Performance and development agreement (PDA)

Use the Performance and development agreement template (DOCX, 498.7 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 (PDF, 159KB (PDF, 145.1 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 Executive performance and development agreement template (DOCX, 120.4 KB) to have a guided and effective conversation about performance, learning and career development.

Complete a PDA shortly after the executive commences as per the executive’s contract. Record development priorities and the steps the executive will take to achieve them. See Leadership competencies for Queensland for help.

The executive should base their PDA on their chief executive’s PDA, and their team’s PDAs should align to theirs. Team members should understand how their performance goals contribute to the work of the department and the sector.

The executive’s PDA must be endorsed by the Director General or their delegate.

Key dates

31 July

• Employees must complete their end-of-year self-assessment and submit for approval before 31 July.
• Supervisor must approve their employee’s end-of-year self-assessment by 31 July.

30 September

• Employees must complete a new performance and development agreement and submit for approval before 30 September.
• Supervisor must approve their employee’s performance and development agreement by 30 September.

30 December

• Employees must complete their mid-year self-assessment and submit for approval by 30  December.

31 January

• Supervisor must approve their employee’s mid-year self-assessment by 31 January.

Use the Chief executive performance and development agreement template (DOCX, 118.5 KB) to set performance objectives that will deliver on government priorities and support learning goals.

Complete this within 3 months of commencing, as per the chief executive’s contract, and then by the end of August each year. Record the steps the chief executive will take to achieve each objective and how it will deliver on government priorities. See the Chief executive performance objectives (PDF, 195.3 KB) for help.

Once the chief executive drafts their Agreement, the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC), Queensland Treasury (QT) and the Public Sector Commission (PSC) provide feedback to the chief executive on their draft agreement. They should seek input and approval from their Minister and submit their Agreement for final approval to the Premier or Premier’s Delegate.

Key dates

31 July

• Chief executives provide a self-assessment and seek comments and feedback from their Minister in July of each year.

31 August

• Chief executives are required to complete their agreement by the end of August of each year or within three months of commencing in their role (if they are newly appointed to the role during the financial year).
• DPC, QT and the PSC provide feedback to Chief executives on their draft agreements.
• Chief executives discuss, seek input and approval of the agreement from their Minister.
• The agreement and self-assessment are submitted by PSC to the D-G DPC, as the Premier’s delegate, for approval.

31 January

• Chief executives complete their mid-year self-assessment and seek feedback from their Minister in January of each year.
• The Minister approved mid-year review is provided to the PSC for noting.