Working with you: Services of the Australian Public Service Commission

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The Australian Public Service Commission works to build a confident, values-based and sustainable Australian Public Service.

We aim to make a difference by working with you to deliver your agency's priorities through good practice in managing people. We can help you prepare your Senior Executive Service employees for tomorrow's leadership challenges, assist your people in developing the skills and knowledge they need, and support you in embedding ethical behaviour.

We provide credible evaluation and benchmarking data to underpin strategic responses. We can also help your agency meet the legislative and Australian Government policy obligations that apply to people management.

We give particular priority to helping agencies increase employment and retention rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Our staff in Canberra and in our regional offices are there to help you with a wide range of people management, development and leadership services.

This booklet outlines the services we can offer through the work of the Australian Public Service Commissioner and the Merit Protection Commissioner.

You'll be faced with many people management and workforce planning issues that will demand careful strategic thinking.

The Commission can provide you with a range of tools to help you with your business and workforce planning responsibilities, introducing you to best practice strategic solutions.

Our best practice publications are supported in many cases by accompanying development material such as the Human Resource Capability Development Programme, Being Professional in the Australian Public Service-Values Resources for Facilitators and APS Values and Code of Conduct in Practice: Guide to Official Conduct for APS Employees and Agency Heads.

The Commission will ensure that you have the best policy advice when you need it, for example when going through a machinery of government change, or when there are amendments to public service legislation or policy guidelines.

The employment policy page of our website has the answers to your frequently asked questions.

Central HR areas and senior managers can contact the Employment Policy Adviceline for help with specific employment-related issues.

Helping you improve the employment prospects for Indigenous Australians

Your agency will be working to respond to the Government's commitment to improve the public sector employment prospects for Indigenous Australians.

Commission staff are ready to assist in a variety of ways.

Our Indigenous recruitment programmes, targeted career development initiatives and advice services will assist you to improve Indigenous employment outcomes for your agency.

We can help you work with other agencies to explore and implement innovative and collaborative solutions to improve your recruitment, retention and career development strategies for Indigenous Australians.

We will give you access to a national calendar of free professional development programmes and a new suite of scholarships to support Indigenous employees in your agency with career development and progression.

We will assist and support local Indigenous APS Employee Networks. These networks support Indigenous APS staff, promote cultural awareness and provide an information resource on issues affecting Indigenous people.

We will collaborate with agencies to raise awareness amongst Indigenous Australians of the career opportunities and benefits available in the Australian Public Service.

Helping you recruit and retain people with a disability

Your agency will be involved in implementing Government initiatives aimed at markedly improving the recruitment and retention of people with disability in the APS. The Commission is committed to working with you to enhance their recruitment opportunities and improve the retention of those already in the Service.

We can tailor assistance to meet your needs. We will offer support and advice to managers of people with disability, develop and disseminate best practice guides, or link both managers and employees with specialist networks such as mentoring programmes.

Working internationally

In conjunction with AusAID and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Commission works with public services in the Asia-Pacific region to promote and support public sector reform projects. We can also host visits from overseas delegations, and provide advice and briefings on Australia's public sector reform experience.

These services are provided by Policy Group via our Employment Policy Adviceline, tel. 02 6202 3859 or email employmentadvice@apsc.gov.au, or by contacting Better Practice Group, tel. 02 6202 3506. If you work outside of the ACT, please contact the relevant regional office of the Commission. build evaluate improve promote

Capability building is central to your agency's performance. Keeping your staff skilled and knowledgeable can be a major task.

The Commission is uniquely positioned to understand the challenges and culture of the APS and provide you with a wide range of leadership activities and training programmes carefully designed to help your agency and staff.

If you are a manager or human resource practitioner you will benefit from programmes presented by experts who share their experiences, challenge assumptions and offer practical tips on improving organisational performance.

All our programmes are prepared and presented by experts on public sector leadership. If leadership training is your focus, you will want programmes developed using the APS Integrated Leadership System (ILS). This system was designed by the Commission with the help of a wide range of agencies.

As a Registered Training Organisation, we can award APS employees with nationally recognised qualifications and statements of attainment through training, assessment and recognition in a range of critical public sector skills.

We can also meet with you to discuss your agency's needs and develop cost-effective programmes locally and nationally on the implementation of the Public Service Act, APS Values or Code of Conduct, presentation skills, performance management, interview skills etc. Programmes can also be designed specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees.

If you need to engage a consultant to deliver a particular programme for your organisation or team, we can make that process simple for you by providing you with fast access to our panel of consultants with expertise in a wide range of areas and a proven track record of delivering results. We use our expertise and knowledge to get you the best possible result.

Go to http://www.apsc.gov.au/learn/ for information on our learning and development services. For information on programmes provided by our regional offices please go to www.apsc.gov.au/regional/ or give us a call.

These services are provided by our Programmes Group, tel. 02 6202 3761 and our Regional Services Group. If you work outside of the ACT, please contact the relevant regional office of the Commission.

To help your agency provide strategic responses to the leadership challenges of tomorrow, you need the most up-todate information on the Australian Public Service.

Our State of the Service report is essential reading for strategic thinkers and planners in the APS. This report, and its related publications, will provide you with vital information on the current challenges facing the APS. Its time series data will help you as a decision maker consider the implications of APS trends and identify the emerging challenges and how they relate to you and your agency.

We can also help you with workforce planning through our data stored in the APS employment database (APSED). You can use APSED to benchmark how your agency compares with other agencies, or the APS overall. This data is available in the annual APS statistical bulletin as well as through an interactive website (https://www.apsedii.gov.au). The internet version is presented in a user-friendly point-and-click style with instructions and help available on the website. Agencies can also check details of individuals in their agency, through a secure logon and password procedure, for workforce planning and to improve data integrity.

Through our Contemporary Government Challenges publications, we provide an in-depth exploration of cutting- edge issues of relevance to senior APS managers. Current publications cover governance, agency health, as well as tackling 'wicked' problems and changing behaviour. Future publications will continue to focus on developing successful responses to whole-of-government issues.

Our work supporting the Management Advisory Committee can also provide you with information on challenges facing the APS and its leadership.

These services are provided by our Evaluation Group, tel. 02 6202 3708. If you work outside of the ACT, please contact the relevant regional office of the Commission. up-to-date information on the Australian Public Service

If you are a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES), the Commission has a range of development programmes and advisory services which are tailored to your needs. We can help you become fully aware of the expectations that the Government's Management Advisory Committee has of your role-the 'One APS-One SES' statement-and equip you to turn those expectations into practical effect. You can take advantage of targeted development programmes that can help you deliver innovative solutions to current and emerging Government priorities.

The Commission supports building and sustaining strong APS-wide leadership and developing a shared understanding of the type of leadership required of SES employees. We can help you increase your understanding of the capabilities, values, ethical standards and leadership behaviours that are common to all members of the SES. You can keep up-to-date on relevant issues through the quarterly electronic newsletter SES notes.

We have developed programmes designed for executives in each of the SES band levels, including those joining the SES for the first time. Through our SES updates we ensure that senior executives are well briefed on the public sector management environment and developments in Government policy.

We provide advice to the Public Service Commissioner's representative on issues relating to SES selection processes and requirements. We can also advise agencies on their obligations in areas such as redundancy and retirement.

The SES Adviser, currently the Group Manager Policy Group, provides independent advice to SES employees on issues they face as part of the senior leadership cadre of the APS.

These services are provided by Policy Group via our Employment Policy Adviceline, tel. 02 6202 3859 or email employmentadvice@apsc.gov.au, or Programmes Group, tel. 02 6202 3782. If you work outside of the ACT, please contact the relevant regional office of the Commission.

Your agency will be dealing with a range of challenges-some unanticipated, some for which you can plan. You'll want to handle these responsibly and professionally.

Whatever your people management challenge, whether to resolve a specific issue or to seek broader advice on the operation of the employment framework, the Commission can provide you with the tools to best address these challenges.

Consultancy services

Our qualified and experienced staff can help you work through complex HR matters, and provide best practice advice or policy interpretation. We can also arrange consultancy services including process mapping, performance management review, organisational reviews and restructure, and business planning and facilitation.

In addition, we have helped organisations to embed the APS Values and strengthen awareness of the Code of Conduct through learning and development activities aimed at all levels of staff and management.

Mediation and dispute resolution services

If you are faced with what appears to be a developing or intractable problem between individuals or groups, our trained and experienced staff can assist with mediation and dispute resolution services. Early intervention here can lead to quick resolution and minimise difficulties. These services are also offered to non-APS agencies.

Career Transition and Support Centre

You may have staff coping with retrenchment or redundancy. In this case, excess or potentially excess staff may be referred by your agency to the Career Transition and Support Centre.

The centre provides structured and personalised case management services to clients, with a view to securing employees ongoing redeployment in the Australian Public Service, ensuring that the personal impact of efficiency measures is minimised, and that opportunities for excess staff to be redeployed across the public service are actively managed and coordinated. helping you handle people management challenges

These services are provided by, or can be arranged by, our Regional Services Group. Please contact the relevant regional office of the Commission. If in Canberra, please contact our Programmes Group tel. 02 6202 3830. The Career Transition and Support Centre can be contacted at 02 6202 3756 or ctsc@apsc.gov.au build evaluate improve promote

Your agency needs the very best people.

We are a national organisation with a reputation for adding value to recruitment and selection in the APS. From us you'll get timely, effective and high quality service to ensure you get the very best staff to meet your work needs.

Our staff have a wealth of experience in managing and conducting selection assignments to meet operational needs. You'll get the most reliable understanding of the APS employment framework, a strong familiarity with the merit principle, and the very best advice at all stages of your recruitment and selection work, including advice on streamlining recruitment processes.

We will make sure that legal requirements have been met and that conclusions and recommendations are fully supported.

Through the services of our Career Transition and Support Centre we may be able to provide a skilled and qualified employee without the need for a full selection process.

If you wish we can also arrange Independent Selection Advisory Committees (ISAC). These committees are convened by a nominee of the Merit Protection Commissioner and make recommendations about the suitability of candidates for selection at the APS 2-6 levels. If the committee's recommendations are accepted, the decisions are not subject to review.

A wide range of flexible selection and recruitment services are available, allowing for a range of different selection methods.

APSJobs.gov.au

The Commission's APSJobs website provides a single entry point for job seekers looking for APS employment opportunities, with enhanced facilities for both job seekers and agencies.

The website also provides a range of services to assist agencies, including full details of all senior executive recruitment information, a register of former and current employees ready for work in the APS, scope for agencies to advertise mobility and movement opportunities across the APS or large scale recruitment initiatives targeting specific skills, and the capacity for agencies to generate reports on their recruitment processes.

Special targeted campaigns

The Commission can also provide expertise in wholeof- government recruitment campaigns for hard to find employees.

If sufficient demand arises, we can deliver a streamlined and centralised approach to filling positions in areas such as finance, accounting and IT, across a range of levels and agencies. We have an online application process that allows candidates to build an online resume, update their details and monitor recruitment outcomes.

Agencies which participate in such recruitment exercises can search our online employment register for candidates, undertake online shortlisting and generate an automatic selection report.

These services are provided by our Regional Services Group. Please contact the relevant regional office of the Commission.

Organisations need productive, effective and happy employees. However, even the best organisations sometimes make mistakes with people management.

APS agencies are required to maintain workplaces that encourage productive and harmonious working environments. To help with this, the Commission has a key role in providing independent external review of actions affecting individual APS employees, including promotion review. It also helps to provide a fair system for review of decisions for APS employees.

Some review services are performed because of statutory requirements: conducting promotion reviews and reviews of actions, and providing advice on procedural questions where appropriate. The Commission undertakes this work on behalf of the Merit Protection Commissioner.

If your organisation is not part of the APS, the Commission can still help you with your review processes on a fee-forservice basis. We can undertake similar functions for any agency or organisation, state and territory department and authority, local government body, or Commonwealth authority.

When needed, our experienced staff work to ensure a fair system of independent review to help your agency maintain workplaces that are productive and harmonious.

These services are provided by our Regional Services Group. Please contact the relevant regional office of the Commission.