Ophelia Cowell
Summary
A highly effective leader and communicator with extensive policy, fundraising and leadership experience in the public and non-government sectors. With a career starting in international sustainable energy policy and climate change, I fundraised and formed a professional team across twelve developing countries to forge key policy positions which I took forward through the UNFCCC Conferences of Parties. Extensive experience developing and executing strategic plans, reporting on results and maintaining strong relationships with the Board, project partners and stakeholders. This led to a career advocating for improvements in diverse policy areas. A collaborative, professional known for fostering strong relationships to deliver results. With advanced degrees in public administration and natural sciences, and a strong track record of developing and implementing policy and regulatory reform.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Executive Director
Department of, Investment and Trade
01.2013 - 07.2016
- Grant Program Delivery and Centre for Excellence
- NSW Treasury
- Current
- Director Centre for Evidence and Evaluation (Currently Acting ED)
- Director, Economic Analysis Branch
- Director Strategic Projects, Health and Justice
Principal Advisor
Energy Savings Scheme
04.2012 - 12.2012
- Reform the Energy Savings Scheme to achieve emerging market development objectives
- Harmonise NSW and Victorian energy saving schemes and stimulate market development
- Led consultation with industry participants to identify opportunities to reduce red tape, barriers to entry and transaction costs
- Develop strategies to mitigate risk to public safety and legal risks to IPART as regulator
- Manage relationships with industry, the Premiers office and Departments in NSW and Victoria
- Consulted widely with industry and policy professionals to resolve differences and settle policy
- Negotiated regulatory amendments with IPART and the Victorian Service Commission
- Delivered a detailed strategic plan for policy reform, regulatory changes, risk mitigation and alignment of the two state schemes which was adopted by the NSW Government.
Principal Advisor
NSW Minister for Climate
07.2008 - 12.2012
- Change, Energy and Water, Provide strategic and evidence-based advice and leadership to identify and utilise opportunities for micro-economic reform
- Review legislative and policy frameworks and identify opportunities for micro-economic reform
- Deliver evidence-based advice and options to support Treasury and Government decision making
- Led or contributed to agency and cluster reviews and business planning processes
- Sustain strong working relationships with relevant senior policy professionals across the sector
- Led a whole of government review of all NSW climate change policies and programs to eliminate duplication and complement the then emerging federal climate change policy
- Developed a strategy and secured ERC endorsement for the adoption of a whole of government approach to climate change adaptation
- Negotiated with industry groups and the Commonwealth Government to secure appropriate compensation arrangements for NSW industry participants in the then GGAS Scheme
- NSW Ministers (Energy, Water, Utilities Environment and Climate Change)
- Various Ministers with responsibility for a range of policy portfolios.
Senior Policy Advisor
07.2005 - 07.2008
Senior Policy Advisor
Department
07.2004 - 07.2008
- Seconded from the Department Energy to provide policy advice and maintain Ministerial relationships within government, industry and the broader community
- Prepared Ministerial policy advice and Cabinet submissions
- Maintain effective relationships with water and energy State Owned Corporations, Ministerial colleagues, their offices and agency heads
- Maintain effective relationships with industry, constituents and other external stakeholders
- Develop and reform policy to support Government objectives
- Liaise with Parliamentarians, manage and negotiate the passage of legislation through Parliament
- Lead on the Energy and Water Savings fund, policy and legislation
- Advised the Minister for Water through the development of the first Metropolitan Water Plan for Sydney, including planning for the Desalination Plant and the Water and Energy Savings Fund
- Successfully negotiated with cross-bench Members of Parliament the passage of key legislation including the Water Industry Competition Act to introduce competition in the water industry
- Developed State input to the Commonwealth’s National Plan for Water Security and related legislation to ensure appropriate protection of NSW water security and irrigator access
- Negotiated with industry stakeholders to modernise the NSW Water Act 1912 and pursuant licences to ensure sustainable water security and industry access to surface and groundwater.
Policy Advisor
International Energy Project, Transnational Institute
07.2004 - 07.2005
Director, Justice
The International Energy Project
07.1998 - 12.2003
- Economic Evaluation and Analysis Branch, NSW Treasury
- Provide expert strategic advice to the Secretary and Senior Executives regarding emerging policy issues to facilitate agency priority setting for policy reform and legislative review
- Lead a team of technical and policy experts to deliver policy development and reform
- Manage branch resources to support organisational objectives and outcomes
- Contribute to strategic and business planning processes
- Establish and sustain effective relationships with public, private, NFP and academic stakeholders
- Identify, evaluate and critically analyse complex issues to deliver evidence-based advice
- Reformed the key functions and operating model of the branch to support key reform priorities
- Led the development, consultation and implementation of the NSW Government CBA Guide
- Provided rapid advice to the Treasurer and Cabinet on a range of policy and technical matters
- Director Health and, , Strategic Reform, NSW Treasury
- Plan and direct branch operations to support effective management of strategic projects
- Manage and mentor a team of policy professionals and technical specialists
- Deliver reform projects to identify opportunities for governance, financial and policy reforms
- Collaborate and negotiate with agency CEOs and industry bodies to secure required reforms
- Led Treasury-wide priority projects to support organisational and sector wide reforms
- Strengthened Treasury’s sector-wide periodic monitoring by leading the development of the first Dashboard reporting tool to detect early warning signs across multiple dimensions of agency risk
- Led Australia’s first pilot of the Washington State policy impact assessment tool demonstrating the potential for systematising this world-leading investor approach to public resourcing in NSW
- Led the Natural Disaster Expenditure and Governance Review (NDEGR) to design new institutional and policy arrangements to improve outcomes, reduce budget risk and deliver financial savings
- Negotiated contentious institutional, policy and financial reforms with agency CEOs
- Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART), Provides professional policy advice on energy and development policy to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and the United Nations.
Director
07.1998 - 12.2003
- Direct an international program to develop sustainable economic development solutions as defined by twelve partner organisations in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe
- Led a team of policy professionals in the planning and implementation of research and advocacy
- Identify potential funders and raise funds for salary and operations of all partners
- Sustain relationships with funders and meet reporting obligations
- Represent Energy Project partners at international forums such as the UNFCCC
- Influence policy development of all relevant international institutions
- Raised and managed a budget of €1 million for a three-year research and policy program
- Managed collaboration across a range of cultural, linguistic, technological and geographic divides
- Maintained strong relationships with project partners, funders and target institutions
- Managed all aspects of project planning and implementation from research, advocacy and publication outputs, to developing and presenting our agreed positions policy questions
- Advanced agreed positions at international policy development.
Director
Evidence
01.1998 - 01.2003
- Centre for, and Evaluation, NSW Treasury
- Led Treasury advice on the National Electricity Market (NEM) and climate change
- Set the regulatory framework for evidence standards for the appraisal, monitoring and evaluation of NSW Government initiatives
- Ensure and report to Cabinet on public sector compliance with appraisal and evaluation requirements
- Centralised and streamlined the array of policies that comprise the NSW investment framework
- Established the NSW Evidence Bank to enable evidence informed policy in the NSW Cabinet
- Lead a team of 25 economists and technical experts to develop and administer the suite of NSW investment framework requirements including TPP18 NSW Government Business Case Guidelines; TPP17-03 NSW Government Guide to Cost-Benefit Analysis; NSW Government Program Evaluation Guidelines, and the Benefits Realisation Management Framework
- Advise the Treasurer and Expenditure Review Committee of Cabinet on the merit of proposals
- Foster strong collaboration with NSW Government central and line agencies
- Provide input and advice on key Government priorities including the State Infrastructure Strategy
Energy Campaigner
Australian Conservation Foundation
01.1996 - 01.1998
- Develop and implement a national campaign to reform government minerals policy
- Created a national network of allied community and indigenous organisations
- Managed all aspects of project planning and implementation from research, advocacy and publication outputs, to developing and presenting our agreed positions policy questions
- Developed and ran advocacy campaigns targeting Members of Parliament
Natural Resources and Environment Adviser
Australian Federal Parliament
01.1995 - 01.1996
Education
Executive Master of Public Administration -
Sydney University
2016
Master of Science (MSc) - Energy Policy
Murdoch University
2013
Bachelor of Science (BSc) - Environmental Science
Macquarie University
1996
Affiliations
Awarded scholarship to complete the Executive Masters of Public Administration through the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) (2016).
Selected as Australia’s representative for the premier professional exchange program of the United States, the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP).
Professional Ethics Training, International Association for Public Participation.
Carbon Risk Management, Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM - UNSW).
Timeline
Executive Director
Department of, Investment and Trade
01.2013 - 07.2016
Principal Advisor
Energy Savings Scheme
04.2012 - 12.2012
Principal Advisor
NSW Minister for Climate
07.2008 - 12.2012
Senior Policy Advisor
07.2005 - 07.2008
Senior Policy Advisor
Department
07.2004 - 07.2008
Policy Advisor
International Energy Project, Transnational Institute
07.2004 - 07.2005
Director, Justice
The International Energy Project
07.1998 - 12.2003
Director
07.1998 - 12.2003
Director
Evidence
01.1998 - 01.2003
Energy Campaigner
Australian Conservation Foundation
01.1996 - 01.1998
Natural Resources and Environment Adviser
Australian Federal Parliament
01.1995 - 01.1996
Executive Master of Public Administration -
Sydney University
Master of Science (MSc) - Energy Policy
Murdoch University
Bachelor of Science (BSc) - Environmental Science
Macquarie University
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