Helen

Project: Programmes and External Funding

I graduated, travelled, returned, got a temporary job at Leeds City Council and loved it. So many aspects to local government appealed to me that I began to hunt for a permanent job and stumbled on the ngdp website. The scheme gave me the chance to try out different departments and career paths without losing the security of a job. Not knowing straight away the area I wanted to work in, this was a huge bonus.

The application process was smooth, the ngdp team helpful with my queries. I liked doing everything online and tracking my progress. I also found the information days, held prior to the telephone interview, useful in reassuring me I’d made the right decision in applying.

I’m currently a Policy & Partnerships Officer in the Programmes and External Funding team. This puts me right at the centre of things, developing strategies and policies for the future of Doncaster. Even though I don’t have much frontline contact with local people, I’m creating opportunities for them, and shaping the way the borough will look in years to come.

This responsibility motivates me; I’m making a significant individual contribution and forging links with people from partner organisations - vital in today’s local government sector. The wide range of people and tasks makes every day interesting.

The biggest challenges are deadlines and bureaucracy! Lots of reports to write – for the Corporate Management Team, Cabinet and Local Strategic Partnership Board – to get a policy or strategy approved, and it can take time to persuade people we’re moving in the right direction. But there’s a deep sense of satisfaction when senior managers and politicians approve initiatives.

I have to plan well to deliver against competing deadlines and priorities. I also have to be ready to drop everything if a request for a briefing comes in from a senior director or politician. Deadlines can be tight, but flexitime makes it easier for me to plan my working days, and I can work from home if I need to finish a report. The leave entitlement’s generous and as NMTs we get plenty of time to attend the Postgraduate Diploma at Warwick or help with ngdp events and information days.

At Doncaster, NMTs are seen as ‘agents for change’ who bring new perspectives and techniques to the table. We’re free to explore ideas we might not otherwise have the confidence to put forward. Sometimes it’s about getting people to change their attitudes slowly, rather than introducing immediate, high-impact change. Councils can be traditional and change takes time. As the ngdp gains status across the sector, more and more are looking to their NMTs for fresh ideas.

The biggest plus is the way practical experience combines with the theoretical provided by Warwick. It’s exciting to be an NMT while the ngdp is still young – there’s real enthusiasm for it in the sector, and a chance to shape the scheme for future years.