SES Band 3 Salary Guide: Deputy Secretary & Agency Head Pay
An authoritative guide to Senior Executive Service Band 3 remuneration across the Commonwealth of Australia. Explores base salary benchmarks ($370,000 – $620,000), 15.4% superannuation, executive packaging, Section 24(1) Determinations, and high-level portfolio leadership responsibilities.
1. Role Scope and Executive Responsibilities of an SES Band 3
The Senior Executive Service (SES) Band 3 classification constitutes the pinnacle of public sector executive management beneath the departmental head. Standardly designated as Deputy Secretary or Associate Secretary in major departments of state, and as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Director-General in statutory agencies, Band 3 officers represent the most senior permanent bureaucratic leadership in Australia.
A Deputy Secretary leads multi-divisional groups comprising thousands of staff and multiple subsidiary operational branches. Beneath an SES Band 3 sits a leadership hierarchy of SES Band 2 First Assistant Secretaries, SES Band 1 Assistant Secretaries, and dozens of operational directors. In major departments—such as the Department of Defence, Services Australia, the Department of the Treasury, and the Department of Home Affairs—an SES Band 3 executive routinely oversees multi-billion-dollar portfolio appropriations and critical national infrastructure.
Core Strategic Responsibilities of a Deputy Secretary
- Whole-of-Portfolio Leadership: Translating overarching Cabinet policy mandates into complex, operational agency initiatives spanning multi-year funding cycles.
- Direct Advice to Cabinet and Ministers: Serving as the primary policy architect for portfolio Ministers, participating directly in National Security Committee of Cabinet (NSC) deliberations, and drafting foundational legislative reforms.
- Acting Departmental Secretary: Serving as Acting Secretary during absences, illness, or overseas delegations, assuming legal responsibility for the entire department under the Public Service Act 1999.
- High-Stakes Parliamentary Accountability: Leading departmental delegations before Senate Standing Committees, public inquiry hearings, and royal commissions, defending agency integrity and financial stewardship.
- Crisis Management and National Resilience: Directing emergency responses to national crises, cyber security emergencies, geopolitical tensions, and economic emergencies.
The Cohort Size: Elite Executive Representation
The SES Band 3 cadre is extraordinarily compact. Out of more than 175,000 public servants in the APS, there are typically only 50 to 65 substantive SES Band 3 executives across the entire Commonwealth of Australia at any time. This exclusivity underscores the immense level of trust, competence, and scrutiny placed upon this tier.
2. How SES Band 3 Remuneration Is Set in the Commonwealth
Remuneration for SES Band 3 executives is established individually under Section 24(1) of the Public Service Act 1999 by the Departmental Secretary, rather than through negotiated collective enterprise agreements.
While the Secretary has statutory flexibility to negotiate remuneration packages to secure high-caliber executive talent—including prominent commercial executives, distinguished academics, or legal leaders—all determinations are bound by the APSC Performance, Remuneration and Non-SES Performance Framework and benchmarked against data published in the annual APSC Remuneration Report.
Key Principles of SES Band 3 Pay Governance
- Annual Performance Review: Band 3 executives do not receive automatic tenure-based wage increments. Remuneration adjustments occur following annual performance appraisals conducted directly by the Departmental Secretary.
- Mandatory APSC Remuneration Reporting: Every Commonwealth agency must submit full executive compensation figures to the Australian Public Service Commission annually. The APSC publishes detailed percentiles (25th, median, 75th, and 95th) to maintain parliamentary transparency.
- Elimination of Performance Bonuses: Under modern Commonwealth executive remuneration guidelines, at-risk cash performance bonuses have been largely phased out, replacing variable bonuses with stable base remuneration and guaranteed superannuation.
- Public Executive Remuneration Disclosures: Under PGPA Rule Section 17CA, every Commonwealth department must publish detailed, named or disaggregated remuneration disclosures for all key management personnel (including SES Band 3 executives) in their annual report tabled in Federal Parliament.
3. Total Remuneration Package (TRP) Breakdown
In Commonwealth executive administration, remuneration is framed as either Base Salary or Total Remuneration Package (TRP). For an SES Band 3 officer, non-cash executive benefits and statutory superannuation add $80,000 to $130,000+ above base salary:
| Remuneration Element | Commonwealth Statutory Framework | Typical Annual Value |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary Span | Taxable base salary paid fortnightly via PAYG payroll. Standard range set by individual Section 24(1) Determination. | $370,000 – $530,000+ |
| 15.4% Employer Superannuation | Guaranteed Commonwealth employer superannuation contribution (PSSap, CSS legacy, or compliant choice fund) on ordinary earnings. | $56,980 – $81,620+ |
| Executive Motor Vehicle Package | Full private plated vehicle (PPV) facility (including fuel, comprehensive insurance, servicing) or cash-in-lieu executive vehicle allowance. | $26,000 – $34,000 |
| Dedicated Executive Parking | Guaranteed reserved underground or priority parking bay at departmental national headquarters. | $5,000 – $8,500 |
| Executive Medical & Health Checks | Annual comprehensive executive health assessment, cardiac screening, and occupational health entitlements. | $2,000 – $3,500 |
| Travel & Representation Facilities | Executive airline lounge memberships (Qantas Chairman's Lounge / Virgin The Club nominations where eligible), business-class travel, and official entertaining allowances. | Included in duty package |
On a typical median base salary of $440,000, an SES Band 3 executive receives a fortnightly gross payment of approximately $16,920. After personal PAYG income tax, the Medicare levy (and high-income Division 293 superannuation tax surcharges), net take-home pay is approximately $11,362 per fortnight, plus an employer superannuation contribution exceeding $2,600 every fortnight.
4. Executive Hierarchy: Comparing EL 2, Band 1, Band 2, Band 3, and Secretary
To place SES Band 3 in proper institutional context, the table below maps the complete progression across the upper echelons of the Australian Government:
| Level | Typical Role Title | Base Salary Range | Total Remuneration (TRP) | Statutory Instrument |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EL 2 | Director, Senior Project Lead | $150,800 – $182,500 | $175,000 – $215,000 | Agency Enterprise Agreement |
| SES Band 1 | Assistant Secretary, Branch Manager | $200,000 – $280,000 | $250,000 – $340,000 | Section 24(1) Determination |
| SES Band 2 | First Assistant Secretary, Division Head | $280,000 – $370,000 | $340,000 – $440,000+ | Section 24(1) Determination |
| SES Band 3 (Current) | Deputy Secretary, Associate Secretary, Agency CEO | $370,000 – $620,000 | $450,000 – $650,000+ | Section 24(1) Determination |
| Departmental Secretary | Secretary of the Department (e.g. Treasury, Defence) | $700,000 – $950,000+ | $800,000 – $1,050,000+ | Remuneration Tribunal Determination |
5. Appointment Process, Security Clearances, and Career Pathways
Securing an appointment as an SES Band 3 Deputy Secretary is one of the most demanding processes in Australian governance. Vacancies are advertised publicly through national channels and require endorsement through the highest levels of the APS leadership establishment.
The Selection Panel and Commission Oversight
In accordance with the Australian Public Service Commissioner’s Directions, an SES Band 3 selection committee is chaired by the Departmental Secretary and must include the Australian Public Service Commissioner(or the Commissioner's direct delegate). The panel conducts comprehensive behavioral interviews, executive psychometric profiling, stakeholder referencing, and rigorous past-performance audits.
Security Clearance Protocols
Due to the nature of portfolio oversight, SES Band 3 executives interact daily with classified national intelligence, Cabinet deliberations, and international diplomatic briefings. Successful appointees must undergo an exhaustive vetting process administered by the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA), achieving and maintaining a Negative Vetting Level 2 (NV2) or Positive Vetting (PV) clearance.
Pathway to Departmental Secretary
SES Band 3 is the primary talent pipeline for appointment to Departmental Secretary. When a Secretary position becomes vacant, the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) and the Public Service Commissioner provide formal appointment recommendations to the Prime Minister, drawing predominantly from experienced, high-performing SES Band 3 Deputy Secretaries.
6. Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the salary range for an SES Band 3 in the Australian Public Service?
Base salaries for Senior Executive Service (SES) Band 3 officers typically span between $370,000 and $620,000 per year, depending on portfolio complexity and individual executive determinations. Total Remuneration Packages (TRP), incorporating 15.4% employer superannuation and executive allowances, typically range from $450,000 to over $650,000 annually.
2. What job titles correspond to the SES Band 3 classification?
In major Australian Government departments, SES Band 3 executives are standardly titled Deputy Secretary or Associate Secretary. In statutory agencies and executive commissions, an SES Band 3 officer frequently serves as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Agency Head, or Director-General.
3. Is an SES Band 3 the highest classification in the Australian Public Service?
Within the Senior Executive Service structure of the Public Service Act 1999, Band 3 is the highest classification tier. Above SES Band 3 sits the Departmental Secretary classification, which is appointed by the Prime Minister and remunerated separately under determinations of the independent Commonwealth Remuneration Tribunal.
4. How many SES Band 3 executives exist across the Commonwealth?
The SES Band 3 cohort is exceptionally small and selective. Across the entire Australian Public Service workforce of roughly 175,000 employees, there are typically only 50 to 65 substantive SES Band 3 officers serving at any given time.
5. How is SES Band 3 remuneration set and negotiated?
SES Band 3 remuneration is set under Section 24(1) of the Public Service Act 1999 by the Departmental Secretary, guided by the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) Performance, Remuneration and Non-SES Performance Framework. Remuneration levels are published in aggregate in the annual APSC Remuneration Report and individually in departmental annual report executive disclosure tables.
6. What security clearance is required for an SES Band 3 officer?
Given their direct access to Cabinet documents, National Security Committee deliberations, and sensitive intelligence assessments, virtually all SES Band 3 Deputy Secretaries must hold and maintain either a Negative Vetting Level 2 (NV2) or Positive Vetting (PV) Commonwealth security clearance.
7. Official References and Related Guides
All compensation benchmarks, legislative determinations, and executive frameworks cited on this page are grounded in official Commonwealth documentation:
- APSC Remuneration Reports: Official Annual Statistical Releases ↗
- Australian Public Service Commission: Senior Executive Service Guidelines ↗
- Commonwealth Remuneration Tribunal: Departmental Secretaries Determination ↗
Last verified against official APSC data: 1 July 2026. All figures exclude individual personal packaging deductions.