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APS Senior Executive Service Work Level Standards
The following Work Level Standards (WLS) have been developed as a basis for determining classification of Senior Executive Service (SES) roles within the Australian Public Service
(APS). They are intended to provide a broad framework that will apply to all SES roles across the APS. Definitions should be regarded as general in nature and will require some level of
interpretation depending upon specific role circumstances.
The SES provides leadership at both agency and whole of APS levels. All SES must demonstrate behaviours and actions that model and promote the APS Values and Code of Conduct.
Similarly, the SES represents the APS and government externally to stakeholders. All SES roles are characterised by a high level of accountability for outcomes. The Integrated Leadership
System (ILS) identifies the skills and behaviours required at each of the three SES levels.
These WLS are structured to provide a degree of differentiation between the levels of SES roles, i.e. at SES Bands 1, 2 and 3, including in those dimensions where the degree of
differentiation may not be obvious. For this reason, the WLS are intended to be viewed in their entirety for purposes of making a classification determination. To assist this process,
particular distinguishing characteristics have been identified at each SES level, which seek to capture the fundamental differences.
The diversity of roles that comprise the SES structure is significant. SES roles, at Bands 1 and 2 in particular, may include the direction of program or project based delivery functions,
development or implementation of public policy, development and implementation of compliance and enforcement programs, or the provision of expertise which ensures the integrity of
decision making and planning processes of government. Typically, although any single SES role may incorporate many of these elements, the role may have been established on the basis
of a more significant contribution in one of these directions. Material contained in the SES Bands 1 and 2 WLS often logically relates more strongly to one of four streams, and it is useful
to consider where a given role has a stronger fit with one of these four contribution areas. When considering a specific SES role at these levels, it may be useful to identify this natural
alignment in order to ensure that the most value can be gained from the content of the WLS and interpretation of descriptors. Consideration of secondary contributions may then provide
useful verification of the initial interpretations.
The four streams are:
Delivery
Public Policy
Regulatory
Professional / Specialist
The most significant contribution of roles
is outcome delivery and/or effective
resource management. This may include
development of delivery responses for
policy objectives. Roles are accountable
for a measurable impact on the agency or
APS as a whole (e.g. achievement of
objectives through the management of
financial, human and physical resources).
This may be directed to an ongoing
delivery program, integration of multiple
programs for delivery or to a finite
government initiative.
The most significant contribution of roles
relates to the provision of policy advice.
This advice reflects research and analysis
of financial and other implications and
stakeholder views obtained through
consultations, and articulation of policy
in policy statements, regulatory or
financial measures and legislation.
The most significant contribution of roles relates
to information gathering and risk assessment,
and the design and implementation of
compliance and enforcement programs within
a governance framework.
The most significant contribution of roles is
the provision of technical, professional,
specialist, or strategic advice. This advice
has a primary influence on adopted
strategies, plans and targets and outcomes in
terms of effectiveness or efficiency.
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APS Work Level Standard SES Band 1
Leadership
KNOWLEDGE
Policy and professional/specialist roles provide advice and
recommendations within the framework of broad policy
parameters and required standards of professionalism and
objectivity.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Roles at SES Band 1 are usually expected to perform an
important leadership role in the control of a branch or
group and are responsible for the achievement of results in
line with corporate or professional goals.
Roles develop the strategic direction for the branch/group
ensuring elements integrate to support higher level agency
objectives. Roles require the collection and analysis of
information, policies and procedures in order to describe
the status quo and develop or modify systems, operational
plans, broader agency-wide policies and/or specialised
projects.
In smaller agencies or parts of agencies, roles at this level
may assume accountability for a number of recognised
functions, activities or programs; however it is not
uncommon for SES roles at this level to be more singularly
focussed on one program or initiative, providing
comprehensive leadership and direction on that area of
focus.
A key feature is the need to work to higher level senior
leaders within the agency in order to achieve outcomes,
influence processes and build the capability, including the
people of the branch/group.
Diversity/Span
Roles may have leadership or managerial responsibilities
for a range of professional / specialist roles.
Roles usually embrace several related activities that need
to be coordinated with other activities within a related
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function, or other functions not under the control of the
role.
Focus on an environment that can respond to changing
needs and circumstances.
Professional / specialist roles operate across the full range
of a recognised discipline or as a specialist.
Work is characterised by the regular requirement to
improve or revise established techniques, methods,
systems or policies, or the relating of precedent to new
situations to propose solutions that usually have enduring
effects which extend beyond the immediate work
environment. For many roles there will be a requirement to
adapt or develop new systems, methods and processes.
Stakeholder Management
Roles are actively involved in influencing and convincing
others in the pursuit or achievement of specific and set
objectives and representing the agency and government
authoritatively.
Stakeholder engagement on sensitive issues, in order to
share or seek information, and/or to advocate a particular
position, is a regular feature of roles at this level. Focus
tends to be at a detailed level involving high order
technical or content appreciation.
Roles actively build sustainable relationships within the
agency, within the Minister’s office, across the APS and
with external parties. Roles are responsive to stakeholder
needs and engage stakeholders during times of change,
resolving conflict and managing sensitivities within
constrained timeframes. The focus is often on achievement
of desired objectives and ensuring negotiations remain on
track.
Job Context and Environment
The operating environment is both complex and diverse.
Direction is specified in terms of broad agency objectives.
Roles may embrace a range of activities and/or operate in a
complex, specialised environment. Focus can be national
and/or international, representing the agency or
government.
Roles are required to understand a range of external factors
affecting the agency, and regularly monitor and respond to
a changing operating environment ensuring that there is a
high level of integration with the broader context,
including the agency’s direction and role within
government. This extends to understanding contemporary
and emerging cross-jurisdictional and international issues.
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Judgements and Independence
Role objectives and operating policies are broadly defined
with established methods, procedures and processes.
At this level a variety of alternatives must be considered
before judgements and/or decisions can be made. Problem
resolution may need to take account of established
management systems, professional standards, budget
parameters or known equipment capacity.
Complete information may not always be available,
requiring roles to make effective judgements under
pressure, anticipate and manage risk, consider alternative
courses of action, address problems in the work
environment, devise action plans and advocate new
approaches.
Delivery roles are governed by clear objectives and/or
budgets. Compliance with regulatory and reporting
requirements is a key feature. Within this framework, the
role independently manages the day-to-day activities of
staff to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of service
delivery and proposes creative solutions to problems.
APS Work Level Standard SES Band 1
Delivery
Public Policy
Regulatory
Professional / Specialist
Delivery roles build and maintain the capability
of a branch/group to ensure the effective
delivery of government policies, strategies and
programs aligning with the corporate plan and
within budget parameters, for example:
Policy roles provide intellectual leadership
and where necessary marshal expertise in the
area of operation, while also understanding
the impact of the environment, whole-ofgovernment priorities, and community and
stakeholder influences and interactions, for
example:
Regulatory roles build and maintain the
capability of a branch/group to
effectively implement compliance
programs, gather and assess intelligence
and manage risk and threat, for example:
Specialist roles provide intellectual
leadership and where necessary marshal
expertise in the use of complex, though
conventional, methods and techniques of a
particular area, for example:
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Achievement of performance standards and
measures.
Financial and human capital and other
asset management.
Leadership in implementation and delivery
of strategic/major agency activities and
initiatives.
Collaboration and negotiation with
State/Territory governments.
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Lead policy development and review
activities.
Provide expert advice in one or more
areas of government policy.
Analyse policy options and prepare
material for policy statements.
Consult on policy options and assess
stakeholder feedback.
Prepare and/or sign off on briefs/advice to
Ministers within broad policy parameters
within a defined area of government
policy.
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Stakeholder education to support
implementation of regulatory
requirements.
Lead enforcement and compliance
programs.
Contribute to the establishment and
maintenance of governance
frameworks.
Foster and maintain standards of
independence and professionalism in
audit and assurance.
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Exercise influence within the agency
and across the APS.
Provide a key escalation point for
professional/technical matters related to
the specific discipline.
Participate in cross-agency
coordination/collaboration.
Provide advice on legislative
interpretation.
Distinguishing Characteristics
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The focus of interactions, while often across the agency or directed inwardly with staff
reporting to the role, extends to broader corporate leadership, and cross-government and
external representation.
Takes responsibility for performance outcomes for a specific program, initiative, or for
quality of advice provided.
Takes responsibility for the management and development of all staff in a branch/group.
Leads a branch/group in implementing programs, projects and initiatives.
Contributes to one or more elements of agency governance.
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Recommends decisions on performance improvement initiatives and options.
Plans and manages budgeted resources.
Influential source of advice related to a specific area of knowledge or practice, which
will form a key input to agency decision making processes.
Primary planning focus assumes an immediate current year but with an understanding of
future implications.
APS Work Level Standard SES Band 2
resolution of issues breaks new grounds of knowledge; or
there is no available source of advice or guidance.
Leadership
Diversity/Span
KNOWLEDGE
Roles manage a total function or professional discipline at
a whole-of-agency level with accountability for the
integration of a number of functions. Roles are likely to
oversee the implementation of multiple, integrated change
initiatives with outcomes that significantly impact
communities, stakeholders and services.
Roles are characterised as requiring extensive knowledge
and skills, and advanced professional/specialist/public
administration expertise.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Roles would typically include heads of divisions/groups
with extensive corporate resource accountabilities, and/or
policy advisory accountabilities, and/or substantial or
specialised knowledge demands.
Roles at SES Band 2 strategically lead the implementation
of programs and initiatives. It is rare that roles will operate
within a single frame of reference, as they are more likely
to drive a range of activities and initiatives, with a
requirement to strategically balance resources in order to
optimise both the efficiency and effectiveness of activities
and functions under their control. Some roles will have a
more limited range of focus to deal with particular issues
of high complexity or risk, often for a specified time
frame.
Roles are largely focused on strategic activities which
align with government objectives and anticipate future
requirements.
Roles focus on activities that support agency sustainability,
including the development of people, the facilitation of
information accessibility and sharing, monitoring of
resourcing pressures and implementation of strategies to
ensure the best results are achieved. Roles accept full
accountability for projects or funding in their charge.
Role occupants are seen as influential leaders within the
agency, and contribute significantly to the development of
agency strategies to meet government objectives.
Stakeholder Management
Roles effectively lead and oversee stakeholder engagement
and influence outcomes, including through leading and
motivating others to cooperate over priorities, the use of
resources, management decisions, policy frameworks and
technical concepts and processes.
Roles proactively develop productive working
relationships across the broader APS and actively engage,
inform and advise a diverse range of major stakeholders
about various complex issues. As a principal representative
of government and an advocate of key roles, interactions
extend to external stakeholders domestically and
internationally. While content appreciation is important,
the focus is largely on achieving satisfactory outcomes
through effective interactions with stakeholders.
Judgements and Independence
Roles work with a large degree of independence as to
methods, procedures and processes within a framework of
broadly established policies, priorities, and goals.
Roles are often responsible for significant change
initiatives that will have agency and/or cross-agency
impacts. Whilst operating within an existing policy and
practice framework, roles have considerable freedom to
determine how to achieve results.
Roles make statements of behalf of the agency in
accordance with policy parameters. Roles are accountable
for program development and planning, including resource
negotiation, implementation, effectiveness review and
professional and objective standards of assurance.
Effectively responding to and anticipating the needs of key
stakeholders are an important feature. Roles provide
persuasive advice in an environment of time pressure,
divergent views and conflicting priorities.
Roles directly influence the development of policies, and
initiate new developments in either policy and program
delivery, or professional practice, which establish
precedent for the agency.
Job Context and Environment
Delivery roles will either substantially influence the
allocation of resources or allocate resources in the short
term, and make medium to long-term commitments where
there are defined precedents.
Roles operate in an environment where there is a
requirement to identify long-term opportunities, consider
emerging trends and the whole-of-government agenda, and
formulate strategies, plans and priorities which are
underpinned by robust analysis and investigation.
The issues are complex and may be characterised by any
one or combination of the following: problems and issues
arising frequently; new methods are regularly required;
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Roles are required to consider multiple options to resolve
complex problems and develop innovative and realistic
solutions. Roles will efficiently and effectively assess
environmental factors, identifying relationships between
complex issues and developing contingency plans to
mitigate risks to the achievement of government priorities.
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APS Work Level Standard SES Band 2
Delivery
Public Policy
Regulatory
Professional / Specialist
Delivery roles manage the capability and
resources of a function at a whole-of-agency
level, for example:
 General management and broad
executive direction.
 Responsibility and accountability for a
defined part of the agency’s outcomes.
 Financial, physical and human capital
management.
 Major program management.
 Leadership in implementation and
delivery of strategic and/or major agency
initiatives.
Policy roles provide highly critical advice in
the area of operation and represent the agency
on those matters, for example:
 Establish policy development
frameworks.
 Provide authoritative policy advice in one
or more areas of government policy.
 Consult on policy options to achieve
outcomes.
 May provide direct advice to the Minister
on a specific program or policy issue.
Regulatory roles provide highly critical
advice in compliance, risk management and
intelligence gathering and assessment, for
example:
 Lead evaluation of effectiveness of
regulatory policies, operational
frameworks and guidelines.
 Engage stakeholders during analytical
stages of problem solving and risk
assessment.
 Assess emerging issues and trends
which may impact on regulation
management.
 Establish and maintain standards of
independence and professionalism.
Specialist roles provide highly critical
advice in the area of expertise, for example:
 Exercise influence cross-APS, or crossjurisdictional.
 Ultimate escalation point for
professional/technical matters related to
the specific discipline.
 Drive strong external peer network
within function/discipline.
Distinguishing Characteristics
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These roles usually require extensive professional/administrative management
experience.
Integration of diverse activities or multiple functions at agency level.
Contributes to agency leadership and to overall governance processes.
Compared to Band 1, the focus is more often across agency or on the external context.
Contributes to shaping and implementing overall corporate strategy.
Places divisional activities into broader whole-of-APS and environmental context.
Primary planning focus assumes a 4 year horizon and beyond.
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Recommends decisions on significant strategic alternatives to Secretary/Deputy
Secretary.
Authority to plan and manage agency resources, linking capability to business planning.
Typically represents the level accountable for aggregation of functions and activities to
determine priorities, and argue the case.
Impacts on whole-of-agency performance outcomes.
Principal and authoritative source of advice related to a specific area of knowledge or
practice upon which the agency and Ministers depend.
APS Work Level Standard SES Band 3
Leadership
Stakeholder Management
Judgements and Independence
KNOWLEDGE
Roles are principal government representatives, with
authority to negotiate and/or resolve conflict with stakeholder
leadership. Negotiation often occurs in an environment of
conflicting positions, technical, policy and legal complexity
and divergent views amongst government’s most critical
stakeholders. Roles require sensitivity and advanced skills to
understand the positions of all parties, gain participation in
resolving issues and effectively advocate a preferred course
of action.
The absence of precedent and clarity of direction within an
ambiguous context are key features.
Role objectives are broadly established through agency or
government policy, although guidelines or strategies may
lack clarity, allowing for considerable flexibility in
interpretation and adaptation. Existing guidelines or policies
may be inadequate in dealing with complex or unusual
problems and it is likely that the lack of precedent is a
significant feature in the majority of activities pursued,
thereby requiring the management of risk and innovation.
Roles assure the quality of advice provided to Ministers by
establishing and articulating appropriate frameworks for
others.
Roles may exercise substantial independence in the
management of a significant professional office or division,
which operates separate from other divisions in the agency
and which accounts for a substantial proportion of agency
operations.
Policy experts give guidance on, and make judgements about,
proposed new standards and new areas of policy or expertise
put forward by subject and technical experts. This includes
making judgements about the value of alternative sources of
advice.
Specialised professional roles may be required to challenge,
establish or alter standard concepts, theories, objectives or
previously formulated requirements, and may be responsible
for the integrity of overall legislative and regulatory
frameworks.
The major activity is forward planning or strategic decisionmaking. For example, evaluating the environment and
identifying the fundamental issues to be resolved. Influencing
factors are diverse. Problem resolution will focus on complex
matters which have substantial, strategic impact for
government. This requires a synthesis of facts, detailed
analysis, interpretation, the conceptualisation and evaluation
of alternative approaches to the problem. Projects require
versatility and innovation to define/redefine strategy, develop
standards, guidelines, methods, new techniques or criteria.
Roles at SES Band 3 are characterised as requiring
knowledge that is developed as a result of extensive and
advanced professional or executive management experience.
Workforce accountabilities would typically be extensive.
Role occupants would be seen as policy/program innovators.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Roles require considerable proficiency in management in a
multi-disciplinary and diverse context and provide strategic
leadership in building agency capability. In some cases, roles
may involve overall responsibility, under the agency
head/Secretary, for most or all aspects of agency
management.
Roles at this level would be accountable for a number of
integrated functions or operations and the comprehensive
integration and coordination of major line and/or staff
functions in a large complex, agency-wide or APS-wide
activity. Some roles will have a limited range of focus to deal
with particular issues of very high complexity, innovation,
political sensitivity or risk, often for a specified timeframe.
Diversity/Span
Roles manage a function or professional discipline with a
whole-of-government focus with accountability for the
integration of a number of functions where operations may be
diverse in terms of geographic location, program/service and
clients.
Some roles may have high level cross-agency, cross-sector,
national or international coordination responsibilities.
The focus is largely on strategic longer term outcomes or
particularly sensitive/contentious matters with whole-ofgovernment impacts.
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Direct liaison and advice to Ministers is expected, often
spanning multiple agency outcomes.
Job Context and Environment
Roles at this level operate within an environment where there
is a strong requirement to identify and define corporate issues
or emerging issues of major community, professional or
government concern. Roles at this level are highly adaptable
in order to define core agency service delivery strategy or
policy positioning, develop new programs or policy
initiatives and to manage strategic change with governmentwide, community-wide, whole-of-sector, national or
international impact.
Roles are often required to develop strategies and policies to
supplement and reinforce existing policy direction and
frameworks and would regularly advise and brief at
Ministerial level. Conceptual challenges arise from the need
to provide clarity and direction, and identify critical long
term risks and strategies for mitigation in the context of
significant ambiguity.
Roles are subject to broad policy, operational and commercial
constraints, budgets and practices. Roles have substantial
freedom to draw upon resources to achieve planned results.
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APS Work Level Standard SES Band 3
Distinguishing Characteristics
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These roles usually require highly advanced professional/executive management
experience.
Substantial contribution to agency governance and culture.
Integration of diverse activities or multiple functions in largest agencies, with key
impacts on whole of agency strategy and planning.
Provides whole-of-agency leadership.
Focus of role largely on broader and more complex issues of external context with
national/international influence.
Decide corporate strategies within policy parameters, with a long term focus.
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Strategic development and evaluation of long term alternatives and decision making.
Authority to plan and manage whole-of-agency resources.
Impacts on whole of agency or whole-of-government performance.
Principal and authoritative source of advice upon which the organisation and Ministers
depend, spanning multiple agency outcomes or on issues of very high risk and
complexity.
Effective management of parliamentary, political, and public service environment.