Senior Executive Service

Senior Executive Service performance management is now being standardised across the whole public service, with equal weighting accorded to outcomes and behaviours. This recognises that how things are done is as important as what is achieved. This approach aligns with the Australian Public Service Values and the Secretaries Charter of Leadership Behaviours.

In October 2022, the Australian Government asked that behaviours be included in all SES performance assessments. The SES Performance Leadership Framework, released in August 2023, requires all APS agencies to incorporate transparency and accountability into their performance management processes.

In the context of its APS Reform agenda, the Government has also directed that employee perceptions of SES behaviours be published in the State of the Service Report.

APS Employee Census data indicates that, in general, SES leaders are perceived to be performing more strongly in some areas than in others (Figure 5.1).

Figure 5.1: Employee perceptions of SES leaders (2021 to 2023)

A column graph comparing employee perceptions of their SES leaders in 2021, 2022 and 2023 The most positive perceptions are of SES managers contributing to the strategic direction for the agency and the APS, and SES communicating effectively. These are consistently above 69%. Lowest ratings are in relation to perceptions of the SES as a group within agencies working as a team, and effectively communicating with each other and with other employees, consistently between 51% and 54%.

Source: APS Employee Census

In 2023, perceptions of the SES were most positive in relation to immediate SES managers contributing to the strategic direction for the agency and the APS, and communicating effectively. These ratings have been consistently high for the last 3 years, at 69% or more.

The data on employee perceptions of SES behaviours also helps to identify areas for attention. Over the last 3 years, lowest ratings have been in relation to perceptions of the SES as a group within agencies working as a team, and effectively communicating with each other and with other employees (between 51% and 54%).

The APS Academy’s Breakthrough Conversations program supports Executive Level 2 to SES Band 3 officers to conduct conversations across a range of contexts. The program includes an opportunity to practise challenging conversations in complex situations relevant to the situations faced by leaders.

Comparisons using the SES manager leadership index show variations in the way SES behaviours are perceived across agencies. These agency-level variations are shown in the Agency benchmarking section of this report.

See also

Agency benchmarking – Perceptions of SES leadership, State of the Service Report 2022–23.

Australian Government (n.d.) Senior Executive Service performance, APSC website, https://www.apsc.gov.au/working-aps/aps-employees-and-managers/senior-executive-service-ses/ses-performance, accessed 5 October 2023.

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