About Public First, a SHGH company

Public First is a specialist consultancy that helps charities, philanthropists, public sector bodies and global brands to improve public policy. Based in London, we have worked in more than thirty international markets.

We are part think tank, part strategic consultancy, part research company, and part communications agency. In practice, we bring together the disciplines that make policy change happen: research and analysis, political insight, strategy and communications.

Our team includes former senior civil servants, political advisers, campaigners, researchers and journalists. Many of us have worked at the most senior levels of government, Parliament and political campaigns, and we continue to be active across the political spectrum.

Public First works alongside Stonehaven as part of SHGH, a Group of cross-border advisory firms, guiding clients through an unprecedented period of change in policy, politics, regulation, and sustainable growth.

Energy, Climate and Environment at Public First

Working in the Energy, Climate and Environment Practice, you’ll help to deliver policy, campaigns and data projects. You will deepen your knowledge of the political landscape surrounding climate & energy policy, help to analyse public opinion insights and policy realities, and bring new research to life for our clients.  The Practice combines the strengths of Public First and Stonehaven.

Our recent projects have included: 

· From Risk to Resilience: The Case for Flood-Resilient Communities, Economy and Growth – Public First economic and opinion research quantifying the costs of flooding in the UK and making the case for long-term investment in flood resilience.

· What is Retrofit Anyway? - Public First research on how homeowners understand and respond to retrofit, identifying motivations and barriers to energy efficiency upgrades.

· Atomlink: Unlocking Civil Nuclear Expansion at the Western Frontier – Stonehaven policy analysis outlining a trilateral US–UK–Poland framework to accelerate civil nuclear expansion, strengthen supply chains and boost energy security.

· North Sea Transition Taskforce – Stonehaven-led policy recommendations on delivering a managed transition of the North Sea that protects jobs, investment and UK energy security.

The Role

We are recruiting a Senior Policy Manager to play a leading role in delivering and shaping our Energy, Climate and Environment policy work.

This role is suited to someone with substantial experience — typically three to five years — in policy, research, consultancy or a closely-related field, who is ready to take ownership of projects and act as a trusted adviser to clients.

Senior Policy Managers at Public First lead projects day-to-day, manage and support more junior colleagues, and make a strong intellectual contribution to the firm's work. You will work closely with Associate Directors and Directors to design projects, develop insights and arguments, and support the growth and profile of our Energy, Climate and Environment practice.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone who:

• Is an outstanding communicator: You will have a strong track record of producing clear, persuasive written work for senior audiences, and be confident presenting and discussing complex issues with clients, policymakers and sector leaders.

• Brings credibility in energy, climate or environmental policy: You may come from government, a think tank, a charity, a business, a trade body, a consultancy or another relevant setting, but you should be comfortable engaging at a relatively senior level on energy and climate policy — whether on domestic policy, international frameworks, the energy transition, or environmental regulation.

• Can lead complex projects independently: You will be experienced in managing multifaceted projects, setting direction, overseeing timelines, and ensuring high-quality outputs.

• Is comfortable working directly with clients: You should have experience building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, leading client discussions and contributing to proposals or new work.

• Provides intellectual leadership: You will contribute original ideas, frame problems clearly, challenge assumptions where appropriate, and help shape Public First's thinking and voice on energy and climate policy.

• Supports and develops others: You should be motivated by helping more junior colleagues grow, providing constructive feedback, and contributing to a strong, collaborative team culture.

• Is commercially minded: Experience contributing to business development, identifying opportunities for organic account growth, and supporting new client acquisition is valued, though not required.

What you’ll do

• Project leadership: Leading energy and climate projects day-to-day, with responsibility for delivery, quality and coordination across the team.

• Research and analysis: Conducting desk research, focus groups and polling; analysing quantitative and qualitative data; ensuring outputs are rigorous, well-structured and persuasive.

• Advocacy and engagement: Shaping and supporting advocacy strategies linked to our research, including developing policy recommendations, briefings and messaging, and engaging with policymakers, parliamentarians, sector leaders and other stakeholders.

• Client relationships: Acting as a day-to-day lead for clients, building trusted relationships and ensuring work meets client needs and expectations.

• New business: Identifying opportunities for organic growth on existing accounts and contributing to new business initiatives and the practice's growth strategy.

• Team working: Collaborating effectively with colleagues across Public First, communicating clearly about progress and challenges, and contributing positively to team and organisational culture.

Location and Salary

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and particularly encourage applications from candidates with disabilities and candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds.

We operate a hybrid working model, with a mix of home working and core office days of Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Our main office is based in Victoria. Many of us, including the founders, have young children and we work hard to be genuinely family-friendly. 

For this role we expect salary to range from £46,00 to £55,00 for Senior Policy Manager, with flexibility based on candidate experience.

We also offer a bonus programme, 5% pension contribution, 25 days annual leave, and private healthcare.

Closing Date: 17 July 2026

Interview/Start Dates 

Start date: ASAP, with flexibility for the right candidate. 

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to take part in a 30-minute online interview. If successful, you will be invited to an hour-long in-person interview at 20 Victoria Street SW1H 0NB. You will prepare a test task that will be arranged for a time convenient for you, to be presented and discussed at final interview.