NSW Government Sector Senior Executive Work Level Standards
Purpose
The NSW Government Sector Senior Executive Work Level Standards (WLS) are designed to provide consistent and contemporary framework for classifying senior executive roles in the NSW government sector.
The WLS indicate, in broad terms, the defining characteristics and standards to be performed across senior executives the NSW government sector, except for the Department Secretaries Band (Band 4).
NSW government sector agencies are required to comply with the WLS when designing and classifying senior executive roles.
The WLS also integrate key design principles for senior executive roles for agencies to consider for effective organisational and workforce planning
Who is this for?
The WLS are intended to support HR specialists within Departments/agencies who are responsible for classifying and evaluating senior executive roles. The WLS are also a useful resource more broadly as they indicate the Government’s expectations of the type of work to be performed by senior executives in each band level.
Legal Context and applicability
The Government Sector Employment Act 2013 (GSE Act) provides the statutory framework for NSW government sector employment and workforce management. It provides for a single executive structure across the Public Service, with common employment arrangements.
Under section 37(1) of the GSE Act, a Public Service senior executive is to be employed in a band that the employer of the executive considers appropriate for the role of the executive.
In determining the number of Public Service senior executives and the appropriate band in which they are employed, the employer is to apply the applicable work level standards and have regard to any guidance provided by the Public Service Commissioner.
Equivalent legislation applying to the Transport Service, Health Service and Police Force also requires the employer to apply the applicable work level standards and have regard to any guidance provided by the Public Service Commissioner.
Public Service senior executive structure
The GSE Act creates a single executive structure across the Public Service, with common employment arrangements, including standard written contracts of employment.
The executive structure is comprised of the following four broad bands:
- Department Secretaries Band – Department Secretaries
- Senior Executive Band 3 – Deputy Secretaries and Agency Heads
- Senior Executive Band 2 – Executive Directors and Agency Heads
- Senior Executive Band 1 – Directors
These role titles are to be used across the sector to improve consistency and create a clearer shared understanding of the nature of roles found in each band. Exceptions might be needed in rare cases, for example if the role is commonly referred to by another title, for example Chief Finance Officer or Chief Information Officer.
The Statutory and Other Offices Remuneration Tribunal (SOORT) determines the remuneration ranges for each Senior Executive band. Department Secretaries determine their cluster’s executive establishment. The WLS are the main classifying tool for determining the band for Senior Executive roles.
Role evaluation is then used to place the role within the band in terms of work value and, on that basis, set its remuneration range.
Senior executives are employed in the relevant band and then assigned to a role that falls within that band.
The NSW Public Service Senior Executive Remuneration Management Framework released annually by the Officer of the Public Service Commissioner provides additional information and guidance for agencies to ensure a fair and transparent approach to determining executive remuneration.
Relationship to performance development
While the primary purpose of the WLS is classification of senior executive roles, they can also be a useful tool in performance development by articulating expectations relating to the scope, complexity and leadership contributions required of senior executives in the NSW government sector.
The WLS are designed to operate alongside the NSW Public Sector Capability Framework which defines the capabilities and behavioural expectations, while the WLS define the characteristics of senior executive roles across each band to support effective design and classification of senior executive roles.