The article considers the lack of effective mechanisms at federal and regional levels that should focus public service to search for internal reserves, ensuring the accumulation of skills potential and encouraging quality work of officials.  The sociological poll of civil servants conducted in November 2011 showed that only 20% of them, on average, find the conditions for career development clearly definite and predictable.  54% of public servants feel the problem of “brains drain” acute or even extremely acute, which is associated with professionals leaving the public service for other fields. Another 30% recognize this problem more or less significant, and 47% of civil servants from time to time, or often, think about changing their professional career in the public service or moving to the private sector. The authors of the article, basing on the results of the sociological survey, analyze the mechanisms of bringing into line the number and qualified personnel of civil servants with functional executive authorities.

Conclusions and proposals: the public service should implement a matrix professional-functional model of organization in which public servants may simultaneously be attributed to a specific functionary (for example, preserving the highest, senior, the major, leading, minor) and professional-functional (for example, “personnel”, “customs”, etc.) group. The introduction of professional-functional groups will require above all the simplification and modification of the registry of key posts in the public service, with the specifics of certain public bodies being identified. The structuring of the sections of the registry of key posts must not be done according to “public authorities”, but according to professional- functional groups.