Kirsty Girvan
What employment sector do you work in?
NGO Sector
How long have you had a green job for nature?
2 years
Please describe the work that you do.
Leading on policy work and managing campaigns to tackle the climate, nature and cost-of-living crises by renewing and greening the built environment. My role as a policy advisor for an NGO involves advocacy to green the built environment, focused on retrofit, low-carbon builds, planning reform, and policies which protect nature and improve climate resilience. Also developing policy proposals which shift the UK’s places and communities towards a more sustainable future.
What do you most like about your job? Any dislikes?
Mostly like the feeling that we’re ‘fighting the good fight’, and meeting so many interested and passionate people. I really enjoy the work I do advocating for better national policies, but connected with local government to ensure delivery is place-based with community engagement at it’s core. I see policy as a hugely powerful, yet underused tool, in the drive for greater sustainability, but sometimes it is frustrating when government u-turns or doesn’t implement recommendations – makes it feel like the effort you’ve put in is irrelevant!
What inspired you into this career?
I’ve always been passionate about climate and tackling this in new ways. I did a masters in environmental policy, then worked for the government’s climate advisors (CCC) before starting on NGO/advocacy path. I happened into the built environment without knowing much about it, but it’s been better than I could’ve hoped, bringing together carbon, energy, nature, people, wellbeing, resilience etc.
Have you faced any challenges in progressing your career so far?
Competition is tough and when I was first looking for jobs after my Masters it felt like I needed far more experience (often offered unpaid) to get jobs which is demoralising. I think now I’m always conscious of who I’m meeting and staying in touch/connecting with people who might have useful advice or paths in the future.
What education/training did you have?
Undergraduate and Masters degrees (very lucky to have been able to do both of these).
What advice would you give to someone coming into the profession?
You’ll often not get paid as much working this industry but they it’s so rewarding so make sure you remember your passion and why you’re doing it when it might be that peers are working in very different corporate worlds!
Often in these kinds of roles, because people are so passionate, there is burnout so the other side of remembering your passion for the work is to remember that it is just work, and you need to turn off and take time to rest and switch off (usually in nature for me!)
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Tags: England, NGO sector, Policy and law roles, Policy adviser
Date profile submitted: 03/07/2025
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