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Leadership Framework

ACER is committed to the professional growth of staff throughout their employment. We encourage and support staff in a variety of ways to actively pursue professional learning, including with reference to the ACER Leadership Framework.

Leadership at ACER is the process by which work direction is established to address ACER’s goals and values, and individuals are encouraged and supported to develop their skills in relation to these goals and values. Leadership is exercised by individuals or groups whether or not they are in formal positions of authority. Everybody at ACER can provide leadership in their day-to-day work.

The ACER Leadership Framework identifies a range of core leadership behaviours:

Setting Directions
Leadership involves strategic thinking and planning for the future.

monitoring external developments and evaluating their implications for ACER
identifying opportunities for new approaches and areas of work
identifying how work could be improved or done differently in the future
securing the commitment of others to pursue future possibilities
setting goals, strategies and timelines for achieving plans

Pursuing Excellence
Leadership involves an ongoing search for new and better ways of working.

setting and pursuing high standards in day-to-day work
identifying and implementing ‘best-practice’ methods and solutions
supporting and encouraging questioning, risk-taking and innovation
working to improve internal systems and processes
acknowledging excellence and celebrating success

Working Collaboratively
Leadership involves building highly effective internal and external relationships.

contributing to highly effective, collaborative team environments
promoting cooperation and cohesiveness and capitalising on expertise and synergies across ACER
acknowledging and respecting the perspectives of others
building and maintaining productive long-term relationships with external agencies, clients, suppliers and partners
disseminating and promoting ACER’s work to external audiences

Supporting Colleagues
Leadership involves supporting and contributing to the development of others.

actively promoting a learning culture in which everybody is expected to learn and develop
providing opportunities for colleagues to learn and gain experience
sharing own expertise, including by mentoring and developing the skills of less experienced staff
developing an awareness of colleagues’ strengths, interests and expertise
working to ensure that ACER has highly capable staff

Embracing Change
Leadership involves being open to change and leading change when appropriate.

accepting change as a necessary aspect of organisational development
explaining the reasons for particular changes
leading change in areas of responsibility
planning for change and communicating the implications of change to others
monitoring and evaluating the implementation of change
dealing constructively with inappropriate opposition to change

Developing Self
Leadership involves self-management, self-reflection and self-improvement.

seeking regular feedback on own performance
understanding own strengths and weaknesses and creating plans for self-development
welcoming new challenges and opportunities for personal growth
adopting a positive attitude to mistakes and the opportunities they provide for learning
modelling openness, honesty, integrity and compassion