Policy and Research Consultant

London or Birmingham office, hybrid working

Talan (part of the Talan Group) is an expert provider of professional services. Our vision and mission is to take positive action in a complex world for the future good of people and the environment and to enlighten and enable our clients’ transformation in an increasingly complex world.

We are purpose-driven, working across multiple sectors, tackling social and environmental challenges, improving and simplify the way markets work, harnessing the power of digital transformation and ensuring data is protected and used ethically.

Established in 2002 as Gemserv Limited, Talan provides a range of consultancy and outsourcing capabilities including programme management, market design and governance. We also have extensive and award-winning capabilities across cyber security, data privacy and digital transformation. We are a B Corp, IIP Gold accredited and Great Place to Work accredited.

The nature of what we do means we are very much a people business. The contribution every member of the team makes to our diverse range of experience, skills and personalities is valued. We invest heavily in learning and development to enable our people to develop skills and gain experience which will enhance career prospects for life. Many who started their careers with us have rapidly progressed to more senior positions.

No two days are the same, but we believe in a flexible approach to working which we know our employees value.

To apply for this role, please submit your CV along with a cover letter.

The role sits within a small, dynamic, and impactful team. You will be joining the Policy Insights and Engagement team, which works across all our low‑carbon projects, helping our clients understand what net zero means to them, assess the challenges, and identify solutions. A key part of the role is advising on how our clients can influence change. The successful applicant will be interested in low‑carbon policy, shaping energy markets, and be able to provide objective, evidence‑based arguments that influence how we think about, generate, and use energy.

Our work is designed to strengthen the voice of our clients to influence change at a national level and to ensure that we transition to a low‑carbon economy, protect our environment, and minimise the impact of climate change. You will work across a portfolio of clients, including trade associations, low‑carbon technology manufacturers, local authorities, and national government across the sustainability, heat decarbonisation, energy efficiency, and smart tech debates.

The successful applicant will have a demonstrated interest in low‑carbon energy or sustainability and the potential to develop deep subject matter expertise. Candidates must be organised and methodical, whilst also having the ability to manage competing workloads. Technical understanding of energy efficiency and retrofit technologies would be very valuable. This is a great opportunity for an individual interested in sustainability and the low‑carbon transition to work within a highly motivated team to help achieve action on climate change.

• Work across a diverse portfolio of government funding programmes, public affairs tasks, and research projects. This will involve identifying and coordinating inputs from other members of the Gemserv team.
• Lead delivery teams that conduct desk‑based research that analyses low‑carbon policy proposals (related to energy, buildings, and other environmental issues), and industry changes.
• Quality assure/review the work of junior team members to ensure client satisfaction and high standards are met.
• Author reports including policy position or advocacy papers, market research reports, policy insight pieces, client briefings, blogs, and contribute content for other works where necessary.
• Support the delivery of innovation projects and government funding schemes by providing administrative support, inclusive of drafting correspondence, document processing, and analytics.
• Leading the delivery of and coordinating workshops and events using a variety of tools to gain insight and encourage debate.
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