Chief Executive Instructions

1. Managers shall manage their areas of responsibility in a manner that promotes the efficient, effective and ethical use of the department's resources that is not inconsistent with the policies of the Commonwealth.

The department's Departmental Executive will share responsibility with the Chief Executive of the department who is accountable to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Trade and to the Parliament for managing the department in a manner that promotes the efficient, effective, economical and ethical use of resources that is not inconsistent with the policies of the Commonwealth.

Managers shall share the stewardship of the department's resources and are responsible for exercising leadership and good management.

2. Staff shall ensure that their actions and decisions in managing the department's resources:

• are legal,
• are consistent with the policies of the Commonwealth,
• would stand up to public scrutiny,
• are fair and ethical, and
• contribute to corporate objectives.

The department's managers set the example for all staff in the stewardship of the department's resources to achieve the department's goals, including through the application of appropriate risk management principles and practices.

All managers and staff are required to uphold and apply the public service values of honesty, integrity and fairness and the department’s code of conduct.

3. Staff must follow the Finance Management Manual, issued by the Chief Finance Officer, which underpins these instructions and sets out responsibilities and obligations necessary for the proper management of the department's resources consistent with the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.

Key to this will be to ensure that:

• managers and staff clearly understand the department's overall objectives;
• resources are allocated efficiently;
• staff development and succession planning activities lead to competent staff being available to perform tasks and to manage risks;
• effective communication and teamwork is promoted within work areas;
• the department's work environment supports a culture of achieving results with acceptable risk; and
• staff have regard to and assist in the formulation and/or promotion of the necessary plans, policies, procedures, organisational structure, training and ethical standards that are required to achieve the department's objectives with acceptable risk.

Accordingly, managers will be held to account for their performance in providing staff with necessary authority, tools, skills and environment to achieve the intended outcome of efficient, effective and ethical use of the department's resources.

To this end,

• The Departmental Executive is to oversee the department's operations, and, in particular, to provide leadership to the department's managers in formulating and approving key decisions.
• The Audit and Risk Committee is to ensure that an independent internal audit function provides assurance and support for management and staff in maintaining a cost effective system of internal control.

Peter Varghese
Chief Executive
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Dated: 14 December 2012