These tables list the performance standards we expect of employees in all branches at their classification level. These expectations do not replace – but are aligned with – the APSC Work Level Standards and the National Archives Capability Framework.

APS 1

Core capabilities

Thinking

• Is open to new information and views from diverse standpoints.
• Accepts new work, using skills to support the team and asks for assistance when needed.
• Has a basic understanding of how own work contributes to the achievement of team goals and understands the reasons for decisions.

Achieving

• Keeps track of how tasks are progressing and acts to address obstacles to delivering results.
• Adheres to relevant quality standards in completion of work.
• Assists the team to achieve outcomes not just outputs.

Leading

• Completes own work tasks under supervision.
• Understands and respects differences in others.
• Understands and upholds the APS Values, Code of Conduct and Employment Principles.

Collaborating

• Shares information and contributes to team discussions.
• Supports team decisions, is a valued team player, respects others, does their share of the work.
• Supports effective stakeholder relationships.

Agility

• Participates in the development of work area goals and objectives.
• Maintains positive attitude and participates throughout periods of change.

Accountability

• Consults with their supervisor to clarify work goals.
• Manages their own time effectively to accomplish tasks
• Takes responsibility for own decisions.

Job specific

• Can identify the key people, processes and technologies that are essential for their role.
• Has a basic understanding of the agency’s role and functions.

APS 2

Core capabilities

Thinking

• Modifies their own thinking, and assumptions, to take account of new and diverse viewpoints.
• Responds flexibly to changes in team plans and schedules.
• Uses common sense to interpret available information and seeks clarification when questions arise.

Achieving

• Takes action that leads to the delivery of agreed performance targets, goals or service standards.
• Follows their supervisor’s direction when prioritising work.
• Shows willingness to accept more challenging tasks and enthusiasm towards achieving goals.

Leading

• Understands and acts on constructive feedback.
• Recognises and respects differences in others.
• Understands and upholds the APS Values, Code of Conduct and Employment Principles.

Collaborating

• Actively listens to colleagues, clients and stakeholders.
• Supports and maintains effective stakeholder relationships.
• Builds relationships within their team to work as a supportive and co-operative team member.

Agility

• Contributes ideas to the development of work area goals and objectives.
• Continues striving to achieve good outcomes despite difficult circumstances.

Accountability

• Accepts new work, applying skills flexibly to meet demands.
• Consults others when problems arise, seeking approval from their supervisor before implementing solutions.
• Takes responsibility for completing own tasks within agreed timeframes.

Job specific

• Understands how different areas within the agency are related and who the key people are.
• Is enthusiastic about their work and supports their supervisor to achieve team outcomes.
• Is open to and aware of relevant technological changes.

APS 3

Core capabilities

Thinking

• Demonstrates a willingness to change ideas and perceptions based on new information.
• Plans ahead to address short and long term risks to team goals.
• Accepts new work, applying skills flexibly to meet a range of demands.
• Seeks advice about where to find information required to complete tasks.

Achieving

• Is constantly looking for ways to do things better.
• Makes specific changes in their own work methods to improve performance.
• Shows motivation and initiative towards own work and achieving goals.
• Finds workable solutions to problems, seeking advice from supervisor on the best course of action.

Leading

• Understands and acts on constructive feedback, taking advantage of learning opportunities and addressing performance shortfalls promptly.
• Uses initiative to support goals for their team.
• Understands and upholds the APS Values, Code of Conduct and Employment Principles.

Collaborating

• Speaks of team members in positive terms, either to the team member directly or to a third party.
• Cultivates effective stakeholder relationships.
• Makes time for people and supports the contributions of others.

Agility

• Has responsibility for planning their own work goals and priorities that align with and achieve their own and team outcomes.
• Maximises the benefits of change and contributes to improved service quality and efficiency.
• Responds appropriately to criticism and conflict situations.

Accountability

• Draws on their own relevant experience.
• Takes responsibility for completing team tasks despite changeable timeframes.
• Works as directed to achieve outcomes, even in difficult circumstances.

Job specific

• Understands what the role of the agency is, how it is organised and how it fits within the Australian Government sector.
• Understands the role and functions of the agency, and is aware of issues that may impact on allocated work tasks.
• Accepts opportunities to learn new technologies and skills for their role.

APS 4

Core capabilities

Thinking

• Makes sense of disparate information; sees patterns and trends.
• Informs their supervisor when work processes could be simplified and/or improved, sharing ideas about how this could be achieved.
• Identifies issues and problems that may impact on team tasks or goals and works to resolve them.
• Knows where to find information required to complete tasks.

Achieving

• Takes actions that lead to quantifiable improvements in processes or systems.
• Identifies barriers to completing their own work and comes up with solutions.
• Makes decisions relating to their area of responsibility that impact on the work area or specific function.
• Monitors their own performance for opportunities for improvement.

Leading

• Sets up regular communications with the team (e.g. through team meetings) and makes sure the team is kept informed of what is happening.
• Explains the reasons behind key decisions.
• Understands and upholds the APS Values, Code of Conduct and Employment Principles.

Collaborating

• Cooperates with others to achieve objectives in the broader organisation.
• Develops positive working relationships with others through effective communication and collaboration.
• Seeks input and keeps their supervisor informed about work progress.

Agility

• Provides suggestions and support focused on helping people handle certain situations.
• Values specialist expertise and creates an environment which facilitates the sharing and effective use of professional knowledge and skills.
• Persists to achieve good outcomes despite difficult circumstances, while maintaining optimism and a balanced perspective on issues.

Accountability

• Sees themselves as a ‘can do’ person, and is positive about their own ability to succeed.
• Demonstrates sound judgement, escalating issues appropriately.
• Works productively to achieve goals, even in difficult circumstances.
• Takes responsibility for completing team tasks despite changeable timeframes and commits to achieving quality outcomes.

Job specific

• Understands the impact of the work area on strategic, political or operational outcomes for the agency.
• Has a sound general knowledge of the role and functions of the agency and an understanding of how these relate to a specific work area.
• Recognises how tasks contribute to achieving team goals.
• Embraces opportunities to learn new technologies and skills for their role.

APS 5

Core capabilities

Thinking

• Crystallises key points from a mass of disparate information and makes sense of complex situations.
• Remains open to new challenges, applying skills flexibly in a range of situations.
• Is aware of the way things have been customarily done and uses this understanding to manage and pace change and to implement improvements to the way the agency operates.
• Recognises potential issues for the section and develops solutions to solve problems before they arise.

Achieving

• Overcomes obstacles to achieving goals and, when things don’t go as expected, uses this as an opportunity to learn.
• Makes decisions within defined parameters and sets new precedents based on sound subject knowledge and professional judgement.
• Uses personal drive and initiative to meet deadlines and deliver agreed results.
• Develops plans and objectives for short-term tasks of the work area and contributes to strategic planning for longer-term initiatives of the section.

Leading

• Facilitates the effectiveness of a group by obtaining and providing them with the right resource or information.
• Recognises and acknowledges individuals when they are doing a good job and reinforces the significance or impact of what they do for the agency.
• Applies innovation to maximise the benefits of change and contributes to the improvement in service quality and efficiency.
• Secures needed support or development for the benefit of both individuals and the team as a whole.
• Understands and upholds the APS Values, Code of Conduct and Employment Principles.

Collaborating

• Displays willingness to learn from others, including subordinates and peers.
• Solicits ideas and opinions to help form specific decisions or plans.
• Develops and maintains positive working internal and external relationships with others through effective communication.

Agility

• Collaborates across teams to achieve improvements and greater economies of operation.
• Develops and oversees the implementation of improvement and change initiatives.
• Gathers and critically analyses information from diverse sources to explore ideas and complete tasks.
• Is receptive to change.
• Displays a positive attitude in periods of uncertainty and high pressure and exemplifies this behaviour to more junior staff.

Accountability

• Knows their own strengths, and development needs and is transparent about them when working with others.
• Is able to absorb and deal constructively with criticism, seeking support as necessary.
• Remains engaged and productive during challenging times.
• Takes responsibility for own and team work amid changing priorities and commits to achieving quality outcomes.

Job specific

• Thinks of new ways to support current strategies, deploying existing resources and technologies to solve current issues.
• Understands the organisation’s strategy and the implications for various work areas.
• Is aware of changes in the broader work environment that may impact on work objectives.
• Understands the impact of the work area on longer-term strategic, political or operational outcomes for the agency.
• Embraces and looks for opportunities to learn new technologies and skills for their role.

APS 6

Core capabilities

Thinking

• Comes up with new ways of explaining something complex, or seeing beyond the obvious, so that others are able to understand it.
• Proposes and facilitates innovation and contributes to business improvement strategies and changes in workplace practices.
• Demonstrates a flexible approach to work, displaying willingness to explore opportunities as they arise.
• Seeks alternate viewpoints where needed, undertakes analysis and draws conclusions based on evidence.

Achieving

• Encourages and supports others to find ways of improving working methods so as to improve how the agency operates.
• Takes the necessary actions to meet goals; identifies and applies measures to track and quantify achievements.
• Makes decisions using good judgement, expertise and knowledge, under limited guidance.
• Generates innovative solutions to problems, producing a range of options for consideration.
• Sees projects through to completion and ensures work is delivered to a high standard, with a focus on quality.

Leading

• Gets input from others to promote the effectiveness of a team or process.
• Acts to build team spirit to promote team effectiveness.
• Contributes to managing change and uncertainty in the workplace.
• Creates the conditions that enable a team to perform at its best (provides the right structure and gets the right people doing the right things).
• Understands and upholds the APS Values, Code of Conduct and Employment Principles.

Collaborating

• Summarises progress, taking account of differing viewpoints, to clarify understanding and to establish common ground.
• Develops and supports complex relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Selects and uses communication channels appropriately and effectively.
• Collaborates effectively within team and with other work areas as required.
• Recognises and encourages the contributions of others.

Agility

• Builds team capacity through coaching, performance feedback; and encouraging career development.
• Understands the longer term view and contributes to ensure the sustainability of initiatives.
• Builds corporate knowledge and expertise by guiding, coaching and mentoring others.
• Assists others to cope with change by providing a supportive and productive team environment.
• Focuses on achieving objectives even in difficult circumstances and motivates others to do the same.

Accountability

• Has the confidence to involve others in support of a particular goal.
• Shows initiative and judgment in the interpretation of policy and in applying practices and procedures.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of risk management and risk assessment activities within their area of responsibility.
• Understands their own strengths and development needs, and seeks opportunities for personal development and to address performance shortfalls appropriately.
• Commits to achieving team outcomes and adjusts plans as required to ensure goals are met.

Job specific

• Understands organisational strategy as it relates to team and agency goals and adapts current strategy by anticipating changes based on an insightful understanding of the agency’s operating context.
• Understands the broader governance framework of the Australian Government sector and how it impacts on the operation of the agency.
• Has an in-depth knowledge of the role and functions of the agency and an understanding of how these relate to a work area.
• Embraces and looks for opportunities to learn new technologies and skills for their role and actively shares new skills learnt.

EL 1

Core capabilities

Thinking

• Works through obstacles and is resourceful to get back on track.
• Provides a significant contribution to innovation and business improvement strategies.
• Handles complex, ambiguous situations with skill and confidence.
• Monitors trends in the environment and considers the ramifications of issues and the longer-term impact of their section’s work.

Achieving

• Analyses on the basis of the outcomes and risks for the agency.
• Takes responsibility for the achievements of their own and team outcomes, monitors progress and follows through to deliver quality outcomes.
• Exercises sound judgement, making independent decisions.
• Takes responsibility for timely delivery of individual and team outcomes.
• Brings professional excellence to the team.

Leading

• Gives people a sense that changes are achievable and that their contribution matters.
• Supports others to maintain focus and productivity, encouraging them to embrace emerging opportunities.
• Manages and implements cultural change.
• Takes responsibility for managing the work of their team, identifies resource needs and effectively utilises key individuals.
• Upholds and models the APS Values, Code of Conduct and Employment Principles.

Collaborating

• Builds good morale and cooperation within the team.
• Encourages and empowers others and promotes co-operative work practices.
• Develops and manages a range of stakeholder relationships and seeks input from team, colleagues and other stakeholders.
• Is well aware of relevant interest groups and networks that influence key stakeholders and uses this understanding for the benefit of the agency.
• Proactively offers assistance for mutually beneficial relationships.

Agility

• Successfully addresses people or process alignment problems between teams with peers and senior leaders.
• Looks to the longer term and takes action to ensure the sustainability of initiatives.
• Maintains a continuous improvement approach to individual and team work.
• Is the change champion of the team.
• Persists and focuses on achieving objectives even in difficult circumstances.
• Contributes to the development of the workforce by applying skills in a range of situations and coaching others to use skills flexibly.

Accountability

• Rises to, and relishes, a range of challenges.
• Is prepared to actively support others who are acting consistently with the core values of the agency and the APS and challenge those who aren't.
• Engages with risk, including the conduct of risk assessment and risk management activities for areas of responsibility.
• Develops solutions with an orientation to the future, balancing immediate business needs with medium and long-term objectives.
• Challenges important issues constructively, and stands by own position when challenged.

Job specific

• Uses own specialist knowledge and networks to gain technical information specific to work area.
• Coordinates and undertakes detailed or sensitive projects that impact on strategic, political or operational outcomes for the agency.
• Considers and effectively manages competing priorities and strategic directions when achieving team planning and project outcomes in line with agency goals and objectives.
• Undertakes work activities with an awareness of their possible impact on strategic, political or operational outcomes for the agency.

EL 2

Core capabilities

Thinking

• Demonstrates a flexible approach to work, displaying willingness to meet evolving organisational needs.
• Promotes openness to new information, approaches and ideas.
• Manages resource allocation responsively to ensure achievement of team and organisational objectives.
• Uses own expertise to reason through complex and critical issues.

Achieving

• Makes decisions, sets priorities, or sets goals on the basis of calculated inputs and outputs.
• Commits themselves (in the face of uncertainty) to the pursuit of improved performance and the achievement of a challenging goal.
• Identifies and leads innovative solutions and communicates the implications of decisions and actions on the agency’s business objectives.
• Makes high level decisions and uses sound judgement about priorities, balancing short, medium and long-term goals.
• Allocates resources in a manner that delivers results.

Leading

• Motivates others to engage in continuous self-development and makes appropriate opportunities available for them to do so.
• Gets buy-in and commitment to the vision within the organisation and across government, involving a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Inspires people to contribute to and lead change initiatives.
• Provides leadership in implementing and promoting a climate of change and continuous improvement.
• Takes responsibility for shaping organisational culture.
• Upholds and models the APS Values, Code of Conduct and Employment Principles.

Collaborating

• Responds flexibly to various stakeholder requirements and changing circumstances as they arise, varying deployment of resources within imposed constraints
• Develops and communicates the strategic direction and vision of the agency to stakeholders.
• Initiates, establishes and maintains key strategic internal and external networks.
• Demonstrates flexibility and sound judgement in use of communication channels to influence outcomes, deliver results and support organisational strategy.
• Seeks feedback from stakeholders to gauge satisfaction.

Agility

• Builds capability in a team environment through coaching others, providing performance feedback, conflict resolution and encouraging career development.
• Delegates tasks appropriately to facilitate employee development and build team capability.
• Leads and manages change, analyses performance and takes responsibility for continuous improvement processes.
• Embraces challenging new opportunities, with a focus on building transferrable skills, and assists others to adapt.

Accountability

• Takes on very difficult challenges that others may back away from.
• May be a ’lone voice’ challenging the status quo, but will always be able to back up their position with evidence that the action is aimed at achieving the goals of the agency.       
• Identifies, manages and evaluates risk in all decision making and delivery of outcomes.
• Develops, understands and promotes organisational strategy as it relates to the achievement of team, agency and government objectives.
• Acknowledges mistakes and learns from them, seeking guidance if needed and sharing the lessons they’ve learnt.

Job specific

• Understands and sets strategic direction, develops long-term plans and implements operational strategies aimed at achieving specific agency objectives.
• Develops strategies that fundamentally change the way the agency operates and provides a strategic level of specialist, professional and/or technical expertise.
• Maintains a comprehensive understanding of the agency’s impact on the wider political and community context in which it operates.
• Uses technical and professional knowledge and experience to improve work outcomes and achieve section goals.

SES

Core capabilities

Thinking

• Anticipates and pre-empts problems from a holistic perspective, considering systemic as well as local impact.
• Understands the range of external factors affecting the agency, and regularly monitor and respond to a changing operating environment.
• Maintains a continuous improvement approach, continually reflecting on own performance and striving to improve outcomes.
• Applies intellect and knowledge to weigh up complex information and identify critical factors and issues.

Achieving

• Champions better ways of doing business.
• Creates a culture of achievement, delivering high quality outcomes on time and on budget.
• Deploys resources astutely and identifies optimum resourcing combinations.
• Drives a culture of achievement and ensures that ideas become reality and projects result in expected outputs.

Leading

• Leads the building of future organisational capability, anticipating future needs and ensuring the organisation is ready to respond.
• Actively manages succession by coaching and mentoring others to share knowledge and build capability.
• Investigates ways to improve effectiveness by harnessing technology and implementing continuous improvement activities.
• Offers support in times of high pressure, makes time for people and engages in activities to maintain morale.
• Adheres to and promotes the APS Values, Code of Conduct and Employment Principles, and acts with utmost integrity and professionalism and encourages these standards in others.

Collaborating

• Anticipates stakeholder perspectives and needs, pre-empts problems, and responds effectively to stakeholder issues.
• Champions the benefits of a workforce with diverse experience, education and backgrounds, encouraging others to work together.
• Is responsive to stakeholder needs and engage stakeholders during times of change, resolving conflict and managing sensitivities within constrained timeframes.
• Actively builds a diverse and sustainable range of relationships with key external stakeholders across the APS and with external parties
• Encourages and motivates people to engage in continuous learning, and empowers them by delegating responsibility for work.

Agility

• Anticipates and removes barriers to the successful implementation of strategic vision.
• Fosters agility by demonstrating willingness to relinquish existing approaches and roles to motivate others to do the same.
• Seizes opportunities and adjusts their approach to respond to threats and changing circumstances.
• Persists with, and focuses on achieving, organisational objectives even in difficult circumstances.

Accountability

• Engages in strategic workforce planning, managing resources effectively to ensure achievement of organisational objectives.
• Accepts responsibility for business planning, risk management and corporate outcomes.
• Is prepared to make, and own, the tough decisions needed to achieve branch and organisational goals.
• Challenges important issues constructively, stands by own position when challenged and supports others when required.

Job specific

• Development of organisational strategy, finding creative and efficient ways to deliver successful outcomes.
• Develops and communicates long-term organisational vision, interpreting political and economic trends to identify opportunities.
• Actively ensures relevant professional input from others is obtained and shares own experience.
• Integrates own professional expertise into the organisation to improve overall performance and delivery of branch outcomes.
• Promotes examination of new technologies and skills to benefit the organisation.