By the Complex Project Management Profession
Understanding Project Management in the APS Context
Project management involves the structured application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to meet defined objectives within agreed constraints such as scope, time, cost, quality, resources, and risk. In the Australian Public Service (APS), project delivery often operate in complex environments shaped by government policy directions, ministerial priorities, and legislative requirements such as the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and the Commonwealth Procurement Rules. Many initiatives require multi-agency collaboration and require strong attention to transparency, probity, risk management, and benefits realisation. Oversight is provided through mechanisms including parliamentary scrutiny, Australian National Audit Office reviews, and public reporting obligations.
Projects can range from small initiatives to large-scale, high complexity efforts involving extensive stakeholder engagement and interdependent delivery elements. Success requires not only technical project management skills, but also effective governance, leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to navigate the broader policy, political and stakeholder environments.
Project management capability develops progressively across APS classifications. For employees in early career roles (APS 4–6), foundational skills in planning, coordination, risk identification, scheduling and reporting offer a strong base for project involvement. At the executive level (EL1–SES), focus shifts to strategic oversight, leading multidisciplinary teams, managing political and stakeholder sensitivities, and ensuring benefits realisation. Executives are responsible for aligning projects with government priorities, managing delivery risk and maintaining effective governance arrangements. Regardless of classification, many core APS capabilities such as stakeholder engagement, governance support, coordination, and attention to detail transfer readily into project management roles.
Practical Pathways to Build Project Management Capability
APS development pathways combine on-the-job experience, targeted learning, and professional networking. Employees are encouraged to seek project related opportunities within their current roles, contribute to governance and reporting activities, or participate in working groups and taskforces. Mobility programs, secondments, and short-term placements also support capability development and broaden exposure to different environments.
Agencies and departments often host internal project management communities or craft networks, and the APS Mobility Framework provides avenues for gaining diverse experience. Regular conversations with managers about learning needs and career development goals are a critical part of building project management capability. Formal learning is most effective when it complements practical experience and is grounded in APS-specific methods, frameworks, and expectations.
The Australian Public Service Academy: Central Resource for Project Management Development
The APS Academy serves as the central hub for whole of APS capability development. It provides practical, government contextualised training available to all APS employees.
The Academy’s dedicated Project Management Hub brings together courses, resources, and communities that support development across the career spectrum from foundational capability through to complex project leadership.
Key Project Management Courses
Complementary Courses Supporting Project Delivery
- Benefits Realisation Management
- Program Logic
- Introduction to Evaluation in the Commonwealth Government
- Procurement modules
- Producing a Quality Cabinet Submission
- Dealing with Change
Broader Professional Development Opportunities
Beyond formal training, the APS offers a range of professional development avenues. The Complex Project Management Profession supports the development, retention, and deployment of specialist capability for delivering large, high complexity projects. It provides networking opportunities, structured pathways, and targeted learning for professionals aspiring to work in complex project environments.
Communities of practice provide access to peer networks, webinars, and best practice sharing. Members can also access practical resources such as program practice frameworks, contract management guidance, and toolkits designed to support project and taskforce environments.
Next Steps
The APS values learning and provides structured, accessible support for building project management capability. By investing in these development opportunities, APS employees can strengthen their contribution to effective project delivery and help achieve outcomes that deliver lasting and impactful benefits for the Australian public.