ERA Senior Civil Servant Exam case studies
ERA Senior Civil Servant Exam · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The ERA Senior Civil Servant Examination is a competency-based selection assessment for experienced public administrators moving into, or already holding, senior civil service positions. It is designed for candidates who already understand how government machinery works and are now being tested on judgement at the level where policy, law, money, people and politics intersect. The ERA Senior Civil Servant Exam case studies are 5 cases and about 2,843 words.
1Nitrogen Runoff Target: Choosing Between a Levy, Voluntary Payments and Permitting
You are director of policy in a national environment ministry. The minister has publicly committed to cutting agricultural nitrogen runoff by 30% by 2030.
504 words, about 3 min2Mid-Year Health Budget Overspend: Closing a €42 Million Gap Without a Supplementary Budget
You are finance director of a national health purchasing agency with an annual budget of €600 million. At the end of month seven, the forecast outturn shows a €42 million overspend.
616 words, about 3 min3Turnaround of a Digital Services Agency While Delivering a Ministerial Portal
You have just been appointed director of a 240-person digital services agency. The latest staff survey shows engagement at 38%, turnover at 24%, and 40% of cybersecurity posts vacant.
593 words, about 3 min4Fraud Risk Model Flagging Social Security Claims: Suspend, Shadow-Run or Continue?
You are chief data officer in a social security agency that pays 2.1 million claims a year. A machine-learning fraud risk model, bought from a vendor, flags 6.2% of claims for review.
557 words, about 3 min5Ministerial Conflict of Interest in a €14 Million IT Contract Award
You are permanent secretary in a ministry that has just awarded a €14 million, five-year IT support contract. The procurement followed the published rules, but the winning firm's non-executive director is the minister's cousin.
573 words, about 3 min