As part of its Presidential Transitions series, the IBM Center
for The Business of Government recently hosted a conversation
with Sir Nigel Hamilton, the head of the Northern
Ireland Civil Service (NICS), focusing on the role of career
government officials during transition. The session—which
was moderated by Jonathan Breul, executive director of the
IBM Center for The Business of Government, and included
invited members from the U.S federal government’s Senior
Executive Service—contributed an international perspective
on the important role played by a stable career civil service
during administration and political transitions.

Sir Nigel met with senior U.S. government public managers
and the IBM Center for The Business of Government to discuss
the role of career public servants in a time of change.
Although the context is different, Sir Nigel’s experience offers
valuable insights to government careerists in the United
States. They, too, must manage large organizations in times
of uncertainty, support political appointees from different
parties, and are about to take on significant challenges as
the current White House prepares to hand over power to the next administration.