Sophie leads Saxton Bampfylde’s Government Practice, specialising in senior and technically complex appointments across central government departments, agencies, regulators, and non-ministerial departments. Since joining the firm in 2018, she has led a wide range of high-profile searches, including Permanent Secretaries, Director Generals, Chief Scientific Advisers, and functional leaders across people, finance, and technology. Her work spans both executive and non-executive appointments, advising boards on leadership that can deliver long-term impact and outcomes. She began her career in Parliament before moving into the Civil Service, where she led work on electric vehicle policy and rail strategy at the Department for Transport. She later served as Chief of Staff to the Permanent Secretary at Defra, working closely with Ministers, the Executive Team and the Board, and playing a key role in bringing together the Defra Group. This experience gives her a grounded understanding of public service leadership and informs her advice to both clients and candidates. Sophie is motivated by helping public sector organisations define the leadership they need to deliver meaningful outcomes. She is particularly committed to candidate care and to widening access to senior roles, supporting individuals from under-represented backgrounds and those moving across sectors. She has served on the firm’s Trustee Board and was an independent volunteer for Action for Children for ten years. Sophie co-founded the REACH programme with the Civil Service, a mentoring initiative supporting colleagues with disabilities to maximise their career potential. She has received two global awards for this work – the AESC IDEAS award (for outstanding contribution to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (or “IDEA”) and the RIDI Making a Difference award.