Erin Macfarlane
Brunswick East,VIC
Summary
Seasoned Program Officer adept at evaluating progress and implementing strategic improvements. Decisive and intelligent leader with a resourceful approach. Offer two years of experience in this role. Previous to this, for seven years, I was a results-driven Lawyer, who advised clients in a range of areas of law including consumer, credit, insurance, family, criminal and property. Proficient in drafting legal documents, negotiating settlements, court work (dispute resolution) and complex written legal advice. Poised and dedicated professional with proven to thrive in complex and detail-oriented roles. Persuasive and analytical thinker. I have also worked for two years as an English Language Instructor which has helped me to grade my language for different audiences and harness a greater understanding of the technicalities of the English language and how to use plain English in my work.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Program Officer
Dept. Of Energy, Environment And Climate Action
05.2023 - Current
- Worked with finance team to budget and monitor program operations, ensuring sound fiscal and system management.
- Created and implemented program frameworks, performance standards and quality assurance requirements.
- Worked closely with grantees to assist and develop goals, approaches, initiatives and evaluations of grants including contract management.
- Drafted Statewide Transition Plan for kerbside reform of waste service to four waste streams.
- Drafted responses to ministerial complaints, potential publicity opportunities and potential parliamentary questions.
- Improving and reforming collection of waste data through quality assurance and survey creation, in conjunction with Recycling Victoria.
- Establishing and developing relationships with stakeholders and assisting with monthly stakeholder engagement sessions.
- Creating power point presentations for management about the kerbside reform program.
Senior Policy Officer
Dept. Of Energy, Environment And Climate Action
02.2023 - 05.2023
- Research on emergencies and risks within the Victorian waste industry
- Drafting a complex 29-page policy paper on the Risk Consequence and Contingency framework for the Victorian waste sector
- Devising and compiling a master list of waste services in Victoria
- Designing a methodology and tool to determine 'essential waste services' in the waste industry
- Drafting a Regulatory Impact Statement for the Risk and Consequence Contingency framework of the Circular Economy (Waste Reduction and Recycling) Act 2021 (Vic)
- Project management (including working through timeframes, proposed pre-emption of risks and ongoing strategy) of the Risk Consequence and Contingency team, working in a matrix team organisation structure.
Volunteering Vice President & Ordinary Committee Member
The Bike Shed at CERES
06.2018 - Current
- I have volunteered at the Bike Shed, first as a regular volunteer, then Vice President, and for the past three years as an ordinary committee member
- I assist in all employment matters concerning employees, facilitating female-identifying workshops, legal drafting, general legal matters and risk management.
Project Officer /Customer Support Officer
Energy Partnerships
08.2021 - 02.2023
- In my role as part of the Management and Escalations teams within Victorian Energy Compare, I did the following tasks:
- Stake-holder management of contacts within Ministerial offices, the Customer Contact management team, outreach partners and the Victorian Energy Compare outreach team
- Supporting and assisting to lead implementation of multiple Power Saving Bonus programs/projects
- The latest program was Victoria-wide, involving 6.68 million potential applicants
- Providing mentorship and being the first point of contact for team members in various teams on complex enquiries from stakeholders and members of the public
- Managing escalations and providing customer support over the phone, including resolution of complex scenarios involving potential fraud
- Developing and drafting policies and procedures
- Responding to Ministerial complaints/Corro and Victorian Ombudsman complaints.
Document Reviewer
Epiq Global & The New Zealand Government
01.2021 - 08.2021
- During my time working for Epiq Global and The New Zealand Government in a document review role, I reviewed sensitive documents relating to a Royal Commission and classified them in accordance with thematic legal categories.
Manager and Owner
Roving Refills Inner North
11.2019 - 12.2020
- Immediately prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, I purchased and ran a small sustainable business
- The business sold eco-friendly refills of personal care products, soaps and detergents in bulk to businesses and to the public at community centres, farmers markets and workplaces
- The premise of the business was to work to eliminate single-use plastics
- In my role as owner, I did the following:
- Carrying out product and market research and marketing on social media;
- Creating and maintaining stakeholders;
- Creating and promoting events;
- Hiring and managing staff, and
- Accounting.
Senior Lawyer
Consumer Action Law Centre
10.2018 - 12.2019
- At Consumer Action Law Centre, I carried out the following duties:
- Provided telephone and follow-up written discrete and ongoing advice and representation to consumers, community workers and community lawyers on Credit Law, Insurance Law and the Australian Consumer Law
- Managed 20-30 client files involving the above areas of law and comprising some litigated matters
- Carried out the role of Volunteer Coordinator and that role involved procuring, interviewing, placing and managing a team of six student volunteers compliant with Clinical Legal Education and Practical Legal Training guidelines
- Was the first point of contact for Insurance Law advice to colleagues as I was the in-house specialist in that area of law
- Administered training to lawyers, social workers and financial counsellors for Financial Counselling Australia on topics such as navigating the outcomes of the Royal Commission into the Financial Services Industry, funeral insurance and the Australian Financial Complaints Authority
- Assisted Victoria Legal Aid’s Disaster Legal Help by providing legal advice to victims of catastrophies such as bushfires and industrial fires.
Specialist
Insurance Australia Group Ltd, IAG
09.2017 - 10.2018
- In my role as a Liability Specialist at IAG, I investigated and determined indemnity and liability for claims concerning third party property damage, personal injury, advertising liability, office bearers’ liability and legal expenses cover
- I also mentored, provided legal guidance to, and drafted indemnity denials for claims managers in the Liability team
- I also managed a range of tendered service providers such as investigators, loss adjustors, medical specialists and engineering and agricultural experts
- I was responsible for resolving unlitigated claims brought by self-represented and represented parties
- This included instructing panel lawyers and scrutinising their legal advice
- I submitted comprehensive monthly reports to actuaries in respect of claims over $100,000 as part of regular reporting protocols.
Major Claims Advisor
Western Power Corporation
12.2016 - 08.2017
- In my role at Western Power, I undertook the following duties:
- Investigating, advising on and drafting responses to Energy and Water Ombudsman complaints
- Mentoring and supervising a team of three Claims Advisors
- Provision of advice to numerous parts of the business on insurance law and litigation practice and procedure
- Investigation and liability determination with respect to property, crop damage and personal injury (electric shock and fire) claims over $20,000
- Appointment to management of all third-party recoveries, where major damage had been caused to Western
- Power assets by negligent third parties
- Implementation of process improvement to overcome an (approximately 3 year) backlog of claims and recoveries.
Solicitor
The Law Society of Western Australia, Law Mutual
10.2015 - 12.2016
- In my role as Solicitor at Law Mutual, I carried out the below duties:
- Advised insureds and the public on legal professional negligence claims
- Assessed and monitored over 1,000 notifications and managed around 100 claims worth between $10,000 and $12 million
- Attended initial meetings with insureds, Court, informal conferences and Law Society committee meetings
- Instructed panel lawyers in respect of indemnity advice and legal representation
- Most claims were litigated
- Worked with the Legal Professional Complaints Committee where professional indemnity claims overlapped with an LPCC complaint or disciplinary proceedings
- Identified risk management trends in claims to inform the preparation of training materials for legal profession
- CPD training on risk management.
Associate
Sparke Helmore Lawyers
01.2012 - 10.2015
- In my role as a lawyer, and later as an associate, at Sparke Helmore Lawyers, I advised insurer and self insured clients on workers’ compensation (including fatal accident cases), public liability, general liability and professional and medical negligence matters
- I provided ongoing advice on the areas of policy indemnity, liability, common law exposure, assessment of damages, litigation strategy, risk management and settlement
- I was responsible for resolving matters at informal, pre-trial and conciliation conferences
- 80% of my matters involved District Court or WorkCover proceedings.
Another Language Instructor
St Mark’s International College
06.2009 - 08.2011
- Perth & YBM ECC
Education
City of Port Phillip Environmental Leadership Program -
Masters - Environment and Climate Emergency
Curtin University
Perth, WA2025
Entry Level Project Management -
Swinburne University
2023
Writing For Government And The Minister - Professional, Technical, Business, And Scientific Writing
N/A
Melbourne, VIC2023
Environmental Leadership Course - Environmental Science
City of Port Phillip
Melbourne2023
Vicarious Trauma & Cultural Sensitivity Training | 2019 -
Consume Action Law Centre
Melbourne, VIC2019
Graduate Certificate - Certificate of English Language Teaching To Adults
Cambridge University
2009
J.D. - Laws And Arts (Indigenous Aust. Studies)
Murdoch University
Perth2007
Admission As A Lawyer & Barrister -
Supreme Court of Western Australia
Perth2007
Skills
- Project Management
- Court Hearings
- Case Interpretation
- Public Record Research
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Complex Problem-Solving
- Time Management
- Process Improvement
- Staff Management
- Task Delegation
- Business Ownership
- Team Collaboration
- Technical Writing/Legal Drafting Skills
- Group and Individual Teaching
- Strategic Analysis
- Policy Recommendation
- Guidelines Development
- Hosting Meetings
- Drafting Powerpoint Presentations
- Drafting Complex Policy Documents
- Policy Analysis
Hobbies
In my free time I like to bushwalk, play futsal, bike ride, read and cook. I am a avid supporter of the Arts and regularly attend music, art and film events.
Timeline
Program Officer
Dept. Of Energy, Environment And Climate Action
05.2023 - Current
Senior Policy Officer
Dept. Of Energy, Environment And Climate Action
02.2023 - 05.2023
Project Officer /Customer Support Officer
Energy Partnerships
08.2021 - 02.2023
Document Reviewer
Epiq Global & The New Zealand Government
01.2021 - 08.2021
Manager and Owner
Roving Refills Inner North
11.2019 - 12.2020
Senior Lawyer
Consumer Action Law Centre
10.2018 - 12.2019
Volunteering Vice President & Ordinary Committee Member
The Bike Shed at CERES
06.2018 - Current
Specialist
Insurance Australia Group Ltd, IAG
09.2017 - 10.2018
Major Claims Advisor
Western Power Corporation
12.2016 - 08.2017
Solicitor
The Law Society of Western Australia, Law Mutual
10.2015 - 12.2016
Associate
Sparke Helmore Lawyers
01.2012 - 10.2015
Another Language Instructor
St Mark’s International College
06.2009 - 08.2011
City of Port Phillip Environmental Leadership Program -
Masters - Environment and Climate Emergency
Curtin University
Entry Level Project Management -
Swinburne University
Writing For Government And The Minister - Professional, Technical, Business, And Scientific Writing
N/A
Environmental Leadership Course - Environmental Science
City of Port Phillip
Vicarious Trauma & Cultural Sensitivity Training | 2019 -
Consume Action Law Centre
Graduate Certificate - Certificate of English Language Teaching To Adults
Cambridge University
J.D. - Laws And Arts (Indigenous Aust. Studies)
Murdoch University
Admission As A Lawyer & Barrister -
Supreme Court of Western Australia
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