Career story: federal affairs lead

What does a day in your shoes feel like? And what are the key skills that can make or break a career in your field?

We’ve asked a diverse group of Apolitical members to share their career story with us and the tips they have for junior public servants. In this article, Tomas Martinez Adalid explains why it’s important to be prepared technically to fulfil your duties in their role as federal affairs lead.

What is your current role and how do you spend your time on a standard day?

I am the Federal Affairs Lead at the Secretary of Transportation and Public Works at the Government of the City of Buenos Aires. On a standard day, I divide my time between team meetings with the Institutional Relations Team and my boss, the Chief of Advisors to the Secretary. Afterwards, I tend to federal relations with cities, mayors, councilmen and women and other relevant political and technical authorities all over Argentina.

My main goal is to export successful policies implemented in the City of Buenos Aires related to transportation, mobility and public works to other provinces and cities of Argentina.

What did you do before taking up this role?

Before this role, I was Coordinator of International Affairs at the National Youth Institute of Argentina and later Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Minister of Social Development.

In your opinion, what are the most important skills someone needs to excel in your field?

My field requires a high level of organization to manage different cooperation and technical assistance projects at the same time with many cities and provinces. It is also very important to be able to develop, sustain and manage a large number of interpersonal relations with authorities of other jurisdictions.

What is your favourite part of your job?

My favourite part is the feeling I get when another city, no matter how big or small, implements in whole or in part one of our public policies to improve the lives of their citizens. The City of Buenos Aires has access to the latest public policies and top-notch public servants to implement them along with the resources and political will to implement them. However not the same can be said for other jurisdictions that have lower budgets and are less exposed to international innovations. I love feeling that as the capital city of Argentina I can help aid other Argentines to have better urban developments.

What advice would you give to new public servants who are interested in a career in your field?

I would advise new public servants that are interested in institutional relations within government agencies is to understand the value of interpersonal relations. More often than not, cooperation between public offices can be facilitated thanks to knowing the correct person to contact to ask for help or advice. However, not everything can be done through networking: one must be prepared technically to fulfil tasks duties and obligations to promote and implement transformations for the better good of citizens.

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