PERSONNEL CONSULTING
Public Sector
Public sector organizations often face similar challenges to many companies in the private sector:
Public sector organizations often face similar challenges to many companies in the private sector:
Customers expect ever better service and employees are under constant pressure to increase efficiency. Digitalization requires unprecedented resources and completely new skills from teams and managers.
The Public Sector Industries include:
- Education
- Government
- Non-profit & Associations
It is therefore essential for public institutions and government agencies to recruit suitable managers. Retain them to keep complex and bureaucratically organized institutions functioning in a time of political volatility and increasing public scrutiny.
HAGER has been a successful service provider in filling management and expert positions (including team building) in the public sector for 25 years. We know what is important when recruiting talent. Our criteria are strict. Managers must be able to move confidently and resiliently between the various areas of tension and demonstrably master the art of developing realizable visions.
Challenges in the public sector
Public organisations are under increasing pressure in the competition for qualified specialists and managers. While companies in the private sector score points with strong brands, generous budgets and flexible working models, many organisations in the public sector find it difficult to become visible as attractive employers. The development of an authentic employer branding is therefore becoming a central task. Not as a marketing measure, but as a strategic instrument for securing professional expertise and leadership quality in the long term.
At HAGER, we experience every day how crucial a clear positioning as an employer is for successfully filling key positions. It is about communicating values and value propositions credibly, addressing target groups in a targeted manner and designing processes that are not only efficient but also appreciative. This is exactly where our consultancy comes in: We combine our market expertise with a deep understanding of the specific framework conditions in the public sector. Together with our partners, we develop sustainable strategies to strengthen their employer brand.
Personnel consulting in the public sector
Especially in times of rapid social and technological change, public service organisations are under increased pressure to adapt. Political conditions are constantly changing.
New legislation requires rapid responses, while at the same time the demand for transparency and proximity to citizens is constantly increasing. Digitalisation, sustainability and a shortage of skilled workers are no longer issues of the future, but rather determine everyday working life. Strategically and operationally.
Against this backdrop, modern leadership in the public sector is becoming a key factor for stability and progress. We are looking for personalities with vision, a high level of resilience and a deep understanding of the complex dynamics of public structures. People who actively shape change without losing sight of existing values and framework conditions.
HAGER supports this process with in-depth industry expertise and a clear focus on quality. We know the challenges, are familiar with the special features of governance structures and have a robust network in all relevant submarkets. Whether local government, ministry or educational institution. We place people in positions who are not only qualified, but really suitable.
Managing directors for public companies: executive search between market and administration
Public companies need managing directors who can run a business commercially while confidently handling the rules that come with public ownership. This combination is rare, and demand for it is growing because federal, state and local governments increasingly organise new tasks in lean companies. A current example is the planned federal housing company, in which the federal government is to hold 51 per cent and for which Federal Building Minister Verena Hubertz has named 2027 as the target start date (as of October 2026).
If you are filling such a position as a shareholder, supervisory body or ministry, you are usually looking for someone who is as familiar with public procurement and budget law as with steering a company in the market. We fill managing director, commercial director and supervisory board positions at public companies through executive search, discreetly and by direct approach. We bring candidates from public companies into the process just as we do executives from the private sector who are seriously considering a move into the public sector. On request, we assess how well someone fits the owners, governing bodies and culture of an organisation in a management assessment.
HAGER Executive Consulting GmbH works in 16 specialised practices. For positions at the interface, for example in the housing sector or at infrastructure companies, we combine the Public Sector practice group with Construction & Real Estate.
Frequently asked questions about managing directors for public companies
How do you find a managing director for a public company?
The most reliable way to find a managing director for a public company is a targeted direct approach, because suitable people rarely look actively. It starts with a profile that the shareholder, the supervisory body and, where relevant, the responsible ministry support together. We then approach candidates from public companies and from the private sector in confidence and present a shortlist whose fit we have tested in interviews and, on request, in a management assessment.
Does the managing director position of a public company have to be advertised?
Whether a managing director position has to be advertised publicly depends on the legal form, the articles of association and the requirements of the respective owner. In many procedures, a public advertisement can be combined with direct approach so that people who would never respond to an advert also enter the process. Clarify the requirements before the search begins and we will align the process accordingly.
Do executives from the private sector move to public companies?
Executives from the private sector move to public companies when the role, the scope for shaping it and the remuneration framework fit together. It is essential to talk openly and early about pay limits, governance structures and decision-making channels so that nobody starts with the wrong expectations.
What experience does the managing director of a housing company need?
The managing director of a housing company needs experience in residential property, construction and procurement, as well as routine in working with supervisory bodies. In public companies, budget law comes on top, and for large construction projects so does the management of external partners. At the outset, we define with you which experience is indispensable and what can be complemented within the team.
Last updated: October 2026
Talk to our team of experts!
OLIVER M. BADURA
COO, Founder
Jorma Schüch
Principal
Are you filling the management or a governing body of a public company? Talk to Jorma Schüch.