At the recent OECD HR Community of Interest conference in Paris, Australia’s leadership in public sector HR was front and centre. Representing the APS was Head of HR Profession Jacqui Curtis PSM and Deputy Commissioner ATO People, Alison Stott, who shared how we’re transforming HR into a strategic force across government.
Jacqui delivered Improving the Capability of HR as a Strategic Partner, a session showcasing Australia’s journey in elevating HR from a transactional function to a strategic enabler of public sector transformation.
Since its establishment in 2019, the HR Profession has grown to over 6,200 members, forming a vibrant and connected community of practice across APS agencies. This growth has been instrumental in improving collaboration, sharing expertise, and supporting HR professionals through change.
Jacqui outlined the rationale behind launching the HR Profession, recognising HR’s critical role in building workforce capability, driving cultural change, and enabling strategic workforce management. Among the key achievements shared were the creation of senior HR leadership roles, including Chief People Officers, and the establishment of the HR Talent Council. These initiatives are helping to build a sustainable pipeline of senior HR leaders and support succession planning across the APS. The HR Mobility Bulletin was also highlighted as a popular initiative promoting short-term placements and career development. A pilot program is underway to identify and develop emerging talent, complemented by a register of senior HR experts to guide recruitment decisions.
Capability uplift remains a central focus, with the HR Graduate and School Leaver programs, practitioner-led webinars and masterclasses, and strategic partnerships with the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI), building consistent capability across cohorts and embedding evidence-based HR practices.
Looking ahead, the next phase of professionalisation will centre on broader influence, deeper collaboration and improved data. Governance structures such as the SES Advisory Group, Working Group and Talent Council are driving strategic alignment and operational delivery. And a new member platform is in development to support more inclusive engagement and cross-agency collaboration.
The conference demonstrated the keen interest from other countries in Australia’s approach to elevating HR. It was noted that APS initiatives, like elevating the HR profession through partnerships with AHRI, are important.
By engaging with international peers, fresh perspectives on emerging HR trends were gained – from leveraging AI in HR and future skills, to fostering agility. The Paris conference underscored that many challenges are shared globally and that working together leads to better solutions. From Alison’s perspective, having the opportunity to participate in the OECD conference was invaluable not only to showcase ATO initiatives but also to learn from global counterparts. The networking and discussions in Paris identified several points:
- Shared Challenges, Shared Solutions:
Countries around the world are facing similar HR challenges – talent shortages, rapid technology change, and building middle manager capability. Both Jacqui and Alison found it affirming that we are on the right path and noted strong interest from other nations in collaborating on shared solutions. - Learning from International Experience:
The conference sparked new thinking, especially around future skills and AI in HR and workplaces. Alison was inspired by global examples and shared Australia’s leadership in responsible AI practices. These insights are already shaping APS HR initiatives. - The Power of Networking:
Face-to-face engagement allowed Jacqui and Alison to build lasting connections with HR leaders from across Europe. These relationships form a peer network that strengthens the APS’ ability to innovate and benchmark globally. - Affirming APS’s Leadership:
Australia stood out at the conference for its bold HR reforms and cross-agency collaboration. Feedback from international peers confirmed that the APS is leading the way, encouraging Jacqui and Alison to think of ‘what’s next’?
Both Jacqui and Alison returned energised and full of insights on elevating HR as a strategic enabler of public sector transformation as well as on the value of international collaboration in tackling common workforce challenges.
‘Connecting with global HR leaders sparked fresh ideas and built relationships that will shape how we collaborate and grow as a profession.’ – Alison Stott
The presentation concluded with a call to action: to continue evolving HR’s value proposition in response to technological disruption, shifting workforce expectations and global competition. As Jacqui noted:
‘The challenges we face are complex, and the solutions will come not from any one agency, but from all of us working together.’
Our APS leaders representing Australia on the global stage