The department is responsible for the procurement for other government departments and serves as the central purchasing agent, real property manager, treasurer, accountant, pay and pension administrator, integrity adviser and linguistic authority; it was recognized in 2018 as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers.

[1] It is also the custodian of a large real estate portfolio and as well infrastructure such as bridges, dams and highways.

The department is responsible to Parliament through the minister of public services and procurement and receiver general for Canada – presently Jean-Yves Duclos.

Day-to-day operations and leadership of the department is overseen by the deputy minister, a senior civil servant.

After coming online in early 2016, Phoenix has been mired in problems with underpayments, over-payments, and non-payments.