Heather Baggott is one of two Deputy Public Service Commissioners at Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission who works closely with the Public Service Commissioner to provide leadership and oversight of the New Zealand Public Service. She was appointed to this role in October 2021 by the Governor General, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, under the Public Service Act 2020. Subject to the direction of the Commissioner, the Deputy Public Service Commissioner has all the functions, duties and powers of the Commissioner. In her 5 years at the Commission, Heather has had a particular focus on system-wide efforts to improve diversity, inclusion, leadership development, and the Maori-Crown aspects of public service reform.

Heather is an experienced public servant who has been making a difference in the areas of social justice and dispute resolution, as well as working at the Crown/Maori interface and on matters of importance to our country’s heritage and identity. She has held several senior leadership roles in service delivery and service transformation, justice, courts and tribunals administrations, treaty negotiations, and as Acting Secretary for Culture and Heritage.

Heather affiliates to Maniapoto and Te Ātiawa. She is a Global Women Breakthrough Leaders alumnus and holds a Bachelor of Management Studies (First Class Honours) from Waikato University. She has held several governance roles in the public and voluntary sectors, including as the Chair of the State Sector Retirement Savings Scheme Board, a Board member (and New Zealand representative) for the Australia New Zealand National Coronial Information System, New Zealand Harkness Fellowship Trust Board, and Wellington Sexual Abuse HELP Foundation.