EL1 Policy Manager · Resume guide
EL1 Policy Manager Resume: Leading a Policy Team
EL1 Policy Manager is the first band where you manage a team of policy officers AND own a substantial piece of the directorate's policy agenda. Most APS6 candidates writing EL1 Policy applications carry APS6 language unchanged — and panels read it as not-yet-ready. This guide covers what EL1 Policy panels actually weight.
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EL1 Policy Manager salary range
Approximately A$110,000 – A$130,000 per year (Commonwealth EL1, 2026 indicative).
What an EL1 Policy Manager actually does
EL1 Policy Managers lead a team of 3–6 policy officers, own a defined policy portfolio, set the team's priorities, brief Deputy Secretary and Minister-level stakeholders, manage program budgets, and are accountable for the directorate's contribution to specific Government commitments.
What hiring panels weight at EL1 Policy Manager
- Direct people leadership. "I led a team of [N] APS5/6 officers" — with specifics on team performance and capability building.
- Policy portfolio ownership. Not just project delivery — accountability for an ongoing policy agenda.
- Senior briefings. Concrete examples of briefs you authored or signed off for SES or ministerial consumption.
- Strategic shaping. Evidence of contributing to the directorate's strategy, not just executing it.
- Capability building — what did you do to make your team stronger?
Weak vs strong: EL1 Policy Manager language
Same underlying experience, framed two ways. The first is what most candidates write. The second is what scores at EL1 Policy Manager.
APS6-style (under-claims at EL1)
“Led the cross-agency working group on data interoperability and provided briefings to senior leadership.”
EL1 Policy Manager-style
“Accountable for the directorate's data interoperability policy agenda, leading a team of four APS6 officers across three concurrent reform streams. Briefed the Deputy Secretary at five governance gates, secured Minister sign-off on a $12M four-year reform investment, and built a cross-agency community of practice now spanning seven Commonwealth and state agencies.”
Common reasons EL1 Policy Manager applications get rejected
- 1Carrying APS6 language unchanged. "Led the project" is APS6; "Accountable for the policy team's delivery against …" is EL1.
- 2Missing the people-management signal. EL1 manages people — your resume needs explicit team-leadership evidence.
- 3Tactical examples only. EL1 panels look for judgment, ambiguity navigation, and prioritisation calls.
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