The Greater Paris, a matter of territorial strategy

Before arriving in France, Lisa completed her education in Germany in Berlin. Naturally, she decided to undertake her undergraduate studies at Sciences Po within the Franco-German European campus in Nancy. She describes those two years as "fantastic." A year in Istanbul, exploring sociology and Turkish history, will complete her Undergraduate College experience.

Lisa then joins the STU Master’s programme, drawn to the study of the city in all its complexity and with the impression that local issues have an impact. In 2009, Lisa undertakes her final internship at the Agence nouvelle des solidarités actives, an association created in 2006 by Martin Hirsch, which experiments with and evaluates innovative programmes aimed at combating poverty. She has two roles: on the one hand, to support the Conseil Général of Meurthe-et-Moselle in the implementation of the Active Solidarity Income, and on the other hand, to participate in the European project "Hope in stations". It was a highly enriching experience, both in dealing with administration and in the autonomy afforded within a significant European project involving many stakeholders.

Lisa then transitions into the professional world with the aim of working in the public sector. She begins working within a political group at the National Assembly. From note-taking, monitoring, working groups, to drafting amendments, Lisa learns to work very quickly and gains legal skills. However, she lacks the project dimension that she cherishes. She decides to shift her focus to a local structure near her home, specifically in her town of Clichy-la-Garenne. She joins the Town Hall as the Administrative Officer for the Mayor's office. She manages the agenda, assists the Mayor, but most importantly, acts as a liaison with elected officials and service departments. This job requires a great deal of coordination, dynamism, and involvement.

Yet, Lisa wishes to return to what she loves, the project aspect within a framework of territorial strategies. What could be better than the Grand Paris? Lisa becomes the project manager for Grand Paris. It is a cross-sectional role that involves governance, housing, transport, and a demonstrated capacity for coordination among various stakeholders. According to Lisa, it is a genuine territorial and urban strategy project that raises numerous questions: What constitutes a territory? What territory do we want to belong to? Fascinating questions that create synergies among the services.

Recently, Lisa has become the project manager for International Relations. A new challenge that will lead her, not without pleasure, a bit into Germany as Clichy-la-Garenne is twinned with the German city of Heidenheim. She is also preparing for the territorial attaché exam.

Lisa's advice

• One should not be afraid of change in one's professional life. By trusting in one's network (Alumni and In Situ) and training, one can easily bounce back.
• Don’t skip the step: "What do I want to do in my professional life?". It’s important to pay attention to the orientation crisis and reflect on what one wishes to do.
• Learn to market oneself well during interviews and generally in professional life.

A big thank you to Lisa for taking some time to speak with us.