Helen began her career in local government, working for Coventry and Birmingham City Councils, but this is by no means her first foray into academic life. In 1994 she took up a research post funded through the 'Public Policy Partnership' initiative between Birmingham City Council and the University of Birmingham. She worked in the School of Public Policy as a lecturer until 2002, when she left to take up her current post at the University of the West of England, first as Director of Research, and later, Chair of Urban Governance.