Whitehall: New broad brush approach for high fliers

The Cabinet secretary has set out a series of reforms which will mean that civil servants will be unable to rise to the senior ranks unless they have a range of professional and business skills.

Sir Andrew Turnbull hopes the new structure will make it mandatory for all those in the top 4,000 Whitehall jobs to have experience in finance, management, communications, human resources and frontline delivery.

Officials will have to gain a series of accreditations, including professional qualifications and go on placements in the private and public sector, do a spell as a press officer and go on accountancy and management training courses.

Sir Andrew said the move would mean that as people rise to more senior positions they will be better equipped with key business skills.

"This builds on work already underway across government," he added.

The move comes alongside sweeping Treasury-led reform of the civil service.

Over recent years ministers have moved to ensure senior mandarins have greater experience of the private sector.

Turnbull's announcement is being seen as fresh evidence that civil servants must be good all-rounders if they are to reach the top level of their profession.

As a permanent secretary civil servants are in charge of the whole departmental machine.

In future they will be forced to show an understanding of all the processes involved rather than being an expert in their given field.