Identifying and developing leadership talent

The Australian Public Service is evolving its approach to identifying internal and external leadership talent and developing a stronger and more diverse talent pipeline for the future.

Strong public sector leadership that has integrity, can navigate complexity and draw on diversity of opinion is critical to deliver the Australian Government’s reform agenda. It is also critical to strengthen the APS as an institution.

This is particularly important as the APS responds to the findings of the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme. The APS will need to learn from the findings and systematically focus on identifying leaders capable of delivering for Government, with the right behaviours and approaches for the future, while developing leadership capability at all levels.

The APS has the foundations of a leader-led and system-wide approach to identifying and developing leadership talent in place. The Australian Public Service Commission continues to support the Secretaries Talent Council and Deputy Secretaries Talent Council to develop people with the skills, experience and behaviours needed to lead at the most senior levels.

This work has matured in recent years. Half of the Secretaries Board are alumni of the Secretaries Talent Council assessment for Senior Executive Service Band 3s. Almost 20% of the core SES Band 3 cohort are alumni of the Deputy Secretaries Talent Council work for Band 1s and 2s. Many of these leaders are now coaching and mentoring the next group of internal talent as part of the APS leader-led approach to talent development.

Work has also begun to expand the talent pool of those who could compete for senior roles by providing opportunities for more lateral recruitment from outside of the APS. Following the retirement of the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in June 2023, the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and Australian Public Service Commissioner advertised the role. They called for expressions of interest from talented senior executives to participate in a merit-based recruitment process. This is the first time a Secretary role has been publicly advertised.

The APS Academy delivers a number of programs to build leadership capability at all levels, including SES immersive learning programs for SES Band 1, 2 and 3 levels.

In 2022, the Academy introduced the Senior Executive Stewardship Program for Band 3 deputy secretaries and agency heads. The program provides an opportunity for very senior leaders to focus on their contribution to stewarding the APS, including the importance of the longer-term view.

In 2023, the Academy designed the Leadership Edge program to support Executive Level 2s develop their leadership and management capability. This program uses an innovative social learning approach to support development for large numbers of leaders regardless of their location.

See also

Capability – APS Academy, State of the Service Report 2022–23.