ATO Commissioner Chris Jordan to retire from role next year, search for a new agency boss begins

Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Friday said Mr Jordan, who was first appointed to the role in 2013, had informed the government he would not seek reappointment after the expiry of his term on February 29.

"I look forward to his continued leadership over the next six months and will have the opportunity to thank him more fully for his significant contribution over the past decade at a later date," Mr Chalmers said in a statement.

"I have asked Treasury to commence a merit-based process to identify a suitable candidate for his replacement."

The commissioner informed staff at the agency of his decision on Monday, telling them he would be "proud to leave the organisation in a strong position".

"As you may know my second term as Commissioner ends on 29 February next year so I've been working towards this end date for some time," he wrote to staff in a weekly email.

"And while I will be proud to leave the organisation in a strong position, we still have much to do."

In a speech on Thursday, in which he unveiled the tax office's corporate plan for the next financial year, Mr Jordan encouraged public servants at the agency to "keep pushing and delivering".

"I want to make it clear I'll be keeping my foot on the pedal over the next seven months," he said.

"Each day, we need to keep our core purpose front of mind and ask ourselves: how do we best contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of Australians by fostering willing participation in the tax, super and registry systems?"

On Friday, the government also announced three part-time appointments to the Reserve Bank of Australia's Payments System Board, for five-year terms.

Dr Michelle Deaker and Professor Ross Buckley were appointed, while Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairperson Gina Cass-Gottlieb was reappointed.