Performance and development agreement (PDA)
Create an employee, executive, or chief executive performance and development agreement (PDA).
Under the Public Sector Act 2022, the professional and personal development of public sector employees needs to be proactively managed, with a view to continuously building expertise within the public sector.
As part of this development and as part of your positive management practices, managers need to schedule regular conversations and help your employees meet and exceed their performance and development goals.
For executive and chief executive officers, it’s important for you to draft and review your PDA on an ongoing basis to facilitate meaningful performance discussion with your appropriate delegate (Chief Executive or line manager) about your performance, leadership behaviour, learning and career development.
Use the Performance and development agreement template 505.8 KB) to have a guided and effective conversation about performance, learning and career development.
Complete a PDA shortly after your employee commences. Record initial performance expectations and review the document regularly to assess the employee's progress.
Set clear, expected outcomes that link to your agency’s organisational performance objectives and plans. See Creating line of sight 242.2 KB) .
Record development plans and career goals. Make sure that the employee’s goals support your agency’s strategic plan and objectives. Include the steps the employee needs to take and the support you need to provide. See SMART performance goals for help.
Key dates
Agencies set their performance and development agreement dates. Speak to your supervisor or contact your HR team for more.
Use the template to have a meaningful performance discussion with your appropriate delegate (Chief Executive or line manager) about your performance, leadership behaviour, learning and career development.
Complete the performance agreement shortly after commencing in the role, ensuring alignment with your chief executive’s performance agreement and priority objectives.
Your team’s performance and development plans should align with yours, with goals to contribute to the outcomes of the department and the sector.
Key stages of the cycle
The leadership performance is an annual cycle, applied in three stages.
Planning — annually
- Performance agreements are drafted by SES officers, using the Executive performance and development agreement template 968 KB) . The agreement includes high-level KPIs and priorities, outlining how they will achieve the objectives.
- The agreement should support the performance conversations with the appropriate delegate.
- The agreement to be finalised by the end of August, in a meeting with their appropriate delegate.
Monitoring — ongoing
- SES officers are required to undertake a performance and development self-assessment every 6 months.
- A mid-cycle review should support regular conversations with their appropriate delegate, with an opportunity for feedback on performance.
- SES officers should be having regular meetings with their appropriate delegate, to ensure they are on track to achieve their performance outcomes.
Assessment — annually
- SES officers prepare for the performance assessment, by undertaking a performance and development self-assessment.
- The assessment is finalised during a performance discussion with their appropriate delegate.
The Chief executive performance leadership framework 824.8 KB) (Framework) sets out the requirements for chief executive (CE) performance planning, monitoring, and assessment in the Queensland public sector.
The Framework focuses on performance expectations—both outcomes and behaviours that constitute performance—with reference to the Public Sector Act 2022 (the Act). CEs performance and development needs are at the centre of the process. This approach aims to drive a high-performing and future-focused leadership culture that enhances transparency, integrity, sector-wide stewardship, and accountability for performance.
Key stages of the cycle
The leadership performance cycle spans across 24 months, over three stages.
Planning — December and January on year one
- Finalise priority outcomes from the previous performance and development agreement, if applicable.
- Performance plans are drafted by agency CEs, using the Chief executive performance and development agreement template 1 MB) . The agreement includes high-level agency specific priorities with indicators (KPIs) outlining how they will achieve the objectives.
- The agreement should be informed by discussions between the CE and the relevant Minister, with endorsement of the objectives outlined in Chief executive performance objectives.
- The agreement to be finalised by the end of January, in a meeting with the Director-General, Department of the Premier and Cabinet and the Public Sector Commissioner.
Monitoring — ongoing
- Ongoing reflection and feedback are core elements of the 24-month cycle.
- CEs should be having regular meetings to ensure the CE is on track to deliver strong outcomes for the community
- CEs are required to undertake a performance and development self-assessment every 12 months. The behavioural aspects may be informed by feedback processes that focus on leadership behaviours.
- A mid-cycle review should support a formal conversation with the Minister, with an opportunity for feedback on performance.
Assessment — December and January at the end of the two-year cycle
- CEs prepare for the formal end of cycle review, by undertaking a performance and development self-assessment.
- The assessment should support a formal conversation with the Minister with an opportunity for feedback on performance
- The end of cycle assessment is finalised during a performance discussion with the Director-General Department of the Premier and Cabinet and the Public Sector Commissioner.
Depending on when in the 24 months cycle the CE commenced in the role, timeframes may be determined in consultation with the Public Sector Commission.