Western Australian Executive Classification Methodology

Ensuring consistent classification of positions in the WA public service.

The Public Sector Commission uses the Western Australian Executive Classification Methodology to classify senior executive positions (Commissioner’s Instruction 32: Financial and Classification Management of Senior Executive Service and Other Management Executives).

The methodology is also used for classification determinations for Special Division positions and remuneration determinations for Prescribed Office holders in the First Schedule of the Salaries and Allowances Tribunal determination.

While agency staff do not need to have detailed knowledge of the methodology, they do need to understand the information required in classification submissions and align submissions to the methodology elements so the Commission can classify positions effectively and efficiently.

General principles, work value, workload and work mix

A broad understanding of the following principles and applying them when re-designing organisation structures and positions helps agencies in the classification process.

Work value: A measure of the size of a position relative to others. It is assessed against factors such as the work performed, its complexity, accountabilities, levels of authority and knowledge required. Work value does not consider quantity or volume of work.

Workload: Amount of work expected to be performed by the position in a specified timeframe. It can be impacted by changed administrative processes, increased environment demands and expectations. Workload is not a measure of work value.

Work mix: The combination of accountabilities in a position. While accountabilities may change over time, they may not necessarily translate to an increase in complexity or responsibility and therefore work value.

How the methodology works

The methodology is a points based factor evaluation approach that determines the comparative work value of a position in a structured and systematic way.

The information gathered about the position is compared to a graduated set of work level standards that have been agreed to for each of the work level tiers. These tiers align to the WA public sector senior executive classification framework.

Work level tier CEO Special Division Non-CEO Special Division SES General Division Public Service
1 CEO Band 1    
2 CEO Band 2 Non-CEO Band 2  
3 CEO Band 3 Non-CEO Band 3 Class 3
Class 4
4 CEO Band 4 Non-CEO Band 4 Class1
Class 2
5     Level 9
Below Tier 5      

The work standards comprise 2 elements that together define the key characteristics of each of the senior executive classification and remuneration levels.

  1. Work value factors: Characterise, determine impact and describe how work is done at each work level tier.
  2. Work streams: Typical duties and responsibilities at each classification level grouped under the key functional streams of public sector work.

Work value factors

The methodology evaluates and allocates points for 8 separate but related work value factors:

  1. Knowledge
  2. Relationships
  3. Judgement and risk
  4. Independence
  5. Strategic change
  6. Impact
  7. Breadth
  8. Resource management

The combined score places a position within a range for each work level tier and corresponding indicative classification level.

Positions may sit anywhere within the points range which reflects the diversity of executive roles in each work level tier.

The tables below detail each factor, types of position attributes that are assessed and examples of information required.

1. Knowledge

Factor measures  Examples
  • Level, scope and depth of knowledge and skills required by position
  • Level of advice provided by position
  • Level of specialist, professional, technical and managerial expertise acquired through formal learning and/or experience
  • Mastery of a specialised discipline including public policy and administration
  • Level of credibility and authority built through significant experience in the field of work and exercised by position
  • Depth of understanding required of context and work environment including external issues, policy frameworks and state/territory, national or international contexts
  • Legislation that directly impacts requirements and outputs of position 
  • Essential qualifications required to perform position
  • Types and scale of information and skills required by position 
  • Types of advice provided by position and to whom advice is provided
  • Types of accredited specialist, professional, technical and managerial expertise and/or experience required to undertake position
  • Level of experience in work area required to build personal integrity and authority applied by position
  • Specific types and scale of external issues, policy frameworks and state/territory, national or international influences that need to be understood

2. Relationships

Factor measures Examples
  • Extent of requirement to interact with internal staff and management including leading and managing own staff
  • Extent of requirement to interact with external stakeholders including ministers/their staff, staff or management of other agencies/bodies, other state/territory governments, private sector organisations, not for profit or non-government organisations, community and advocacy groups, industry and business representatives, unions/employer organisations, and counterparts both national and international
  • Level of sensitivity and complexity of issues and interactions
  • Ministers position engages with
  • Boards, committees, external bodies and forums position chairs or is a member of
  • Degree of corporate executive involvement
  • Organisation structure tier at which position is located
  • Type of organisation unit managed (agency, division, directorate, branch)
  • Number of staff directly supervised
  • Major external stakeholders (government, non-government, private sector, community or advocacy groups, industry and business representatives, unions/employer organisations)
  • Major internal stakeholders
  • Kinds of engagement, cooperation, influence, negotiation and conflict resolution activities undertaken
  • Kinds of sensitive and complex issues managed

3. Judgement and risk

Factor measures Examples
  • Level of judgement required to be applied to work of position
  • Level of judgement needed including extent of guidance available through frameworks, policies and guidelines, and degree of ambiguity inherent in position
  • Degree to which position must consider alternative courses of action and implications of these
  • Level and degree of risk to be identified, mitigated or managed
  • Types and degree of judgement needed to perform position
  • Types of work where position exercises judgement in absence of supporting frameworks, policies, and guidelines
  • Types of situations where position must consider alternative courses of action and their implications
  • Types and degree of risk to be identified, mitigated or managed by position

4. Independence

Factor measures Examples
  • Extent of requirement to make decisions without support and provide authoritative recommendations directly to others
  • Duration of decisions (short, medium or long term)
  • Extent of authority to approve decisions, recommendations or submissions of others 
  • Extent of freedom to plan for and structure objectives of the area of responsibility
  • Forward timeframes and extent of planning activities including requirement for contributing to or leading whole of agency strategic directions
  • Types of decisions position can make without support or referral to higher authority
  • Other positions the position typically gives direct advice and authoritative recommendations to 
  • Duration of decisions made (short, medium or long term influence)
  • Extent of authority to approve decisions, recommendations or submissions of others 
  • Extent of independence to plan for and structure the business objectives/outcomes for the area of direct responsibility and across the agency
  • Range and scope of future planning responsibilities of the position including any requirement to contribute to or lead the strategic direction of the whole agency

5. Strategic change

Factor measures Examples
  • Extent to which position is responsible for significant strategic change management or substantial reform agenda
  • Extent to which position contributes to or leads business improvement
  • Impact of managed change including complexity and extent
  • Degree and range of significant strategic change or substantial reform position is responsible for implementing/managing (for example, in area of immediate responsibility only, whole of agency)
  • Degree and range of business improvement activities position contributes to or leads (for example, in area of immediate responsibility only, whole of agency)
  • Impact of change, reform and business improvement managed by position including complexity and extent

6. Impact

Factor measures Examples
  • Scope of impact of activities of position (in agency or discipline, industry, community, region, sector, across state or nationally/internationally)
  • Delegations held by position
  • Scale/reach of activities undertaken by position (for example, in agency or discipline, industry, community, region, sector, across state or having national/international impact)
  • Types of publications/corporate documentation generated by position (provide examples)

7. Breadth

Factor measures Examples
  • Diversity of activities and requirement for integration of activities or policies
  • Geographical breadth of responsibility
  • Variety and nature of products and services managed by position
  • Types of activities managed by position related to or distinct from each other, and degree to which they are required to be integrated
  • Activities needed to be supported by policy/processes 
  • Activities managed by position are geographically dispersed (provide examples of variety and type of products and services managed by position)

8. Resource management

Factor measures Examples
  • Number of full time equivalent staff (direct and indirect reports)
  • Size of annual operating and capital budgets
  • Number of full time equivalent (direct and indirect reports) managed by position
  • Size of annual operating and capital budgets managed by position

 

Work streams

Work streams describe typical duties and responsibilities at each classification level and help validate work level factors. There are 6 key functional work streams of public sector work.

Work stream Definition
Delivery The most significant contribution of positions is service delivery. This may include development of delivery responses for policy objectives within a sector, or delivery of services within an agency (such as financial, human resources or IT). This stream also includes many operational positions.
Policy The most significant contribution of positions is the provision of policy formulation, implementation and advice. This advice reflects research, analysis and stakeholder views obtained through consultations; and articulation of policy in policy statements, regulatory or financial measures and legislation.
Portfolio and program The most significant contribution of positions is planning, management and ongoing implementation of significant project and program initiatives.  
Regulatory The most significant contribution of positions is information gathering and risk assessment, and design and implementation of compliance and enforcement programs within a legislative/governance framework.
Professional/specialist The most significant contribution of positions is provision of technical, professional, specialist or strategic advice with a commensurate level of complexity and risk; and accountability for impact/outcomes. This advice has a primary influence on adopted strategies, policies, plans and targets in terms of effectiveness or efficiency.
CEO Positions are defined as public sector chief executive officers (CEOs) or chief employees (s44 (2) PSM Act). Positions have responsibility for leading and providing strategic direction to the whole agency and are typically the highest ranking executive. They report on the status of the agency, ensure it remains viable and its structures, processes, functions and strategies are fit for purpose. A CEO reports to a Minster/s and may also report to and exercise the delegated authority of a board. 

 

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