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How to Get a Job in Public Affairs

16/12/2025

In Public Affairs, Skills

By Harry Shackleton

How to Get a Job in Public Affairs

Public affairs is a fantastic career for people who want to shape debate, influence decisions and understand how politics and policy really work. But it can feel hard to get into if you’re looking at it from the outside. What exactly do public affairs people do? What skills do you need? And how do you stand out when lots of applicants have similar backgrounds?

This guide is here to help you navigate the industry, understand the different career paths and take practical steps towards getting your first role.

What Public Affairs Is: People, Policy and Process

At Inflect, we often say public affairs comes down to three things: people, policy and process.

People

So much of this job is understanding people. MPs, advisers, civil servants, journalists, business groups, charities and campaigners all play a part in shaping decisions. Being able to build relationships and understand what drives different groups is essential.

Policy

You do not need to be a policy expert on day one, but you do need to understand how issues work. Businesses and organisations rely on public affairs professionals to explain what matters, why, and what the evidence shows.

Process

Government and politics run on process. From legislation to consultations, Select Committees, regulators, combined authorities and more, knowing how decisions move through the system makes you far more effective.

If you enjoy a mix of people, ideas and systems, you will likely thrive in public affairs.

Where Public Affairs Sits in the Communications World

One helpful way to understand public affairs is to picture it as part of a wider communications spectrum that runs something like this:

Public affairs sits closer to the policy end. It is more analytical, more political and more focused on influencing decisions. But it also draws heavily on communications skills. You need to be able to write clearly, translate complex ideas into simple language and understand how narratives shape policy debates.

This mix of skills is what makes public affairs varied and interesting. One day, you might be drafting a detailed policy briefing. The next, you might be preparing lines for a CEO or helping shape a public message ahead of an important announcement.

Career Paths in Public Affairs: Where You Might Fit

There is no single entry route into public affairs. Instead, there are several different environments you can work in. Knowing which one suits you is an important part of the process.

Agencies (Consultancies)

Agencies are often where people start because you learn fast and work on lots of different clients and issues. It is busy, varied and you get exposed to a wide range of policy areas. This suits people who enjoy pace, variety and juggling several things at once.

In-House Roles

This includes companies, charities, trade associations and membership bodies. In-house roles tend to be more focused. You go deep into one organisation’s priorities and work closely with internal teams. These roles suit people who like longer-term projects, more structure and a clear mission. Purpose matters here. Charities and trade bodies often have a strong social mission. Agencies and corporates tend to be more commercially driven. It is worth thinking about what motivates you.

Parliament, Government and the Civil Service

Many people begin their careers in Parliament as researchers or caseworkers. Others join the Civil Service or work with Select Committees. These roles are ideal if you enjoy the process side of politics and want to understand legislation, scrutiny and policy making from the inside.

Think Tanks

Think tanks combine research, communications and influencing. They suit people who enjoy evidence-based work but still want to shape public debate.

London and Regional Opportunities

It is true that most public affairs jobs are still in London because Westminster and Whitehall remain the centre of political decision-making. But that is slowly changing.

Inflect is helping to drive that change. We have opened a Manchester office, and we are supporting networks such as Northern Influence, which is helping build public affairs communities across the North West, North East and, soon, Yorkshire. There is real talent and energy across the regions, and we want to support it.

If you are not in London, you still have options.

Organisations with regional presence

Many employers now have public affairs or stakeholder teams outside London. This includes universities, utilities, energy providers, transport operators, the NHS, housing associations, manufacturing companies and tech firms. These roles often involve working with combined authorities, metro mayors, councils and local MPs.

Devolved nations

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have their own political ecosystems with agencies, in-house teams, policy communities and think tanks centred around devolved legislatures.

Regional trade bodies, charities and membership organisations

These organisations can offer broad early experience across policy, communications and engagement.

Regionally headquartered companies

Large employers outside London often have to engage politicians and policymakers, which creates opportunities for regional public affairs work. Regional roles may be fewer in number, but they can offer quicker responsibility, more varied tasks and a closer connection to how policy is delivered on the ground.

What Employers Look For

Most people applying for junior public affairs roles have similar academic backgrounds. Politics degrees, IR masters and an interest in current affairs are incredibly common. To stand out, you need to demonstrate three things.

A clear interest in a policy area

This is the biggest differentiator. Employers want to see evidence. That could be events you have attended, think tank reports you have read, volunteering, campaigning, articles you have written or activity on LinkedIn. Your angle does not need to be niche. It just needs to be genuine.

Strong writing skills

Writing is the core skill in public affairs. Clarity and brevity matter.

Awareness of politics and policy

You do not need encyclopaedic knowledge, but you do need to stay informed. Reading one political briefing every morning puts you ahead of most applicants.

Relationship building

You do not need to be extroverted. You just need to be curious, thoughtful and reliable.

Understanding yourself

Think about the environment you work best in. Fast and varied or steady and focused. Purpose-driven or commercial. Policy-heavy or communications-heavy. It all matters.

How to Get a Job in Public Affairs: A Step-by-Step Plan

Step 1: Immerse yourself in the industry

Public affairs rewards people who understand the context they operate in. Build small habits. Read Playbook or a similar briefing in the morning. Follow practitioners and organisations on LinkedIn. Skim think tank reports. Watch a Select Committee session. Set up Google Alerts. Go to events online or in person. Information is one of the most valuable assets you can bring.

Step 2: Find your angle

Ask yourself what interests you. What topics or issues do you enjoy reading about? What experience do you bring that others might not? What motivates you? Your angle does not need to be perfect. It just needs to be real.

Step 3: Demonstrate your interest

Show it in your CV, your cover letter and your LinkedIn profile. Mention events you have attended. Share short reflections on articles or reports. Add your policy interest to your LinkedIn headline. Employers notice these signals.

Step 4: Apply strategically

Look at a mix of roles in Parliament, agencies and in-house teams. Think about what you want to learn and what kind of environment you will thrive in. Common entry-level job titles include Account Executive, Researcher, Public Affairs Assistant, Public Affairs Officer and Parliamentary Assistant.

Step 5: Build your network

Most public affairs hiring has a human element. Ask people for advice. Be curious. Follow up politely on LinkedIn. You do not need to “network” in a formal way. Just talk to people. It makes a bigger difference than you might think.

Step 6: Build a professional online presence

A clear LinkedIn profile helps people understand who you are. Add your policy interests. Post occasionally about events or topics you find interesting. Keep it professional but human. People will look you up, and that is a good opportunity to make a positive first impression.

The Best Resources for Getting a Job in Public Affairs

Here are the most useful places to find jobs, develop your skills and stay informed.

Industry bodies

Jobs and early career routes

Resources and platforms

News and analysis

Newsletters

Think tanks

 

Podcasts

  • Politics at Sam and Anne’s
  • The Rest Is Politics
  • Political Currency
  • The News Agents

 

Events and involvement

 

Specialist Recruiters (Public Affairs & Comms)

A lot of first jobs come through these agencies, and including them will make the guide more practically useful.

Parliamentary & Political Monitoring Tools (Free or Freemium)

Great for applicants who want to immerse themselves in the political process.

TheyWorkForYou

MP voting records, debates, speeches and parliamentary questions.

https://www.theyworkforyou.com

Hansard Online

Official record of parliamentary debates.

https://hansard.parliament.uk

Public Bill Tracker (UK Parliament)

Tables, amendments, progress and explanations of legislation.

https://bills.parliament.uk

Devolved Parliament resources

Scottish Parliament: https://www.parliament.scot

Senedd Cymru: https://senedd.wales

Northern Ireland Assembly: https://www.niassembly.gov.uk

Final Thoughts

Public affairs is ultimately about people, curiosity and communication. If you stay informed, get involved, build relationships and show a genuine interest in the issues you care about, you will put yourself in a great position to land your first role.

If you would like help navigating the sector or want advice that is tailored to your interests, Inflect is always happy to support emerging public affairs professionals wherever they are in the UK.

Author

Harry Shackleton

Harry Shackleton, Co-Founder & Director

Harry is an experienced communications and operations professional with 18 years experience working across public affairs and communications, in the UK, Brussels and with clients across Europe.

He started his career working for a Frontbench MP in Parliament and from there joined DeHavilland before moving to Dods and heading up their pan-European account management team. From there he moved into consultancy, working at GK Strategy alongside Emily Wallace, before setting up his own commercial and strategy consultancy, Shackleton Strategy in 2020. Later that year he reunited with Emily to found Inflect.

Harry lives in East London with his wife (also in public affairs!) and two daughters.

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