Experience

Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)

• United Kingdom
• Motor Vehicle Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Environmental Manager

  • Jul 2021 - Present



Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)

• United Kingdom
• Non-profit Organizations
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Head of Policy Research

  • Aug 2020 - Jul 2021

• Deputy Head of Policy

  • Jul 2018 - Aug 2020

  Managing a team of seven expert policy advisors and overseeing FSB's policy survey and project programme.

• Senior Policy Advisor

  • Jun 2016 - Jul 2018

  • Managing a team of policy advisors, covering: energy and environment; markets and regulation; crime and access to justice; tax and employment; skills and labour. • Designing and overseeing FSB’s annual policy research programme, including the oversight and sign-off of project pitches and scoping, allocation of resources, management of staff workloads, development of member surveys and other engagement, and delivery of a pipeline of successful FSB policy reports.• Developing and implementing FSB’s post-Brexit policy response and engagement with Government.• Author of FSB policy report ‘The Price of Power: energising small businesses in the next UK carbon plan’.• Co-author of FSB policy report ‘Regulation Returned: what small businesses want from Brexit’.• Energy & Environment policy lead (see below)

• Energy and Environment Policy Advisor

  • Mar 2014 - Jun 2016

  • Engaging directly with politicians, government departments, regulators, and other major industry stakeholders around energy market, severe weather resilience, energy efficiency, microgeneration and fracking.• Researching and promoting microbusiness issues related to the energy use and generation.• Campaigning for fairer energy and water markets for small businesses, particularly the need for published tariffs and regulated Third Party Intermediaries (TPIs).• Researching the impacts of severe weather on small businesses and authoring the FSB Report ‘Severe Weather: building a more resilient small business community’.• Providing input into the Committee on Climate Change evidence report to Government, ahead of the 2017 Climate Change Risk Assessment.• Participating in Government and industry working groups, including Ofwat Water Market Planning Group, Ministerial Flood Insurance Roundtable, Energy Research Partnership, and UK Chemical Stakeholder Forum.• Overseeing the political and media campaign to ensure small businesses have access to affordable flood insurance.• Providing policy briefings, key messages and media lines.• Regularly contributing to consultations from Government and regulators.



Environment Agency

• United Kingdom
• Environmental Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Government Relations Specialist

  • Nov 2011 - Mar 2014

  • Playing a strategic communications role during the major flood events of 2013/14 and 2012/13, and the 2010/12 drought, advising senior managers, Government Ministers and senior civil servants. • Providing political intelligence, information and advice, and advising on day-to-day MP, MEP and local authority engagement. • Providing evidence to Parliamentary Select Committees.• Tracking legislation and other parliamentary and stakeholder activities. • Overseeing responses to information requests, Parliamentary Questions and briefings, and organising Ministerial visits.• Ensuring consistency across policy, communications and media teams.

• Communications Specialist

  • Jul 2006 - Nov 2011

  • Management responsibilities.• Managing communications and engagement for major projects, issues of high public interest, and major incidents (e.g. flooding).• Overseeing political and stakeholder engagement, briefings, speeches, articles and letters.• Providing communications support during major incidents.• Plain English and writing coach.



APP Middle Way Group

• Communications Consultant

  • Sep 2003 - Jul 2006

  • Responsible for leading a wide range of communications and campaign activities around animal welfare and hunting. • Carrying out primary research into the animal welfare impact of shooting foxes. • Responsible for leading a wide range of communications and campaign activities around animal welfare and hunting. • Carrying out primary research into the animal welfare impact of shooting foxes.



Member of Parliament

• Political Assistant

  • Aug 2002 - Jul 2003



Member of Parliament

• Political Assistant

  • Sep 1998 - Aug 1999