Heidi Williams is an independent marine environmental consultant working with the Environment Protection Agency in Sierra Leone on preparations for the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement). After roles in UK government and environmental consultancies, Heidi now works on ocean governance, environmental policy, and stakeholder engagement in an international context. In this profile, Heidi discusses moving between sectors, developing transferable skills, and the importance of relationships in environmental work.
Profile snapshot
Role: Independent consultant – marine environmental policy and ocean governance
Organisation type: Independent / freelance
Country / region: Sierra Leone / Africa
Role type: Independent consultant
Focus areas: Biodiversity, Marine protected areas, Policy and governance, Stakeholder/community engagement
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Your current role
What is your current role and what kind of organisation do you work for?
I’m working as an independent consultant for the Environment Protection Agency – Sierra Leone. My assignment is part of the national effort to prepare for ratification and implementation of the new High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement). My role is to review Sierra Leone’s existing legal, policy, and institutional frameworks, identify gaps, and recommend measures to strengthen national readiness for ocean governance in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Before this, I spent six years in the UK across government and private consultancy roles, which gave me the regulatory, technical, and stakeholder engagement experience I now apply internationally.
For context, I relocated to Sierra Leone in early January 2026 with the aim of contributing to environmental and social initiatives while gaining international experience in marine and coastal consultancy. The move has allowed me to apply my expertise in ocean governance, stakeholder engagement, and environmental assessments in a new cultural and professional context. It was both a career and personal decision, combining professional growth with the adventure of living and working in West Africa. My plan is to return to the UK within the next 1.5 years, bringing back the insights and experience gained here to further strengthen my career.
What does a typical week look like?
A week usually blends desk-based research with stakeholder engagement. I spend time reviewing legislation, policies, and institutional documents, then meet with ministries, agencies, and local partners to gather insights. Whilst in Sierra Leone, I also facilitate workshops and site visits, ensuring diverse voices are included in ocean governance discussions. In previous consultancy roles, weeks often involved managing offshore wind assessments, dredging programmes, or fisheries impact studies which balanced technical delivery with client liaison.
What skills do you use most often in your role, including any technical, practical, or soft skills?
Analytical & Technical Skills
I regularly apply strong analytical skills to review complex legislation, policies, and environmental assessments. At Defra, this meant coordinating the Habitats Regulations Reform and drafting risk assessments for marine species. At Mott MacDonald, I led Fisheries Impact Assessments across 18 Marine Protected Areas, synthesising large datasets into clear evidence for government decisions. At ABPmer, I authored Habitat Regulations Assessments and Marine Licence applications, ensuring compliance for offshore wind and nuclear projects. In Sierra Leone, I now analyse national frameworks against the requirements of the BBNJ Agreement, identifying gaps and opportunities for reform.
Stakeholder Engagement & Facilitation
Stakeholder engagement is central to my work. At Defra, I led consultations on Highly Protected Marine Areas and the Coastal Concordat, bringing together government, industry, and community voices. In consultancy roles, I managed client relationships and coordinated multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring technical outputs aligned with stakeholder expectations. In Sierra Leone, I facilitate workshops with ministries, universities, civil society, and local communities, ensuring inclusive participation and that recommendations resonate across diverse groups.
Report Writing & Review
Clear, evidence-based reporting has been a constant. At ABPmer, I produced complex environmental assessments that directly enabled regulatory approvals. At Mott MacDonald, I coordinated biodiversity chapters in Environmental Statements, ensuring technical accuracy and stakeholder confidence. In Sierra Leone, I draft legal and policy assessments for the EPA, translating treaty obligations into practical recommendations for national implementation. Report writing and review extend beyond technical exercises; they serve to ensure that complex information is synthesized, clearly communicated, and presented in a way that supports informed decision‑making and practical implementation.
Project Management & Coordination
Project management underpins everything I do. At Defra, I developed project plans with timelines and risk registers for regulatory reforms. At Mott MacDonald, I managed junior staff contributions and coordinated multi-disciplinary inputs under tight deadlines. At ABPmer, I oversaw dredging programmes and nuclear maintenance works, ensuring environmental approvals were secured on time. In Sierra Leone, I manage an 8‑week consultancy with clear deliverables, balancing desk research, stakeholder consultations, and validation workshops.
Communication & Negotiation
Strong communication skills allow me to bridge technical and non-technical audiences. At Defra, I prepared ministerial briefings and consultation documents. In consultancy, I liaised with clients, regulators, and contractors, often negotiating solutions under pressure. In Sierra Leone, I translate international treaty language into accessible recommendations for national institutions, ensuring clarity and buy-in. Mentoring junior staff and facilitating discussions across cultures have further strengthened my communication style.
Cross-Cultural Awareness & Adaptability
Working across the UK and Sierra Leone has highlighted the importance of cultural sensitivity. At Defra, I engaged with diverse stakeholders across government and industry. In consultancy, I collaborated with international partners on offshore wind and port projects. In Sierra Leone, I adapt approaches to local institutional realities, ensuring recommendations are practical and inclusive. Cross-cultural awareness is essential for building trust and delivering meaningful outcomes.
Every job has a best part and a worst part. What are they for you?
The best part is seeing how my work contributes to both national and global environmental goals, whether enabling offshore wind expansion in the UK or supporting Sierra Leone’s readiness for the BBNJ Agreement. I also enjoy the variety and collaboration across disciplines.
The hardest part is navigating bureaucracy and tight timelines. In government, policy reforms could stall; in consultancy, deadlines could be tight; and now, in Sierra Leone, the challenge is aligning international treaty language with local realities.
What is one task you do all the time that never appears in job descriptions for these types of roles?
Translating complex technical or legal frameworks into accessible language for non-specialists. Whether briefing ministers in the UK or community representatives in Sierra Leone, that bridge-building role is crucial.
Your route into this work
How did you get into this work, and were there any key opportunities, decisions, or turning points along the way?
My route combined academic training with practical opportunities. After a Master’s in Marine Environmental Management, I joined Defra, where I worked on marine licensing policy and stakeholder engagement. That gave me a strong grounding in regulation and governance. I then moved into consultancy with Mott MacDonald and ABPmer, managing environmental assessments for offshore wind, nuclear power, and port developments. Each role built on the last, leading to my current independent consultancy in Sierra Leone.
What education, training, or experience helped you get into this role?
- BSc Geography (First-Class Honours, University of Liverpool).
- I was able to study multiple marine-related modules due to the National Oceanographic Centre being based at the University).
- This allowed me to study modules such as Marine Chemistry and Marine Pollution.
- This is when I realised I was deeply passionate about protecting and conserving the marine environment.
- MSc in Marine Environmental Management (Distinction, University of York).
- Government experience at Defra, shaping marine licensing policy and stakeholder processes.
- Consultancy experience delivering complex environmental assessments and licences for major UK infrastructure projects.
- Volunteering and community engagement, both in the UK and Sierra Leone, which strengthened my ability to connect technical work with social impact.
What is one opportunity you almost didn’t apply for, but are glad you did, and why?
The Defra Marine Licensing Policy Advisor role. At the time, I wasn’t sure policy work would suit me, as my background was more technical and science-focused. I had initially applied to the UK Civil Service Fast Stream, progressed all the way to the final round, but wasn’t successful. Months later, as I was completing my Master’s degree, I was awarded a place on the Civil Service Direct Appointment Scheme. Through that scheme, my academic background in marine environmental management was matched to a relevant posting in Defra’s marine policy team.
Taking that role turned out to be fundamental. It gave me invaluable insight into UK regulatory frameworks, and allowed me to lead on licensing policy development, stakeholder consultations, and reforms such as the Habitats Regulations. The experience built my confidence in policy analysis, project management, and stakeholder engagement, which are skills that have been essential in my later consultancy work with Mott MacDonald, ABPmer, and now in Sierra Leone, where I draw directly on that grounding to support national readiness for the BBNJ Agreement.
Is there any education, training, or experience you wish you had done/gotten?
If I could undertake my undergraduate studies again, I would have chosen a degree directly related to marine science and conservation. I chose Geography at the time as I was not sure of what route to go down, but eventually learned I was passionate about marine environmental conservation and sustainability.
Reflections and advice
What advice would you give someone interested in this kind of work, and where should they look for their first step?
Build a strong foundation in environmental science or policy, but also develop skills in communication and project management. Don’t underestimate the value of stakeholder engagement; it is often the difference between a project succeeding or stalling. For a first step, look at government agencies, consultancy firms, or NGOs working on marine issues. Each offers a different perspective, and together they form the skill set needed for international work.
What is one mistake, challenge, or lesson from early in your career that taught you something useful?
Early on, I thought technical expertise alone would carry projects. I quickly learned that relationships and dialogue are just as critical. That lesson, first at Defra and later in consultancy, has shaped how I approach every assignment.
If you could go back in time would you do anything differently? If so, what would that be?
I would seek international experience earlier. Working in Sierra Leone has been transformative, and I can see how valuable cross-cultural perspectives are in global ocean governance.
Where do you see this field heading, and what opportunities does that create for newcomers?
Ocean governance is becoming more global and interconnected. The BBNJ Agreement is a clear example; national frameworks must align with international obligations. For newcomers, this creates opportunities in treaty implementation, renewable energy, biodiversity conservation, and community engagement.
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
My career has spanned government, consultancy, and now independent work abroad. Each step has reinforced the importance of adaptability and collaboration. Environmental governance is both technical and human, and success depends on bridging those worlds.