Biography - Fiona Spencer, Commissioner

Fiona Spencer was appointed Commissioner of the Public Service Commission in September 2019.

Previous to this, she was Merit Commissioner for the province of British Columbia since 2010. Her leadership and dedication to ensuring a merit-based non-partisan provincial public service was widely appreciated, and her integrity, excellence and continued commitment to accountability were extensively acknowledged.

Fiona has also had a successful 30-year career in the federal public service in Ottawa. She served as Director General, Management Priorities and Senior Personnel Secretariat, Privy Council Office, providing professional, non-partisan advice to the Prime Minister and the Head of the Public Service on HR issues of national significance, as well as on matters related to the appointment and compensation of the federal government’s most senior officials. She has also held several positions of significant responsibility, namely Vice-President, Human Resources, Canadian Food Inspection Agency; Director General, Human Resources, Department of Justice; Director, Compensation and Safety Programs, National Research Council; Director, Civilian Human Resource Planning, Department of National Defence.

Fiona is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario’s Richard Ivey School of Business. She has received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for exemplary service and, more recently, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal. She also received the Head of the Public Service Award for Valuing and Supporting People.

She has also worked as a Management Consultant providing professional strategic advice and guidance to public and private sector senior managers and senior Human Resources professionals to help them resolve complex HR issues.