Deputies Leadership Program

Our Deputies Leadership Program is designed to challenge and guide early-stage Deputies to be effective and resilient leaders who build cultures of integrity, trust and collaboration in changing times.

Deputy leaders in the public sector operate at the political-administrative interface. They balance shifting political demands and public expectations with a growing menu of complex, tough and urgent public policy problems. They combine strategy, trust and empathy to design and deliver new responses and better results.

Deputy roles demand resilience, integrity and stewardship capabilities, the confidence to lead and operate in a digital environment, as well as mindsets for policy, regulation and service delivery outcomes.

This leadership development program, tailored specifically to early-stage Deputies, blends insights drawn from both academic thinking and practical experience in a collaborative learning environment. It puts you in the room with your peers and with senior leaders and practitioners who’ve been there, understand what it’s like to be a Deputy, and can speak candidly about their experiences.

You’ll leave with a new appreciation of the responsibilities and expectations specific to these critical public sector leadership roles, a deeper understanding of how integrity, First Nations perspectives and stewardship impact contemporary public sector challenges and a valuable network of fellow Deputies.

Interview with alumni: Deb Jenkins

Deputy Secretary & Chief Operating Officer, Corporate and Enabling Services, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (CTH)

This executive leadership program is designed for those who are:

• early-stage Deputy Secretaries (or equivalent) with up to around two years’ experience; and
• working in a public sector organisation in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand.

You can read more about the experience of previous participants in this article.

Our Deputies Leadership Program co-directors also sat down for a conversation about What Deputies need to know, highlighting the philosophy behind the program and the unique challenges that come with the Deputy role. 

Interview with alumni: David Mackay

Deputy Secretary, Regions, Cities and Territories, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts (CTH)

The Deputies Leadership Program grounds contemporary academic thinking on public administration with lived experience leading agencies and teams at the Deputy level.

Throughout this executive leadership program, you will create a network of peers across the public sector and:

• Deepen your understanding of the Deputy role and your Secretary/CE’s expectations in delivering on the department’s agenda.
• Improve the way you navigate the complexities of working at the political/administrative interface.
• Explore ethical decision-making and the inherent tensions in meeting integrity and accountability standards in the Deputy role.
• Become more aware of your leadership practice and how it impacts your team, Secretary/CE/DG and department.
• Develop greater clarity about what stewardship means and how that impacts your own leadership practice.
• Broaden your understanding of contemporary public sector challenges and explore their implications for leadership.

You’ll learn from:

• co-directors Kathryn Anderson and Martin Stewart-Weeks – leaders in contemporary thinking on public sector leadership with strong practical experience
• a wide range of national and international public sector leaders and academic experts in public sector administration and leadership.

The Deputies Leadership Program is delivered via two modules:

• Module 1: 3 days, in-person
• Module 2: 3 days, in-person

This executive leadership course is designed to enable participants to learn from each other’s experiences and challenges.

Your learning experience will be highly interactive, with small group discussions and reflection forming a central part of the program. Places are limited to about 30 per cohort to ensure a positive peer learning experience.

While program material will be provided to participants who wish to dive more deeply into topics covered, the program design recognises Deputies’ time constraints and will not rely on extensive pre-session work.

• Module 1: 10-12 September 
• Module 2: 15-17 October 

Location: Melbourne

Applications close 16 July 2025.

$22,990.00 (inc. GST)

Travel and accommodation arrangements and expenses are not included in the program fee.

To find out more about this leadership program:

• visit our Frequently Asked Questions
• at engage@anzsog.edu.au (please include the program name as the subject line)
• call us on 1300 ANZSOG (1300 269 764)
• Not ready to apply yet? Express your interest in joining a future cohort here.