Irfan is from Walthamstow in East London and has an academic background in global health and international development from Kings College London and the London School of Economics. He has worked across local and national government on domestic policy areas including housing, health, and adult social care, and recently led the health team in the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Directorate at the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, where he oversaw national drug and alcohol programmes and helped shape commitments in the National Plan to End Homelessness with the Department of Health and Social Care. Irfan has also worked on housing reform in central government and adult social care commissioning in local government. Alongside this, Irfan founded MIPP in 2022 to support and mentor Muslims and others interested in faith and public service across government. He is a Leadership member at the Aspen Institute and an Aziz Foundation Scholar.