Taylor has a MA in Sociology from the University of Port Elizabeth, which later merged with Vista University's Port Elizabeth campus to form the Nelson Mandela University. He also has an MSc in Geographic Information Science from the University of London in the United Kingdom. In 2005, he joined the Coega Development Corporation, which operates the Coega Special Economic Zone located approximately 25 km from Port Elizabeth within Nelson Mandela Bay. Taylor provides spatial planning services to the Coega Special Economic Zone. Previously, he was responsible for nature conservation, environmental impact management, environmental policy, and special initiatives for the monitoring and delivery of infrastructure projects at the provincial government of the Eastern Cape.