Abstract

This study aimed to determine the main features of the Senior Executive Service System in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which aims to contribute in providing a scientific value to the Arab library, especially in the field of human resources' development. It also presents a general guidance to the decision makers to develop and adopt a system dedicated to public executive leaders. In the sake to achieving the study objectives, it sought to define the concept of executive leaders in the public sector and the role assigned to this cadre in public sector organizations, and then to identify the current practices used to handle Saudi public executive leaders’ affairs. In addition, the study has reviewed some of the most prominent and leading international practices in the management of senior executives’ affairs, which might be appropriate for the Saudi public sector context. To achieve the objective of this study, descriptive and comparative methods were used as it fits the nature of this study, where the secondary data related to the subject of the study has been reviewed in order to identify the concept of executive leaders in the public sector and what the roles of that cadre play. In addition to reviewing a number of leading international practices used to manage public sector executive affairs. As well as, reviewing government documents including reports, regulations, decisions related to senior executive personnel, in order to identify strengths and weaknesses to determine the general perception of the main features of Senior Executive Service in Saudi Arabia. The study concluded a number of important results including: the uniqueness of the leadership role requires establishing a Saudi Senior Executive Service System (SSES) that has number of features such as: comprehensiveness in covering all human resource operations associated with this cadre, starting from selection and appointment, going through training and development, and managing and measuring performance, up to their incentives and benefits. In addition, the system should be independent from the general civil service system. The proposed system should target employees on the job ranks from (11-13 in the current civil service system) or its equivalent who occupy any of the following positions (Deputy Minister, Deputy Minister Assistant, General Manager), which were distinguished by the current Saudi civil service system by classifying them within an independent category named Structural Supervisory Positions (High Administrative Leaders). The study also recommends developing a national executive leaders development strategy, as well as developing performance management and measurement system for executive leaders that is impartial, objective, fair and transparent, and capable to measure tangible and intangible results from the work of the public executive leaders, and last but not least, developing an effective incentives and benefits system that enables public sector organizations to increase its competitiveness in attracting and retaining distinguished executive leaders.