Circular 2025/06: The Commissioner’s role in SES Recruitment

Published

Purpose 

  1. The purpose of this Circular is to advise agencies that a review of the Commissioner’s role in Senior Executive Service (SES) recruitment has recently been conducted to ensure the requirements are fit for purpose and supports integrity in recruitment.
     
  2. As a result of the review there are changes to agency obligations when conducting SES recruitment.
     
  3. This Circular replaces Circular 2023/7: Upholding Integrity in SES Recruitment and applies to all SES recruitment processes submitted to the APSC for consideration on and from 3 October 2025.

Review of the Commissioner’s role in SES recruitment

  1. The Commissioner's role in SES recruitment is to ensure that the recruitment process is consistent with the requirements of the Public Service Act 1999 (the PS Act) and the Australian Public Service Commissioner's Directions 2022 (the Directions).
     
  2. The Directions require that the Commissioner is a full participant in SES recruitment processes. Where the Commissioner is unavailable, they will be represented by a Commissioner's Representative.
     
  3. The SES provides APS wide strategic leadership, undertaking roles with significant responsibilities that impact on the delivery of government priorities and influence organisational culture of the APS. The recruitment of talented SES staff with the skills and capabilities required to build an effective and cohesive APS is important. It is critical to ensure that these recruitment processes are conducted with transparency, independence and integrity.
     
  4. The review conducted by the APSC considered whether the criteria for being a Commissioner’s representative on an SES recruitment panel required amendment to enhance the integrity of the process and whether administrative adjustments could be made to streamline and strengthen the procedure for managing SES panel requirements.
     
  5. The review recommendations were informed by feedback from stakeholders. The resulting recommendations identified several key changes that have been endorsed by the Chief Operating Officer (COO) Committee.
     
  6. These changes provide greater flexibility for agencies, promote increased confidence in the integrity of SES recruitment processes, support a broad whole-of-APS perspective on panels and enrich the diversity of panels. They include:
     
    • amending the criteria for Commissioner’s representative
    • encouraging the inclusion of diverse panel members on SES recruitment panels
    • amending the process for seeking confirmation of specialist panel members from the APS Professions
    • reducing the notice period agencies need to provide the Commission when seeking approval of a proposed Commissioner’s representative from 30 days to 14 days
    • simplifying and streamlining the SES recruitment forms and
    • extending the requirements for SES recruitment to the Parliamentary Departments.

Changes to criteria for Commissioner’s representative

  1. Modifications have been made to the criteria for who may act as a Commissioner’s representative. This will provide greater flexibility to agencies but do not depart from the fundamental requirement to support the integrity of the process by ensuring the independence of the role.
     
  2. The changes require that a Commissioner’s representative must:
     
    • be either an APS employee, and APS Agency Head or Parliamentary Service Department employee
    • be a substantive classification above the SES vacancy
    • bring a broader APS perspective to the panel
    • contribute to diversity on the panel and
    • for Affirmative Measures processes, be a person who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander or with a disability relevant to the process (unless another panel member meets this criteria).
       
  3. The change to the criteria enabling a broader APS perspective on panels modifies the requirement for a Commissioner’s representative from outside the recruiting agency’s portfolio.
     
  4. The amended criteria requires that, if the recruiting agency is not from a Department of State, the Representative should (preferably) be from the agency’s portfolio Department or another Department of State. If the recruiting agency is a Department of State the Commissioner’s representative must be from outside the recruiting agency’s portfolio.
     
  5. For agencies using a representative from within their portfolio, it is recommended that at least one other panel member is from an agency outside of their portfolio.
     

Enhancing diversity on SES recruitment panels

  1. Changes have been made to promote diverse perspectives on SES recruitment panels, improve the recruitment experience for diverse candidates and make the process more inclusive for diverse cohorts.
     
  2. Rather than contributing to gender balance on a panel the Commissioner’s representative must contribute to the overall diversity in the composition of the panel, which must include either:
     
    • Gender balance or
    • Representation of cultural and linguistic diversity by at least one panel member or
    • Representation of First Nations peoples by at least one panel member or
    • Representation of persons with a disability by at least one panel member.
       
  3. This does not require the representative to identify in any particular category above but ensures that the overall arrangement of the panel includes representation of diversity.
     
  4. In addition to amending the criteria for a Commissioner’s Representative, all agencies are encouraged to include a panel member from a diverse background, particularly in bulk recruitment processes.
     

Amended process for confirmation of specialist panel members

  1. The administrative process has been modified to require agencies to seek confirmation regarding specialist panel members, where one is required, prior submitting the panel to the Commissioner for consideration. The confirmation will need to be attached to the SES recruitment form when submitting the panel for the Commissioner’s consideration.
     
  2. Agencies will need to include a specialist panel member for the selection panel for all positions that require experience aligned with an APS Profession, the finance and accounting profession or other relevant specialisation (ie. practicing lawyers).
     
  3. The inclusion of specialist panel members promotes the selection of individuals with the qualities to support the uplift of capability in their field. Amending the administrative process supports and strengthens the role of the APS Professions and enables the Commissioner to consider the complete panel when considering the proposed Commissioner’s representative.
     
  4. At the conclusion of the recruitment process agencies are encouraged to connect successful candidates with the relevant profession, particularly for SES new to the APS. This will give the professions visibility of outcomes and assist new SES to build their network.
     

Reduced timeframe for submitting SES recruitment form

  1. To assist agencies with the efficient management of SES recruitment processes the timeframe for submitting an SES recruitment form notifying of an intention to advertise an SES vacancy has been reduced from 30 to 14 days.
     
  2. Urgent notifications will only be considered in exceptional circumstances, arising in circumstances outside of the agency’s control. This would include, for example, a late withdrawal of an approved Representative due to illness.
     

Simplified SES recruitment forms

  1. Simplified new SES recruitment forms will be available on the Commission’s webpage, to reduce the administrative burden on agencies.
     
  2. Agencies will no longer be required to provide SES Band 1 and 2 merit list details to the Commission when notifying the Commission of an outcome in an SES recruitment process. However, agencies are encouraged to continue to share merit lists with other agencies and use the merit list sharing portal in APSJobs.
     

Parliamentary Department

  1. The requirements for SES recruitment in the APS will be extended to the Parliamentary Departments. This alignment acknowledges the similar legislative framework and functions of the Parliamentary Commissioner’s Representative.
     
  2. Aligning the requirements support effective management of Parliamentary Department SES recruitment requests, drive consistency and enhance the integrity of the Parliamentary Department SES recruitment processes.
     

Further information and support

  1. To support agencies the Commission is developing an SES Recruitment Guide and simplifying the Commission’s SES recruitment forms.
     
  2. The SES Recruitment Guide will be published on the APSC’s website as soon as it is available.
     
  3. Agencies seeking further information can contact the Employment Policy Team at employmentpolicy@apsc.gov.au.
Topics
Circulars, Guidance, and Advice
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Acknowledgement of Country

The APSC acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.