Secretaries Talent Council/Deputy Secretaries Talent Council

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On behalf of the APS, the APSC supports the Secretaries Talent Council (STC) and Deputy Secretaries Talent Council (DSTC) to manage Senior Executive Service (SES) talent processes and build a stronger and more diverse leadership pipeline for the future. The Commission provides support to the Councils through strategic advice, secretariat support and the management of assessment and development processes working in partnership with external experts.

Secretaries Talent Council

The Secretaries Talent Council is a sub-committee of the Secretaries Board that supports the creation of a pipeline of leaders with the potential to fill the most senior APS roles. The Council:

  • Oversees a rigorous, objective and consistent approach for identifying senior executives (Band 3s) with potential for the most senior roles.
  • Supports the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and APS Commissioner in managing the pipeline for roles at the most senior levels of the APS.
  • Engages Secretaries in the Council’s work to ensure whole-of-system input and support for talent management.

Membership

Membership of the Council comprises of:

  • Chair - Chris Moraitis, Director-General, Office of the Special Investigator
  • Deputy Chair - Gordon de Brouwer, Australian Public Service Commissioner
  • Members
    • Glyn Davis, Secretary, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
    • David Fredericks, Secretary, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
    • Jan Adams, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
    • Katherine Jones, Secretary, Attorney General’s Department
    • Jim Betts, Secretary, Department of Infrastructure, Transport Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
    • Alison Frame, Secretary, Department of Veteran’s Affairs

Meetings

The Council meets as a group, four to five times per year to discuss the APS leadership pipeline, results of assessments and to support development and mobility for senior staff.

Secretaries Talent Council Terms of Reference

Secretaries Talent Council assessment and development planning program

The Talent Council oversees the Secretaries Talent Council Capability Assessment Development Planning Program. Secretaries Board have agreed that all SES Band 3s will participate in the assessment 12-18 months after their appointment to provide feedback and guide development pathways. The program is also available for Band 3 equivalent agency heads.

Nominations open in the first half of the year, with the program running over 6 months. An overview of the assessment can be found here.

Deputy Secretaries Talent Council

The Deputy Secretaries Talent Council operates as a sub-committee of the Secretaries Talent Council. It supports the creation of a pipeline of SES Band 1 and 2 leaders with the potential to fill Band 3 roles across the policy, program and service delivery, and regulatory functions.

The Council:

  • Oversees rigorous and objective talent identification of Band 1s and 2s nominated by Secretaries and Agency Heads.
  • Supports Band 1 and 2 talent development and engagement including through the Deputy Secretaries Talent Pool.
  • Oversees talent referral and deployment including:
  • Identifying mobility opportunities for talented Band 1s and Band 2s.
  • Referring Band 2s with potential for the most senior roles onto the Secretaries Talent Council for their visibility.

Membership

Membership of the Council comprises of:

  • Chair –Clare Walsh, Deputy Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
  • Deputy Chair - Rachel Bacon, Deputy Commissioner, Australian Public Service Commission
  • Members
    • Chris Blake (Diversity Champion), Group Chief Executive Officer, St Vincent’s Health Australia
    • Nina Davidson, Deputy Director-General, Office of National Intelligence
    • Liz Hefren-Webb, Deputy Secretary, The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
    • Letitia Hope, Deputy Secretary, Department of Social Services
    • Michael Lye, Deputy Secretary, Department of Health and Aged Care
    • Simon Newnham, Deputy Secretary, Attorney-General’s Department
    • Ben Rimmer, Deputy Secretary, Department of Education
    • Pip Spence, CEO, Civil Aviation Safety Authority
    • Mary Wiley-Smith, External Member
    • Matt Yannopoulos, Associate Secretary, Department of Defence

From time to time, the Council nominates at least one member to fulfil the role of Diversity Champion. The Diversity Champion promotes the value and benefits of diversity and inclusion in Council meetings and places a diversity lens over Council decisions to ensure the Council is developing a diverse leadership pipeline.

Meetings

The Council meets as a group, four to five times per year to review assessment outcomes and manage the Talent Pool. Throughout the year, Council members meet regularly with the Talent Pool members and those participating in the assessment to check-in on their progress and provide coaching, support and challenge.

Deputy Secretaries Talent Council Terms of Reference.

Communiques

The DSTC is committed to modelling transparency with regard to communicating its approach and priorities. Communiques were established from the January 2023 meeting.

Deputy Secretaries Talent Council assessment and development planning program

The DSTC oversees an annual cycle of assessment and development planning for high potential SES Band 1s and 2s with the ability and aspiration for broader and more complex  roles in the APS. Participants are identified by Secretaries and Agency Heads.

Nominations for the 2024/25 program (round 9) are now closed. The program will commence in November 2024 and run through to mid-2025.

Nominations for the 2025/26 program will be open in late 2026.

An overview of the assessment can be found here. 

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