Cambridge City Council

As is the case across many public sectors, the Council attracts and employs a higher ratio of female to male employees. Between March 2004 and March 2007, the proportion of female employees averaged between 76 – 80% of the total workforce. In spite of this, this ratio was not reflected in the gender make up within the senior management cohorts of the Council and women have remained consistently under represented at senior management level. A significant challenge for the Council has been to challenge this under representation and continue to redress the balance. The Council is proud to report a steady increase in the number of women entering senior management positions against target:

This increase has occurred in part due to the implementation of the Women into Management programme, which offers gender specific management development for women in the Council.  The programme is designed to encourage female managers who have the potential to move into strategic management posts and to equip them with the skills and confidence to compete with male colleagues for these opportunities. The 5-day course facilitated by Prof. Susan Vinnicombe of Cranfield University is tailored to look at the specific issues facing women in senior management positions and those aspiring to get there - they discuss managing the workplace, have the opportunity to speak with women in senior roles and practice interview techniques. Following the formal sessions the women meet as action learning sets for a further year to embed their learning and develop their skill set..

Since its introduction in 1995, 116 women have engaged in, and benefited from, the Programme. Over this twelve-year period , it has undergone minor changes in order to better meet both learner and organisational needs. The Programme was altered from residential to day delivery in order to reduce costs and improve accessibility for women with childcare, and other commitments. In addition, during 2004 the eligibility criteria were altered and the Programme title changed from ‘Senior Women into Management’ to ‘Women into Management’. This change was initiated in order to support another level of female managers wishing to progress their careers. One of the aims of the Women in to Management Programme to act as a feeder for the succession-planning programme, which is open to both genders.

Building Capacity East is funding an innovative Succession Planning pilot programme run by a partnership between Peterborough City Council, Cambridge City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council. This pilot builds on the already successful programme that Cambridgeshire had, supporting:

-Heads of Service aspiring to become Directors and potentially Chief Executives in the long run

-Talented individuals including tier 3 managers who are aspiring to become Heads of Service and thereafter Directors.

In addition the council also has a well developed coaching and mentoring scheme and female managers are encouraged to participate in the scheme both as mentors and mentees. This scheme recently gained national recognition in the Daily Mail newspaper.

The Women into Management Programme has positively influenced the working lives of many female managers and their career aspirations. It has been rewarding to observe the growth of women’s’ self-belief and watch their career aspirations become reality. The programme has had a profound affect on the many participants. One participant reported:

"The women into Management course is the most powerful piece of training I have ever been on and had the biggest impact on me." (Gillian Leeper, 2005 cohort)

The Programme has undoubtedly provided excellent value for money as the Council’s human resource strategy has not only been consistently met, but exceeded.