APS Job Family Framework
Introduction
The APS Job Family Framework (the Framework) was established in 2010 to collect, analyse and compare information on the type of work performed across the APS.
The Framework is a workforce segmentation tool used for workforce planning purposes and outlines job groupings for the APS. To get an accurate workforce snapshot, organising roles by tasks can help agencies identify critical roles and business areas that require workforce planning needs. Segmenting your workforce enables your agency to:
- understand its workforce profile
- understand the type of work undertaken
- benchmark against the labour market and broader Australian economy
- identify critical job roles
- identify key workforce risks and challenges
- anticipate future workforce demand and supply challenges
Through its linkages to Australian labour market segmentation via the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA), the Framework also facilitates comparative analysis between work completed in the APS and the broader Australian economy.
Prior to mapping or applying the Framework in the context of your own agency, please review
Structure of the Framework
The Framework is a three-tiered model consisting of the following tiers:
Please note job or role profiles and skills are not reflected in the job family framework.
2025 APS Job Family Framework Strategic Review
The Centre of Excellence for Workforce Planning conducted a strategic review of the APS Job Family Framework (the Framework) in 2025. Strategic reviews of the Framework occur every 3-5 years and aligns with the recent release of the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) formerly known as ANZSCO (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations). The review involved:
- extensive analysis into existing job family data including use and reporting
- research and consultation to determine emerging and declining job roles in the APS
- identifying opportunities to calibrate and streamline the Framework to align with OSCA
- ensuring consistency with the role levels reflected in OSCA
- analysing change requests received by agencies
- extensive consultation with a working group of subject matter experts, and the APS Professions.
Some of the key changes to the framework include:
- splitting the Science and Health job family into two job families - ‘Science’ and ‘Health’
- moving cyber roles from Intelligence job family to ICT and Digital job family
- renaming the Administration job family to Business and Organisational Management
- discontinuing the Senior Executive job family as roles have been moved into relevant job families
- discontinuing the Monitoring and Audit job family as roles have been moved to Compliance and Regulation and Accounting and Finance.
- consolidating Information and Knowledge Management and Intelligence into one job family
- renaming job functions for clear categorisation and groupings
- adding new roles requested by agencies.
The updated Framework adds 16 job families, 51 job functions and 229 roles that capture the core work of the APS.
The Framework and its review process is underpinned by a Terms of Reference to support the ongoing management of the framework.
Requesting changes to the Framework
You can request to add a new role or update an existing role to the Framework by completing the APS Job Family Framework Change Form. Prior to submitting the form, please review the
Need support?
To support you with the 2025 edition of the Framework and the changes from the previous framework, please review the factsheets and the Change Log in the downloads section below.
Additional supporting material on how to undertake workforce segmentation can also be found within the APS Workforce Planning Community of Practice Job Family Framework Hub.
Contact the APS Workforce Strategy and Planning team at APSWFP@apsc.gov.au if you have any questions or need guidance on how to apply the Framework in your agency.