The Public Service newbie guide

Example: The statutory board has its own Act and systems, so its leave form may not look like yours.

Also heard as: SB, stat board

Context: A statutory board is normally overseen through a parent ministry, but its powers and governance arrangements come from its constituting legislation.

A public body established by legislation to perform specified functions, with its own legal identity and employment practices.

Also heard as: statutory board, SB

Context: SB is highly ambiguous and should be interpreted using the agency context.

Example: The PS is the ministry’s administrative head, not the Minister’s permanently available secretary.

Also heard as: PS, Perm Sec

Context: A ministry may have more than one Permanent Secretary or Second Permanent Secretary, each with a stated portfolio.

Work, outcomes or arrangements that span multiple agencies and are pursued from the perspective of the Government as a whole.

Also heard as: whole of government, whole-of-govt

Example: “Please seek the CE’s approval” means the head of the statutory board, not the most senior person currently online.

Also heard as: CE, Chief Executive Officer, CEO

Context: The exact title varies by statutory board; some use Chief Executive, Chief Executive Officer or Managing Director.

The most senior civil servant heading a ministry, accountable for its administration, policy support and organisational performance. Reports to the Minister.

Also heard as: Perm Sec, PermSec, Permanent Sec, PSes, Perm Secs, Permanent Secretaries

Context: A ministry may have more than one Permanent Secretary or a Second Permanent Secretary, each with a stated portfolio. PS is also highly ambiguous outside this context.

Example: The political office-holder sets political direction; officers still have to turn it into owners, dates and a paper.

Also heard as: POH, political office holder

Context: The office-holder’s authority depends on the appointment and portfolio.

A Permanent Secretary appointment supporting or sharing leadership of a ministry, usually with a stated portfolio.

Also heard as: Second PS, 2nd PS

A senior executive supporting the Chief Executive, commonly used in statutory boards and agencies.

Also heard as: Asst CE, Assistant CE, Assistant Chief Exec

A management appointment commonly responsible for a team or portfolio, often reporting to a Deputy Director or Director.

Also heard as: Asst Dir

Context: AD is highly ambiguous, including Active Directory in technology contexts.

The senior executive heading a statutory board or public agency that uses the Chief Executive title.

Also heard as: Chief Exec

Context: Some organisations use CEO instead; CE is also highly ambiguous outside the appointment context.

Also heard as: central agencies

Context: The set of agencies treated as central agencies depends on the function and context.

Also heard as: Singapore Civil Service

Example: A clean wage is meant to make the package legible, not leave the benefits to office folklore.

Also heard as: clean-wage policy, clean wage policy

Context: Used especially in discussions of political office-holder and public-sector remuneration. It does not mean that every organisation or role receives the same package.

A Cabinet appointment coordinating policy and action across ministries for a stated portfolio.

Also heard as: Coordinating Min

Context: The portfolio forms part of the full title, such as Coordinating Minister for National Security or Public Services.

A Digital and Intelligence Service command consolidating defence cybersecurity capabilities and strengthening the resilience of critical digital infrastructure.

Also heard as: D-C-COM

A senior executive supporting the Chief Executive and typically leading one or more major portfolios.

Also heard as: Deputy CE, Deputy Chief Exec

A management appointment commonly leading a branch, team or substantial portfolio under a Director.

Also heard as: Dep Dir

Context: DD has many other meanings and appointment structures vary by agency.

Also heard as: decision-rights

Context: Being consulted, informed or responsible for staff work does not necessarily confer the right to decide.

A senior management appointment usually responsible for a division, directorate or major function.

Also heard as: D, Director-level

Context: D is highly ambiguous and grade structures differ across agencies.

A senior leadership appointment heading a division or major organisational function.

Also heard as: Division Director

Context: Divisional Director, Group Director and Senior Director are broadly comparable leadership titles, but the exact hierarchy varies by agency.

A Cabinet appointment assisting the Prime Minister and carrying assigned portfolios.

Also heard as: Deputy PM

A senior ministry leader below the Permanent Secretary level, usually responsible for a major policy or organisational portfolio.

Also heard as: Dep Sec, Dep Secs, DSes, Deputy Secretaries, DS(P), DS(D), DS(S)

Context: The letters in parentheses identify a portfolio and vary by ministry. DSes is an established plural form in official usage.

The government-wide professional leadership appointment responsible for digital technology advice, engineering capability and shared digital infrastructure.

Context: The abbreviation and this expansion were officially established in 2018. MDDI's current senior-management page styles the role as Government Chief Digital Transformation Officer, while SGDI still lists a Government Chief Digital Technology Officer's Office. Treat current title usage as transitional until clarified.

A senior leadership appointment heading a group of related functions or divisions.

Also heard as: Group Dir

Context: Group Director, Divisional Director and Senior Director are broadly comparable leadership titles, but the exact hierarchy varies by agency.

The most senior public-service leadership appointment, responsible for leading the Civil Service and stewarding the wider Public Service.

Also heard as: Head, Civil Service, Head Civil Service

Also heard as: lead ministry, lead department

Also heard as: ministerial statement in Parliament

Context: No prior notice is required; it is distinct from a speech or media statement delivered outside Parliament.

Also heard as: ministry-family

A political office-holder appointment supporting a Minister in specified ministry portfolios.

Also heard as: Min of State

Also heard as: Parliament Notice Paper

Context: It is forward-looking and should not be confused with the Order Paper for the day's sitting.

The baseline competencies expected of all Singapore public officers, introduced to provide a common language for development and performance conversations.

Also heard as: OCCs, Our Core Competency

Context: Six core competencies apply to all public officers. Two additional competencies apply to officers with supervisory or leadership responsibilities. OCC replaced the AIM model.

Example: AGO is an organ of state, not a statutory board with an unusually serious name.

Also heard as: organs of state

Context: The label does not by itself describe an institution’s legal powers or employment arrangements; those depend on the Constitution and relevant legislation.

Example: The statutory board has its own Act and board, but its parent ministry still cares very much about the paper.

Also heard as: parent-ministry

Context: A statutory board remains a separate legal entity with its own governing board, powers and operating arrangements; it is not simply a department of its parent ministry.

A political office-holder who supports a ministry's parliamentary and policy work.

Also heard as: Parliamentary Sec

A ministers-only discussion held before the formal Cabinet meeting, allowing issues to be discussed informally before the recorded Cabinet proceedings.

Also heard as: PreCab, Pre Cab, pre-Cabinet

Context: An official MFA interview described Pre-Cab as confined to ministers, without civil servants, records or minutes, followed by the formal Cabinet meeting. It is distinct from a staff pre-brief.

Also heard as: the principal, principals

Context: The exact meaning depends on context and can also refer to a school principal or a party in a legal or commercial relationship.

Also heard as: Singapore Public Service, SPS

Also heard as: ISE, Integrity Service Excellence

A Digital and Intelligence Service command integrating SAF C4 operations, digital engineering, artificial intelligence and technology adoption.

Also heard as: SAF C4 & Digitalisation Command

A senior leadership appointment responsible for a major organisational function, portfolio or group.

Also heard as: Snr Dir

Context: Senior Director, Group Director and Divisional Director are broadly comparable leadership titles, but the exact hierarchy varies by agency.

Also heard as: meeting secretariat, committee secretariat, sec

A senior Cabinet appointment whose holder undertakes responsibilities assigned by the Prime Minister.

Also heard as: Senior Min

Context: SM may also mean senior management in workplace contexts.

A political office-holder appointment supporting one or more Ministers in specified ministries.

Also heard as: Senior MOS, Senior Min of State

Context: SMS also has common non-government meanings such as Short Message Service.

An officer performing staff functions for a higher authority, including studying the situation, recommending plans and translating decisions into action.

Also heard as: staff officer

Context: The cited definition comes from SAF staff-work doctrine. Civilian agencies may use the term more loosely or use different appointment titles.

A political office-holder appointment supporting a ministry and its parliamentary and policy work.

Also heard as: Senior Parl Sec

Context: SPS is highly ambiguous and also refers to agencies and schemes in other contexts.

Also heard as: Parliamentary Standing Orders

Context: A Standing Order may be suspended by resolution temporarily or for a particular purpose.

Also heard as: Votes & Proceedings

Context: This records what Parliament did; Hansard records the speeches and debates substantially verbatim.

Also heard as: government White Paper

Context: A White Paper generally presents a more developed government position than a Green Paper.