Leadership Capabilities

SES require a broad range of leadership capabilities to navigate the APS through increasing complexity.

SES are expected to lead by motivating and organising people to produce outcomes that make a difference to the nation. It is not just about what they deliver, but also how they deliver through their teams and networks. This includes engaging others to innovate, collaborate, and create change.

The Secretaries Talent Council, with the endorsement of the Secretaries Board and COO Committee, released the APS Leadership Capability Framework to make clear the leadership capabilities considered critical for success in the most senior roles in the APS. The Framework was updated as part of the development of the APS Workforce Strategy 2025 to include driving a pro-integrity culture, a citizen centric focus and a commitment to life-long learning.

Visionary

To provide the best policy advice to government, senior leaders need to be able to scan the horizon for emerging trends, identifying opportunities and challenges for the nation.

Influential

To take the government’s policy agenda forward, senior leaders need the capacity to persuade others towards an outcome, winning and maintaining the confidence of government and key stakeholders.

Collaborative

In making progress on issues that cut across agencies, sectors and nations, senior leaders need to be able to develop relationships, build trust and find common ground with others. An openness to diverse perspectives is critical.

Entrepreneurial

In finding new and better ways of achieving outcomes on behalf of government and citizens, senior leaders need to be able to challenge current perspectives, generate new ideas and experiment with different approaches. They also need to be adept at managing risk.

Enabling

Creating an environment that empowers individuals and teams to deliver their best for government and citizens is a core requirement for senior leaders. This includes setting expectations, nurturing talent and building capability.

Delivers

Senior leaders need to be highly skilled at managing the delivery of complex projects, programs and services. This includes harnessing the opportunity provided by digital technology to improve delivery outcomes for citizens.

Courageous, Self-aware, Resilient, Citizen centric and Life-long learner

These personal qualities sit at the center of effective leadership in the APS. For APS leaders, mobilising and driving change requires a strong capacity for action and an equally strong capacity for understanding and contending with constraints. Self-awareness, courage, resilience, citizen centricity and life-long learning enable senior leaders to hold steady through the challenges of leadership.