager.

• Labour legislation: Legislation, on a national or international level, that governs labour conditions in various fields between labour parties such as the government, employees, employers, and trade unions.
• Supervision of persons: The act of directing one individual or a group of individuals in a certain activity.
• Employment law: The law which mediates the relationship between employees and employers. It concerns employees’ rights at work which are binding by the work contract.

These skills are necessary for the role of public employment service manager.

• Promote gender equality in business contexts: Raise awareness and campaign for the equalisation between the sexes by the assessment of their participation in the position and the activities carried out by companies and businesses at large.
• Maintain relations with local representatives: Maintain good relations with representatives of the local scientific, economic and civil society.
• Manage budgets: Plan, monitor and report on the budget.
• Liaise with local authorities: Maintain the liaison and exchange of information with regional or local authorities.
• Organise staff assessment: Organising the overall assessment process of the staff.
• Comply with legal regulations: Ensure you are properly informed of the legal regulations that govern a specific activity and adhere to its rules, policies and laws.
• Apply strategic thinking: Apply generation and effective application of business insights and possible opportunities, in order to achieve competitive business advantage on a long-term basis.
• Negotiate employment agreements: Find agreements between employers and potential employees on salary, working conditions and non-statutory benefits.
• Promote employment policy: Promote the development and implementation of policies which aim to improve employment standards, and reduce unemployment rates, in order to acquire governmental and public support.
• Supervise staff: Oversee the selection, training, performance and motivation of staff.
• Coordinate operational activities: Synchronise activities and responsibilities of the operational staff to ensure that the resources of an organisation are used most efficiently in pursuit of the specified objectives.
• Supervise work: Direct and supervise the day-to-day activities of subordinate personnel.
• Develop employee retention programs: Plan, develop, and implement programs aimed at keeping the satisfaction of the employees in the best levels. Consequently, assuring the loyalty of employees.
• Manage government policy implementation: Manage the operations of the implementation of new government policies or changes in existing policies on a national or regional level as well as the staff involved in the implementation procedure.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of public employment service manager. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Government policy implementation: The procedures related to the application of government policies at all levels of public administration.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of public employment service manager. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Coach employees: Maintain and improve employees’ performance by coaching individuals or groups how to optimise specific methods, skills or abilities, using adapted coaching styles and methods. Tutor newly recruited employees and assist them in the learning of new business systems.
• Analyse unemployment rates: Analyse data and perform research concerning unemployment in a region or nation in order to identify causes for unemployment and possible solutions.
• Promote inclusion in organisations: Promote diversity and equal treatment of genders, ethnicities and minority groups in organisations in order to prevent discrimination and ensure inclusion and a positive environment.
• Promote equal pay: Promote actions which aim to close the pay gap between the different genders by researching the current circumstances which facilitate the continuance of the pay gap and the fields in which pay gaps persist, as well as promote the inclusion of different genders in professions or fields which are dominated by one gender.
• Provide information on study programmes: Provide information on the different lessons and fields of study offered by educational institutions such as universities and secondary schools, as well as the study requirements and employment prospects.
• Develop training programmes: Design programmes where employees or future employees are taught the necessary skills for the job or to improve and expand skills for new activities or tasks. Select or design activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the performance of individuals and groups in organisational settings.
• Develop employment policies: Develop and supervise the implementation of policies which aim to improve employment standards such as working conditions, hours, and pay, as well as reduce unemployment rates.
• Set inclusion policies: Develop and implement plans which aim to create an environment in an organisation which is positive and inclusive of minorities, such as ethnicities, gender identities, and religious minorities.
• Advise on career: Provide personalised help, guidance and information to people in order to make them grow in their careers.
• Discharge employees: Dismiss employees from their job.
• Evaluate employees: Analyse employees’ individual performance over a certain time span and communicate own conclusions to the employee in question or higher management.
• Coordinate educational programmes: Plan and coordinate educational and public outreach programs such as workshops, tours, lectures and classes.
• Advise on government policy compliance: Advise organisations on how they may improve their compliance to the applicable government policies they are required to adhere to, and the necessary steps which need to be taken in order to ensure complete compliance.

2423 – Personnel and careers professionals 

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 References

1. Public employment service manager – ESCO
2. Featured image: Photo by Adetola Afolabi on Unsplash