Leaders who:
- embody public sector values
- are strategic and accountable
- drive service excellence
- support and develop their people.
Supporting high quality leadership development and strengthening executive leadership capability
In 2021-22, the Commission delivered a range of development activities, supporting over 1,030 executives and people leaders across the Victorian Public Service (VPS). Topics included learnings from the disruption of COVID-19, adaptive and virtual leadership, organisational design, transition and new ways of working, leading through change and building a high-performance culture.
We established a new leadership development model to adapt to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering tailored professional development in a targeted, timely manner.
We worked with the Victorian Secretaries Board to develop an annual plan for leadership development within the VPS, identifying priority leadership capabilities and priority cohorts for development and supporting cross-VPS networks and collaboration.
Throughout the year, we also continued to deliver the executive induction program. The program provides critical knowledge, insights, networks, and support for new VPS executives to ensure a successful transition. This year, over 140 executives participated in the program.
Promoting a connected and collaborative senior executive service
In 2021-22, the Commission coordinated regular executive forums to facilitate learnings from practice and explore new approaches to leadership that support an adaptive, responsive and resilient public sector.
Topics included, emergency and crisis management, working with ministers and their offices, modernising government services and leading flexible and hybrid teams.
We also delivered an executive conversation series focused on ‘Learnings from the disruption of COVID-19’. Over 550 executives participated in the series.
Executives are encouraged to maintain contact with one another beyond their training experiences so we have a connected executive network across the public sector.
Supporting executive mobility and career pathways
Utilising the Jobs and Skills Exchange, a new executive surge pool was created in mid-2021 to assist with the COVID-19 response.
Supported by the Public Sector Administration Committee, willing and suitable executives were identified from home departments and placed into a surge pool. Executives with suitable skills and experience were then referred to host departments for up to a 6-month period.