Working for the central government: Military precision rules in Anne Ihanus’ workplace

Working for the central government is an article series that introduces readers to interesting central government jobs and employees. Central government employers can submit articles to the Valtiolle.fi editorial staff at valtiorekrytoint(at)valtiokonttori.fi. The articles will be published on the Valtiolle.fi website and distributed on Valtiolle.fi social media channels.

What do your duties involve?

My main duty is drafting statutes. I am responsible for drafting legislative projects relevant to the Boarder Guard, and I participate in other administrative branches’ projects as an expert. I also take part in directing and developing legislative drafting in the Ministry of the Interior. Currently, I am working with a legislative project on the Boarder Guard’s powers as well as the overhaul of the legislation on processing personal data in the Border Guard.

The Border Guard Department also serves as the Border Guard Headquarters, and my work thus contains both ministerial and departmental level duties. For example, I participate in the Border Guard’s preparedness planning and provide legal advice for the Border Guard’s administrative units. I belong to the network of legal experts of Frontex, European Border and Coast Guard Agency, and take part in handling other EU and international affairs related to the operation of the Border Guard. My duties also include coordinating fundamental and human rights issues in the Border Guard Department.

How did you end up in your current job?

I was always interested in a career as a public official. I have a law degree, and I also completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in French translation studies. I joined the Ministry of the Interior as an EU affairs assistant before Finland’s previous presidency in 2005, and worked for four years with EU issues in the Police Department. I moved to the Border Guard Department in 2009 after securing a permanent position. I wanted to advance my knowledge about the drafting of national legislation and expand my competence in the field of internal security.

Tell us about the positive and negative aspects of your work.

As a drafter of statutes, I feel my work is highly responsible and has a lot of societal significance. Playing a part in developing legislation is rewarding. The Border Guard’s tasks have a wide scope, and my work is thus very versatile. My duties often require getting immersed in new topics on a short notice, which is challenging but also motivating. The fast pace of my work and, on the other hand, the time needed for high-quality drafting of legislation require an ability to prioritise tasks.

The Border Guard stands out among other departments of the ministry because of its military internal order. The public officials I work with include both civilians and colleagues with a military rank who regularly move from one posting to another. I have found it easy to fit in as a civilian and a woman, however. It is great that expertise in operative questions is available under the same roof.

Do you find reconciling work and free time easy?

Quite easy as a rule, although urgent tasks sometimes require flexibility. On the other hand, flexible working hours also work the other way, and the possibility of doing telework makes it easier for me to manage my time use.

(This article was published on the Ministry of the Interior’s website in April 2017.)