Sophie has an undergraduate joint honours degree in Psychology and Zoology and a PhD in behavioural ecology from the University of Bristol. After a two-year project reviewing the range of services and support provided by the University for its postgraduate students, she moved to the University's Research and Enterprise Development Division (RED) in 2004 as a Research Policy Officer and subsequently Research Policy Manager.

Sophie was appointed Head of Research and Enterprise Policy in 2014, responsible for the development and implementation of University research strategy, management of the University’s submissions to the REF, and the analysis and evaluation of institutional research performance.

Sophie was appointed Director of Strategy, Information and Operations in 2019, leading across a range of integrated functions: Bristol Doctoral College and PGR strategy, Research Information and Evaluation (including the delivery of the University’s submissions to the REF and support for Research Information Systems) and Strategic Operations.

Sophie has been a member of the Brunswick Research Assessment Group, Pure UK Strategy Group, UKRI (Data) Interoperability Steering Group and the Snowball Metrics Steering Committee. She is currently a member of the UK Association for Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA), Training and Development Working Group and a trainer on the ARMA Advanced Certificate in Research Management.