AFAC Strategic Command Program

The Strategic Command program is delivered by AFAC at the AIPM Manly campus in Sydney.
The program is designed to enhance the command and leadership capabilities of senior leaders responsible for managing emergency management events of national significance. 

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Delivered in partnership with the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC)

Senior leaders working in emergency management are faced with increasingly complex and novel challenges. These situations demand more than just operational competence; they require advanced strategic and conceptual skills.

To successfully lead in such environments, senior leaders must be able to strategically analyse problems, synthesise information from a range of sources, anticipate trends, balance interests, and make decisions in environments characterised by ambiguity and rapid change.

The Strategic Command Program focuses on building strategic command and leadership capabilities to respond to these events with the highest level of performance.

‘The mix of jurisdiction s and experience in the group was outstanding which in my opinion added to a successful program. All speakers were fantastic; it was great to have a wide variety of topics covered’.

‘Hard to isolate one key learning. The best aspects of the program are learning from each other, the insights from leaders in our industry and the chance to renew professionally.’

2024 participant quotes

How is the program designed?

The program is designed to address the demands of emergency management senior leaders during a major event with national implications for public safety. The capability areas of exercising command during complex crisis events, political astuteness, decision making acumen during continuity and change, executive presence and personal adaptive capacity are weaved throughout: all placed against the context of a multi-jurisdictional response to large scale and often protracted emergency management events.
The program is designed around three key elements: a cohort welcome; a residential workshop experience; and development of an individual leadership philosophy. 

A pre-residential virtual workshop of half cohort size will provide a relaxed and informal environment for participants to meet the AFAC SCP Program facilitators, fellow participants and be both welcomed by the CEO of AFAC and provided a general overview of the program. 

A weeklong intensive residential workshop experience provides a range of presentations, syndicates, case studies, off-site activities, reflective sessions and skills workshops; all supported by Commissioners/CEOs, a range of executive leaders in public safety and AFAC SCP alumni. Together, they provide unique value in contextualising the design and offering tacit professional knowledge, experience and perspectives to complement research, theories and development approaches.

Participants are given the opportunity to create and present an individual leadership philosophy to their peers, drawn from the residential experiences and intended to deliver organisational value to the teams and communities they serve. All stages of the program are led and delivered by the AFAC SCP faculty to ensure a tailored, challenging and supportive environment for all participants. 

Who should attend?

  • Superintendents, Commanders and public safety senior managers from emergency management sector from Australia and in the region. 
  • Executive level 2 and SES 1 officers from Commonwealth agencies.

Key dates

Duration

5 1/2 days residential program

Dates

Nominations due: End April 2025
Onboarding: May 2025
Residential: 15-20 June 2025

Price

$9000 + GST

Duration

5 1/2 day residential program

Location

AIPM, Manly NSW

More information