Alexandra Le Seelleur's career path to becoming a consultant, chair of her local environmental group and PhD candidate. Alexandra talks about switching to environmental work mid-career, volunteering in her local green space and transferring her skills to her job and further study. Current Job Tell us about your current role By day, I'm a freelance research & engagement consultant providing organisations across sectors the evidence, strategies, and hands-on support they need to connect with their audiences and drive meaningful change. I do research and data analysis, design campaigns using behavioural science and measure and evaluate impact using science and storytelling.In my spare time, I'm chair of a small conservation charity working with the local authority to manage and promote a local nature reserve, volunteer with my local library of things, and mentor for students at a local university.In September, I'm starting a PhD in Psychology to investigate behaviour change interventions for driving climate action. Career Beginnings When you were 15, what job did you want and who did you ask for advice?I had no idea! I did my work experience at a local veterinary practice, which I really enjoyed as I had always been drawn towards caring for animals and had a strong sense of duty. I probably needed someone to explain to me what that journey to becoming a vet looked like though, because at that age I wasn't one to ask for advice and didn't know how the higher education system works. When doing careers tests at school, I felt completely overwhelmed by the amount of choices that there were so I basically didn't choose any! My language and communication skills were definitely what helped me secure jobs Did you have an interest in the environment at this time? Biology had almost been my favourite subject at school and one of the ones I performed best in. But when it came to university, I applied for French and European Studies because I was fluent and felt it was kind of the only thing I had going for me. Then my chosen university cancelled the course but offered for me to choose something else instead, and I stumbled across the Human Sciences degree in their prospectus which sounded fascinating! It covered subjects such as biology, psychology, and anthropology - a really interdisciplinary course which appealed to my inner scientist. It included an ERASMUS term abroad in Iceland where I studied environmental ethics and became captivated by a landscape at threat of disappearing. Finding a cause that linked my love of wildlife with my sense of justice really seemed to ignite a passion in me. As a result, I tried to tailor my final year to include modules on nature, such as medicinal plants and tropical rainforests.What were your first steps in starting your career? I wanted to volunteer at a lemur conservation project in Madagascar, but I had developed panic disorder and agoraphobia as a teenager so flying was problematic. It also didn't help that it was 2009 and the world was in the middle of a financial crisis, so jobs were fairly scarce. I applied for a job at the RSPB but was unsuccessful, so just took whatever job I could at that point and tried to progress from there. My language and communication skills were definitely what helped me secure jobs at first, but those first few jobs taught me a lot of new skills too. Career path and skills What does your career path look like? One of my first roles in sales and marketing required me to use Microsoft Excel and I discovered that I not only enjoyed using it but was also very skilled at using it. I found my way into marketing analytics, primarily contracting within the tech and consumer goods industries, learning lots of various data skills along the way such as coding and visualising insights. Meanwhile, to do my bit for causes I cared about that I couldn't achieve through work, I would take part in and organise charity fundraising events, and started mentoring students at my former university. I gradually moved into market research roles and hoped it would help me transition into social research, but it was proving hard to even get through to first-round interviews. On one occasion, having just submitted my application to a job, Linkedin said that over 30% of applicants had a Masters. I also noticed many of the people in jobs I envied had post-graduate qualifications. So I did an MSc in Behavioural Decision Science when I was in my mid thirties, knowing I needed to hone my research skills and develop a subject matter expertise. I had become interested in behavioural science since it was an interdisciplinary and scientific approach to problem solving, and could be applied to a wide range of areas including the environmental crisis, which I increasingly felt like I couldn't just sit back and do nothing about.I carried on working throughout the MSc but my contract finished towards the end of the course, so I started volunteering at my local Library of Things in my spare time. A couple of months later, a local nature reserve was clear felled due to Ash Dieback, causing uproar locally. My communication with the council on the matter was professional and thorough, and I was encouraged by local councillors to form a group to represent the interests of the community and nature reserve, which I took on leadership for as Chair. Since then, we've had 135 volunteers, raised £30k for conservation and community initiatives, supported a number of young people to develop their conservation skills, discovered rare hazel dormice onsite, and won a number of awards. It's unpaid and can be really hard work, but it's also incredibly rewarding and has opened up a whole new world to me.I'm now 39 years old and have just start a funded PhD at the University of Bath to design and test real-world interventions that will drive pro-environmental behaviour change. So I've maintained the focus on research and strategy, just now within the environmental sector. I intentionally became a freelancer a couple of years ago to be able to work alongside my PhD and volunteering - I do have a mortgage to pay after all! There are a few careers options matching my strengths and values that I'll actively pursue after my doctorate, so I'm just doing my best to be a top candidate should one of those opportunities come up. And if all else fails, I'll create my own opportunities!What skills were important for you to develop in your career? Most importantly, I demonstrated passion. My willingness to learn and proven dedication were enough for people to believe in my potential, despite not having any deep environmental knowledge on paper. A great network within the industry has also been very beneficial, to fill any gaps in my knowledge and open doors to new opportunities. My creative and analytical skills are easily transferrable, and my strong communication skills - from writing an email to presenting findings - have always served me well. Volunteering has been a big part of what helped me get here and is a great way to get much-needed experience in the environmental sector. Finally, surrounding myself with people who inspire and support me, and learning not to underestimate my own worth and what I'm capable of, have given me the confidence to take on challenges I never thought possible. Choosing to do things even if they scare me, and learning to sit with the discomfort that comes with that, has been key to getting where I am today. If I could create any job in the environmental sector it would be...Environmental law enforcement. It is far too easy to destroy nature and as the world slowly realises how fundamental it is to our existence, I hope there will be greater monitoring and convictions for criminal activity. This article was published on Monday 19 October 2026
