Ashley Kemp
Canberra,ACT
Summary
Experienced project manager specializing in energy markets with a proven track record of delivering impactful client projects, strategies, and reforms. Possessing strong attention to detail and business acumen, I bring over 20 years of collaborative experience working across government and consulting sectors. Skilled in managing complex projects, leading diverse teams, strategic planning, operational efficiency, effective leadership, and problem-solving to drive results in any organization.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Assistant Director
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
12.2024 - Current
- Portfolio: Electricity Objective: Optimise utilisation of distribution networks
- Leading: managing two project teams for the initiation, planning and delivery of projects on distributed energy.
- Stakeholder engagement: across internal and external stakeholders to ensure strategic alignment of projects with corporate objectives and addressing any identified gaps.
- Supervising: mentoring and developing staff across technical and business requirements to enable productive engagement and contribution to projects.
- Communicating: through drafting minutes from meetings and drafting briefs and other correspondence to support collaboration with project teams and inform management.
Senior Policy Officer
Department of Industry, Science and Resources
02.2024 - 12.2024
- Portfolio: Oil & Gas Objective: Mitigating financial risks in offshore oil & gas activities
- Provide strategic review of financial assurance framework for offshore oil & gas activities and make recommendations.
- Procurement/contract management: manage procurement process and ongoing engagement of team of multidisciplinary experts to deliver specialist technical and regulatory advice on framework.
- Project management: Drafting project management artefacts including scoping, risk registers, schedules, governance and stakeholder engagement plans to deliver on project objectives.
- Providing strategic advice and recommendations on project scope and deliverables to achieve objectives based on research and collaboration with colleagues and industry experts.
Senior Program Officer
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
08.2023 - 02.2024
- Portfolio: Water Objective: Design of water recovery programs
- Support the design of water recovery programs applying criteria and processes used for procurement, grants, and infrastructure projects through collaborating across teams.
- Develop and provide input to program, strategic and planning documents.
- Develop and maintain project management documents and records.
Senior Consultant
Aurecon
10.2021 - 04.2023
- Portfolio: Energy Objective: Canberra growth strategy, project management and delivery
- Canberra growth strategy: increase presence of Aurecon in the Canberra market through engaging with local clients across government, utilities, and project developers to enhance opportunities to bid and win.
- Project management: manage projects for key client accounts on developing an energy efficiency roadmap for a major water utility and technical assurance for energy project for major network owner.
- Project delivery: contribute as part of a team the delivery of projects including identifying sites in NSW for generation investments, locations in Canberra for a large-scale battery and site remediation costs.
Consultant
Sententia
08.2021 - 10.2021
- Portfolio: Health Objective: Quality Assurance for roll-out of Covid-19 vaccinations
- Management of project team providing quality assurance for key health program, including planning, scheduling, executing, and reviewing quality assurance project for health program.
- Engaging with senior management and the Department to provide regular project updates: Track progress of project performance against milestones and publish these details in a regular briefing report to sponsors.
Senior Policy Officer
Department of Industry Science, Energy and Resources
05.2019 - 08.2021
- Portfolio: Energy Objective: Assessment of options to regulate data centres
- Developing regulatory justification and framework for regulating data centres: managing consultants investigating the number, size, and types of data centres and how they fit into the current building code.
- Coordinating jurisdictional and departmental responses to energy efficiency: coordinating energy efficiency options for residential and commercial buildings for upcoming review of the building code.
Senior Policy Officer
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
02.2017 - 05.2019
- Portfolio: Water Objective: Implement the Murray Darling Basin Plan
- Provided valuation advice on water purchases under the Murray Darling Basin Plan and for water efficiency programs.
- Managed the procurement process and ongoing contract management for valuers and water market consultants through establishing effective working relationships with stakeholders.
- Drafting and supporting public administration though Question Time Briefs, Senate Estimates and Ministerial briefings and correspondence.
Energy Trader
Alinta Energy
04.2016 - 10.2016
- Portfolio: Energy Objective: Optimisation of energy trading position in Australia
- This contract primarily involved arbitration among key stakeholders to minimise risks and issues (while maximising revenue), with a focus on the optimisation of Alinta’s trading position in Australia’s gas and electricity markets.
Regulatory Analyst
Origin Energy
02.2012 - 12.2015
- Portfolio: Energy Objective: Manage response to proposed rule changes and reviews
- Manage the end-to-end process and response to market rule changes and reviews, through engaging extensively with internal and external stakeholders to develop policy positions and develop networks across the business and industry.
- Represent Origin at industry forums and associations, using effective communication and stakeholder engagement skills to inform and influence industry participants, regulators and jurisdictional representatives on matters concerning the electricity industry.
Senior Energy Trader
Origin Energy
11.2006 - 12.2012
- Portfolio: Energy Objective: Maximisation of short- and long-term portfolio objectives
- Developed and executed effective trading strategies across a large integrated portfolio of gas and electricity assets to minimising commercial risks and optimise the portfolio position of Origin.
- Manage the operational asset integration of electricity assets into the Origin portfolio including the training, mentoring and supervision of junior staff to support the growth in the business.
- Recognised as subject matter experience in industry/market regulations, from presenting at an Australian Energy Market Operator education session, to conducting staff-based training on policies and legislation.
Education
Master of Business Administration -
Australian Institute of Management
05.2022
Diploma - Project Management
03.2025
Graduate Diploma - Applied Finance & Investment
Australian Securities Institute
11.2006
Bachelor of Arts - Honours – Central Bank Independence
La Trobe University
11.1998
Skills
- Project Management – Effective project management skills over the project lifecycle from inception, planning and delivery
- Strategy Planning – Adept at developing strategies to promote organisational capability to meet internal and external threats and opportunities consistent with industry best practice
- Operations Management – Extensive experience in the management and implementation of operations strategies across electricity, gas, and water markets
- Governance and Operation – Extensive knowledge and experience in the regulation and operation of electricity, gas, and water markets
- Communication and Stakeholder Engagement – Effective written and oral communication skills to collaborate, influence and engage internal and external stakeholders
- Financial and Budgeting – Skilled at financial analysis and managing project budgets
- Collaborative team management
- Creative direction
- Organizational strategy development
- Data interpretation
- Staff management
- Strategic planning
- Data analysis
Hobbies and Interests
I enjoy mountain biking, golfing, and walking our Airedale Terrier. I play the guitar and am an avid historian.
OTHER PROFESSIONAL CAPABILITIES
- Multidisciplinary Teamwork – Capably works in matrix/multidisciplinary team settings (incl. strategic reforms).
- Technical Translations – Constructively educates others on regulatory frameworks (incl. as keynote speaker).
- Change Management – Delivers impactful reforms and adaptations, including via regulatory evaluations.
- Public Administration – Proven skills and experience across policy and program development, contract management, procurement, project management and managing people.
- IT – Proficient use of Microsoft products including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other software packages covering Teams, Workday and other bespoke packages.
Timeline
Assistant Director
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
12.2024 - Current
Senior Policy Officer
Department of Industry, Science and Resources
02.2024 - 12.2024
Senior Program Officer
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
08.2023 - 02.2024
Senior Consultant
Aurecon
10.2021 - 04.2023
Consultant
Sententia
08.2021 - 10.2021
Senior Policy Officer
Department of Industry Science, Energy and Resources
05.2019 - 08.2021
Senior Policy Officer
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
02.2017 - 05.2019
Energy Trader
Alinta Energy
04.2016 - 10.2016
Regulatory Analyst
Origin Energy
02.2012 - 12.2015
Senior Energy Trader
Origin Energy
11.2006 - 12.2012
Master of Business Administration -
Australian Institute of Management
Diploma - Project Management
Graduate Diploma - Applied Finance & Investment
Australian Securities Institute
Bachelor of Arts - Honours – Central Bank Independence
La Trobe University
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