Amanda Attfield
Assistant Director, HR and OD
Cheltenham Borough Council
What made you choose the public sector?
To make a difference, and to give something back, I think. Sounds a bit cheesy but it is true. My dad was in local government all his working career - in Environmental Health. My mum was a teacher and is now a councillor. So, I guess it was always on the cards, in the blood so to speak. Never let any one convince you that private sector have it harder or better! They don't.
How did you get to your current role?
Via university, private sector - M&S, BT plc - then independent consultancy, then voluntary sector. Public sector got me in the end!
What does your job involve?
A vast range of things from job evaluation and single status at the moment, to learning and development, employment policy and organisational development - culture and values.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The variety, the challenges of balancing out political and managerial leadership, making a positive difference.
What has been your greatest achievement within your career?
Setting up a recruitment centre; helping develop a regional portal with 11 authorities in the partnership.
What are your aspirations for the future?
To continue my learning journey.
What advice would you give to those interested in a management or executive career within the public sector?
Be yourself. Have singleness of purpose. Be clear what you want, think about what you bring and give to others. Be prepared to live with ambiguity, and to help give certainty. It's a bit like working in the clouds sometimes. Sometimes you see blue sky, sometimes you can't see your way clear, but clarity does come so don't get too frustrated. You have to be very patience and impatient at one and the same time. The rewards when you help make something positive happen to people's lives are huge.
www.cheltenham.gov.uk