Sue Smith
After her initial hopes of being the first British astronaut were dashed, Sue went to I.M. Marsh College of Physical Education in Liverpool. However, teaching practice in Toxteth convinced her that she didn’t want to teach in a school. Sue spent the next three years living in West Berlin, employed as a civilian instructor for the U.S. Army.
Sue’s local authority career started from the dizzy heights (or depths!) of recreation assistant for Anglesey Borough Council. The attraction to the job was teaching sport in a non-school environment and the only awareness that she had at this time of working for a local authority was the heading on her pay slip.
During her time in Berlin and on Anglesey, she studied part time for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and also for sporting and leisure qualifications, ending up with a Diploma from the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management and a dozen sports coaching qualifications. She was also still competing in sport at a high level.
Then followed a move to Aylesbury Vale Borough Council as a supervisor in a swimming pool, followed by a move to Wealden District Council as Deputy Manager of a leisure centre. Sue then embarked on an M.A. in Leisure and Recreation, which she completed in 1988. Sue satisfied her career ambition by becoming a leisure centre manager at the age of 30. So what next –
The next move was out of a tracksuit and leisure centre and into the Council Offices in Lichfield as Chief Leisure Officer. Sue stayed with Lichfield for 16 years, working in a number of roles including Head of Leisure Services (first position on corporate management team), Corporate Director for Communications, Culture, Community Regeneration and Partnerships and ultimately Deputy Chief Executive.
During her time with Lichfield she obtained a Diploma in Business Excellence and attended a number of development programmes, including the Public Services Leaders Scheme. In 2004 she led a Cabinet Office Review Team in Doncaster.
The last role was extremely varied which suited Sue and although she enjoyed it thoroughly, the question of whether to seek the top job inevitably arose. She was appointed as Chief Executive at Harborough District Council in July 2005.
She holds a number of team positions outside of work – she has been a Governor of a college and a Board member for Constructing Excellence. She continues to be a Director of the Royal Institute of British Architects and is also Chair of the Client Services Panel for RIBA. She is a mentor for the National Graduate Development Programme and a judge for the Local Government Chronicle Awards. She is also a Governor of a local school.
Sue’s hobbies include windsurfing and snowblading, photography and exotic holidays.