In the Australian Public Service, the ability to deliver is not merely a measure of your productivity or your capacity to complete a checklist. Under the Integrated Leadership System, the capability cluster known as Achieves Results represents a sophisticated blend of project management, resource stewardship and the resilience required to maintain momentum within a complex, shifting environment.
When a selection panel reviews your application, they are not looking for a list of daily duties or a simple confirmation that you completed your assigned tasks. They are seeking evidence that you understand the broader objectives of your branch or agency and can navigate the various obstacles inherent in public administration to deliver high-quality outcomes. This guide provides a deep dive into deconstructing this criterion and framing your experience to meet the rigorous standards expected of a professional public servant.
To write a successful response, you must first understand that results in a government context are multi-dimensional. The ILS breaks this capability down into several key behavioural indicators that evolve in complexity as you progress through the classifications.
Achieving results begins with the effective application of your professional skills. At the APS levels, this involves drawing on your existing knowledge to provide accurate advice or delivery. At the Executive Levels (EL1 and EL2), this transitions into a requirement to build organisational capability by sharing that expertise and fostering a culture of continuous learning within your team.
The public service operates in a dynamic environment where priorities can shift rapidly due to legislative changes, ministerial directions, or machinery of government reorganisations (or elections). Achieving results is often about how you pivot your strategy and demonstrate flexibility when an original plan is no longer viable, ensuring that the end goal is still met despite external or internal shifts.
This is a critical component for those aspiring to leadership roles. It involves the efficient management of people, time and financial resources. You must demonstrate that you can achieve outcomes while remaining within budgetary constraints and adhering to the principles of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act).
The Work Level Standards provide the benchmark for what achievement looks like at each level.
While the Situation, Task, Action, and Result (STAR) method is the standard structure for APS applications, an expert response requires a more nuanced execution. The goal is to provide a narrative that emphasises your specific contribution and the tangible impact of your work.
Provide only enough detail for the panel to understand the environment and the stakes. Avoid lengthy descriptions of the history. Focus on the specific problem or project that required your intervention. For example, rather than stating you worked in a policy team, specify that you were responsible for the implementation of a new digital service delivery framework under a strict legislative deadline.
This section should comprise the majority of your response. Use active, professional verbs that align with the ILS, such as spearheaded, negotiated, calibrated or implemented. Detail the logic behind your actions. Explain how you consulted with stakeholders, how you identified and mitigated risks and how you managed competing priorities. The panel needs to see the intentionality behind your work.
In the public service, a result is rarely just the completion of a document. It is the impact that the document had that matters. How did your role make an impact on the result? Did your intervention lead to a 15% increase in processing efficiency? Did you resolve a long-standing stakeholder conflict that allowed a project to proceed? Tangible metrics and qualitative feedback are essential to prove that your actions led to a meaningful conclusion.
To demonstrate a high level of APS literacy, your response should touch upon the following professional themes.
Show the panel that you do not simply work hard, but that you work with a clear methodology. Mentioning the use of project management frameworks, such as Agile or Prince2, or describing how you established a new reporting cadence to keep senior executives informed, demonstrates that you have a disciplined approach to your work.
High-performing public servants are those who can drive a project through to completion despite setbacks. Your response should highlight your persistence. This might involve describing how you motivated a team during a period of high staff turnover or how you found an alternative funding source when a project budget was reduced.
Achieving a result is of little value if the output is inaccurate. The APS places a high premium on attention to detail and the provision of evidence-based advice. Your examples can mention how you verified your data, conducted quality checks or ensured that your work complied with relevant legislation and policy guidelines.
Meeting the Achieves Results selection criteria is about proving that you are a reliable and capable professional who can deliver high-quality outcomes within the unique constraints of the public sector. By aligning your personal achievements with the ILS behaviours and the specific expectations of the Work Level Standards, you demonstrate not only your competence but also your readiness for the next stage of your career in the Australian Public Service.
