What title is given to the most senior civil servant in a government department?

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The most senior civil servant in a government department is the Permanent Secretary. This person leads the department on a day-to-day basis, manages the civil service staff and budget, and ensures that the minister’s policy goals are put into action. They act as the principal non-political adviser on administrative matters to the minister and keep the department running smoothly, while the minister handles political leadership and policy direction.

The other titles don’t fit because they refer to different roles: Chief Clerk is an older, less senior title and not used for the top civil service today; Under-Secretary is typically a junior minister or a lower-level civil service role, not the department’s head; Director General can be a high-ranking civil servant in some parts of the organization, but not the overall head of the department.