Senior Executive Service (SES)

The role of the Senior Executive Services (SES) is to provide APS-wide strategic leadership of the highest quality that contributes to an effective and cohesive APS (Public Service Act 1999 section 35(2)).

Employment decisions must comply with the Public Service Act 1999 (PS Act), Public Service Regulations 1999 (Regulations) and Australian Public Service Commissioner’s Direction 2016 (the Directions). These specify that all engagements and promotions in the APS are based on merit, and that selection processes must be fair and transparent.

There is an approved limit set by Government on the number of SES roles that an APS agency can have. Agencies need to manage the recruitment and management of SES employees within their agreed SES cohort.

An SES employee may resign at any time by notice in writing to the agency head. Generally, notice periods are specified in the employment instrument.

The Senior Executive Service Performance Leadership Framework forms part of the APS Reform agenda, to ensure the APS embodies integrity in everything it does.