Public policies have a salary of R$ 21 thousand and an open position – 07/24/2023 – Market

A career that is still young in the structure of governments, but which pays an initial salary of almost R$ 21,000 at the federal level, had 150 new vacancies announced last Tuesday (18). With extensive knowledge of the role of the State, the specialist in public policies and government management (EPPGG) develops essential projects for socioeconomic development, such as Bolsa Família and CadÚnico.

Among the professional’s responsibilities is the evaluation of government proposals, with the aim of verifying whether they are viable. For this, they produce technical notes and reports that help in making decisions based on evidence.

Another function is government management, in which the server works to obtain the necessary inputs to implement public policies, such as human and technological resources.

The profession is characterized by transversality, when the same specialist can work in bodies with different purposes.

“During professional life, the possibility of being in any administrative entity makes this network of people improve their vision and manage to build better solutions and policies”, says Roberto Pojo, EPPGG and Secretary of Management and Innovation, linked to the MGI (Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services).

According to data from the Integrated Personnel Administration System, the EPPGG worked, on average, in five different federal entities between 2001 and 2021.

Professionals work in negotiations between ministries, when it is necessary to develop a policy that involves more than one portfolio. Therefore, expertise in articulation and conflict resolution also plays an important role. Part of the EPPGG reach higher-ranking positions, such as ministries and national secretariats, according to Pojo.

Career entry is divided into two phases. The first is a test, which covers subjects such as political science, economics and government management.

For those approved, the second phase consists of a three-month training course at Enap (National School of Public Administration), where they learn about aspects related to professional performance, including economics in the public sector and notions of constitutional law. After the course, students take ownership as experts.

The starting salary is BRL 20,924.79. For higher positions, remuneration can reach R$ 29,832.94.

According to Roberto Pojo, specialists hold positions mainly at Ipea (Institute for Applied Economic Research), conducting research on public policies, at MGI, where they help government management, and at the Ministry of Social Development, developing assistance projects.

Employees can be relocated to entities outside the Federal District, according to the secretary, and are spread across the country. In addition, they travel to different states to evaluate the implementation of public policies.

The interdisciplinary training that students receive at Enap allows for a smoother transition between bodies, according to Iara Alves, director of executive education at the institution.

To advance in rank, it is necessary to carry out improvement studies every three years. “The program has courses related to public policies and management and each year it is redesigned to have updated themes and according to the government’s needs and priorities”, says Iara Alves.

She claims that the next group of EPPGGs will have more classes on inequalities linked to minorities, such as race and gender. This new approach results from the advancement of research on the subject, which shows that public policies affect social groups in different ways.

Elizabeth Hernandes has been an EPPGG for 23 years and president of the National Association of Specialists in Public Policy and Government Management. Her initial training is in physical education.

She says she identified with the career because it is, like her, eclectic. With a master’s and doctorate in health, his first job as an EPPGG was in the ministry of the same area. Since then, she has worked for other bodies such as the Ministry of Education and the Presidency of the Republic, and has had experience in various social projects, including Bolsa Família. Today, she works in the management of the National Press.

“Belonging to a state career can make a difference in people’s lives, and makes me collaborate for the betterment of the country. I am fulfilled with this choice that, in the beginning, life made for me, but today I would choose again.”

Like Elizabeth, the EPPGG usually have different graduations, since the contest does not require specific training. But it is common for those approved to have professional experience or postgraduate degrees.

Professor of administration at the Federal University of Bahia, Antônio Sérgio Fernandes says that specialists tend to have an academic profile, which can facilitate routine activities, such as the production of technical notes and programs, based on research.

Despite Enap’s specific training, public and private universities in the country offer courses in the area that can help those interested in this career. The professional master’s degree is one of the main modalities for this, according to Fernandes, due to the greater emphasis on the server’s practical work.

Created in 1989, EPPGG is still not widely known. Fernando de Souza Coelho, professor of administration at USP, says that this is linked to the fact that the concepts of public policies and government management are abstract for part of society.

On the other hand, the function has been expanding across the country, adopted by state and municipal governments, which can increase knowledge about its role. According to the professor, professionals similar to the EPPGG are present in about two thirds of the Brazilian states and have spread to municipalities, especially in the capitals.