Beyond the Emails: David’s Real-Life Journey Through Policy and the Third Sector
Reading Time: 8 Minutes
Beyond the crowded inboxes, briefing papers, and unpredictable media requests that many imagine define policy and communications work, there is a quieter, more human story — one shaped by clarity, empathy, and the ability to stay grounded when everything is moving at once. It’s a side of the sector that many people never get to see.
For David — the Head of the British Heart Foundation and a senior leader in policy and communications — the role is far more than managing organisational messages or responding to public developments. It’s about sifting through dense information to find what really matters, supporting teams during pressured moments, and building meaningful relationships across communities, colleagues, and stakeholders. Some days begin calmly with a review of the day ahead; others start with a 6:40am radio interview arranged at 10:30 the night before. Some afternoons are spent responding to incidents in retail stores; others are deliberately ringfenced for a walk to reset and think clearly.
Across all of it, what stands out most is that his work is fundamentally human.
David’s route into the role wasn’t straightforward. He arrived at the University of Stirling to study International Politics, drawn in by his love of Modern Studies and an early interest in teaching. After a year in the Scottish Government, he made a surprising move into the charity sector — a decision that would quietly redefine his career. It opened his eyes to the potential of thirdsector work, its impact, and the diversity of roles that underpin it.
David McColgan
Role: Head of Policy & Communications
Sector: Policy / Third Sector (Charity)
Degree: International Politics
Many of the skills he uses every day weren’t formally taught; they were built in unexpected moments.
- Living with twelve strangers in university halls.
- Joining sports teams.
- Learning how to communicate clearly, listen thoughtfully, and work with people from entirely different backgrounds.
- Hours spent condensing pages of academic research into concise, meaningful arguments.
- And later, learning the importance of stillness — whether that’s a morning gym session or an afternoon walk — in a role filled with constant movement.
These experiences shaped his ability to do something he now considers essential: cut through complexity and communicate in a way that connects.
His story isn’t linear, polished, or perfectly planned. It’s driven by curiosity, shaped by turning points, and full of moments that were never part of a job description — the lastminute requests, the evolving responsibilities, the need to learn new skills on the go, and the growing belief that leadership is something everyone contributes to, regardless of their position.
For students and earlycareer professionals, David’s journey highlights something reassuring careers in policy and the third sector aren’t reserved for those with perfectly aligned degrees or predetermined roadmaps. They’re built on transferable skills, adaptability, empathy, and a willingness to keep learning — quietly, consistently, and across every stage.
Inside the Role
First Things First: What’s the very first thing you do when you start your workday, and why is it important?
It’s a bad habit but run through the e-mails to see if anything has coming in from the evening before, but less of a bad habit – review my meetings/events for the day and take a quick look forward for the week ahead.
I think it is helpful to understand the time pressures on a day, where the pinch points will be or where you’ve got time to create some thinking space.
The Unexpected Moments: What’s something that happens in your day that most people wouldn’t expect?
That could be a number of things, and sometimes I don’t expect them. It could be a last- minute request at 10:30pm to do a Good Morning Scotland radio interview at 6:40 am the next day; or an incident in one of our retails stores that requires support and attention.
Your Work Rhythm: Do you have any routines or habits that help you stay productive throughout the day?
I like starting my morning off with a trip to the gym three days a week (but not in a “the 5 must do habits of a millionaire” kind of way), I am also a big fan of an afternoon walk, an hour over lunch if I have the time, but bare minimum 30 minutes. Being stuck at a desk or in meetings all day is not good for the mind, and some breathing space helps you think around those difficult tasks.
David McColgan Parliamentary Reception
STPV Health & Sport Committee
Skills, Growth & Turning Points
The Hidden Strength: What’s a skill you didn’t realize would be so valuable until you started this role?
I think the ability to be able to craft a clear and concise message from a lot of information. We consume so much information, but the ability to cut through the bulk to find the kernel of wisdom is important and then being able to deliver that in a short, concise and coherent way is really important.
It isn’t about sounding smart or intelligent, it’s about being able to connect with people and delivering a message in context.
A Career Turning Point: Was there a moment or decision that significantly shaped your career path?
I think when I decided to leave the Scottish Government was probably the biggest turning point I in my career. I had only been there a year, and it isn’t often people go from Government to the Charity sector so early in their career, but it truly opened my eyes to the potential of the sector and the impact it makes.
Advice for Growth: What’s one habit or mindset that has helped you grow professionally?
Never stop learning. It doesn’t need to be a degree, a course or a qualification, it can be as simple as understanding a process in your current job, or a decision that was made by the leadership team.
If you always look at things critically – but not to find fault – to understand them, we learn so much.
British Heart Foundation Media
David with Glasgow Research Team in Lab
Education & Transferable Skills
Your Academic Path: What subject(s) did you study at university, and what drew you to that choice?
I came to the University of Stirling to study International Politics – why did I choose it, well I liked Modern Studies at school, quite enjoyed politics and at the time I was considering teaching.
Skills That Stick: Which professional or transferable skills did you develop during your studies that have been most valuable in your current role?
This is the key to it all, and what I regularly tell current students, your degree is good, but it’s the transferable skills that are priceless and make you stand out.
For me I gained many, communication, both oral and written, building and delivering arguments (non-argumentatively ha-ha), the ability to synthesis hours of research into short research papers or essays, and critical thinking – are sources credible and evidence strong to support or counter arguments.
There were of course lots of soft skills – I lived in halls and within the first few hours of my university career met 12 complete strangers from all walks of life, I played for a couple of sports teams so another wide network of people to get to know. The ability to arrive somewhere knowing a handful of people and leaving with lifelong friends teaches you a lot that you can use in your career.
Looking Back: Is there a skill you wish you had focused on more during your time at university?
I think if I had the opportunity to look at areas such as budgeting or financial management within the workplace this would have been hugely beneficial. Whilst I didn’t need these skills till later in my career, knowledge of this area is very important in any workplace.
Beyond the Job
Industry Insight: What’s a trend or innovation in your industry that excites you right now?
Within the wider policy environment, we are seeing a growth in deliberative research – tools such as Citizen’s Assemblies, mini-publics etc. – these are really exciting as tools to understand public attitudes and experiences.
They are step change from public participation where one or two individuals are picked as patient representatives or voices of the public and the richness of the data and insight that comes from them is really exciting for public policy.
British Heart Foundation Team on Stage
Your Go-To Resource: Is there a book, podcast, or online resource you recommend to anyone interested in your field?
Even if you don’t find yourself in a leadership role, I think Simon Sinek’s Start with the Why is great, if you don’t know why you are doing something, or what motivates you, how can you do the rest.
I also like Turn this ship around by David L Marquet, it’s a real-life example of how leadership can change situations.
I am a firm believer that everyone has a role to play in leadership, no matter where they are in their career or company structure and having strong foundations on what you think good leadership looks like will help you in your career.
The Future Skill: If you were hiring for your role in five years, what skill would be non-negotiable?
Empathy – I know most people will be surprised to see this, but as we move to an age of AI chat bots, or ever-increasing digital communication, humans are still humans and we will always relate better to another human than anything else.
My role, and most roles, are about relationships, and relationship building and those who excel in the ability to understand one another at a human level and engage with individuals from all walks of life will be highly sought after going forward.
What Skills are you Developing
David’s journey highlights how careers are shaped not just by qualifications, but by the ability to communicate clearly, build relationships, and keep learning over time.
These aren’t skills limited to policy roles—you’re likely developing them already through your studies, work, or wider experiences.
Reflect on your Experience
- When have you communicated complex information in a clear and concise way?
- How have you built relationships or worked with people from different backgrounds?
- When have you had to think critically or make sense of a large amount of information?
What experiences (e.g. university, part-time work, societies) have helped you develop these skills - Which of these skills do you feel most confident in—and which would you like to develop further?