About me: Julie-Anne Richards


Passionate about climate change, my experience includes coordinating and implementing movement wide strategic plans, formulating policy documents and advocacy plans and planning and running successful campaigns and major events.  I am a strategic thinker, a creative problem solver and an organiser who gets things done.


Skype:     julie-anne_richards
Phone:    +61 (0)420 308 625
Email:      jar@jarclimate.net
Twitter:  @jar_climate
Linkedin: julie-anne-richards/43/262/b5a
Home:     Sydney, Australia


Areas of work include:

Research
Researching an area of policy to examine the state of science, policy options, advantages and disadvantages, policy preferences of governments, academia and civil society. Assessing fit with organisational priorities and values.  Providing summaries and recommendations based on findings.
Research on the political landscape relevant for decision making.

Report writing
Producing clear, well written reports to inform and engage the public.  And reports aimed at influencing political decision makers.

Strategic plan development
Using my extensive experience developing strategic plans across organisations and networks I am available to develop a strategic plan for your organisation. Gathering input from across your organisation and other key stakeholders, undertaking a stocktake of the environment and assessing your parameters to generate a strategic plan meeting your objectives and utilising available resources.  I can work with you to implement the plan.

Advocacy, campaign, lobby plan development
Asssess the political environment, identify key decision makers, strengths and opportunities of the organisation, potential allies, and strategies and tactics to affect change.
Use my broad experience of political campaigning and public communications from both NGO and marketing backgrounds, I can develop a campaign plan that will support your overall objectives.
I’ve built lobby plans in many fora, international and domestic, to support policy objectives.

Negotiation and relationship building
With experience in building networks of relationships across government and civil society, I can work with you to develop a plan, or to implement an existing plan to build a network of relationships to support your activities.
Participation in international, or domestic, negotiation situations to support your advocacy plans.

Manage projects, including campaigns and events
I’ve created preeminent annual conferences, designed and run strategic planning retreats and regular strategy sessions and meetings.  I've implemented marketing and advocacy campaigns.

Facilitation & process
A pre-eminent facilitator, I can facilitate a one off meeting, or work with you to set up and manage a process to gather input.



For even more information about me, my work history includes:

Four years as CAN’s International Policy Coordinator (from 2009-2013) managing advocacy and developing strategy for the Climate Action Network International (CAN), a network of 700 member organisations in 90 countries including environment and development NGOs, think tanks, academics and others.

Some of my major achievements at CAN include that:
  • Directed the development of a 2015 strategy that identified new directions for CAN to effect change. I designed and implemented a process to facilitate input from across CAN membership that assessed changing political situations and opportunities to create change. The strategy developed broad strategic directions, specific objectives and strategies and encompassed political, policy, campaigning, outreach and communication elements.
  • Produced four annual CAN policy documents: 2009 - Fair, Ambitious and Binding: Essentials for a successful climate deal; 2010 - Cancun Building Blocks; 2011 - Durban Expectations; 2012 - Doha Milestones and Action via a collaborative and inclusive process. I introduced the concept of collating CAN policies to clearly communicate CAN’s expectations for the year, provide a focal point for advocacy for CAN members, and provide useful documents for delegations, notably small developing country delegations with limited resources, and non CAN member NGOs. These documents have played an important role in setting the agenda for the international climate negotiations.
  • Undertook and coordinated key lobby and relationship building activities. Ahead of each major opportunity I coordinated the Network to agree key objectives in order to focus resources in a complex environment. I coordinated CAN members to lobby on key issues. I successfully built relationships with country delegations that were key for CAN, notably the rotating Chairs of the Least Developed Countries, the Africa Group, the Association of Small Island States and the G77 and China. CAN is now seen as an important player and key ally. I have been invited to give presentations to preparatory meetings of these groupings, and met frequently with them. 
  • Increased CAN’s communication effectiveness – through coordinating or writing key ECO articles to influence negotiators and improving the language of CAN policy documents to increase their accessibility. Represented CAN on press conferences.
  • Increased the voice of CAN within the climate negotiations by writing or coordinating submissions and policy papers and ensuring interventions (statements) are effective. I played a lead role in increasing ad hoc interventions in the negotiations, ensuring that the voice of civil society is heard when it is most relevant and can be most effective. CAN was recognised as delivering relevant and useful interventions.
  • Improved communication within the Network, and enhanced network dynamics by introducing CAN’s internal member newsletter which I planned, managed input into and edited. 
  • An excellent meeting facilitator I have been the facilitator of choice for CAN’s most challenging discussions. Ensuring that meetings, some with large numbers of participants, are both inclusive and result in timely and effective outcomes.
  • Organised many successful events including CAN side events at the negotiations, 3 day strategy sessions, and 5- 6 half day strategy sessions each year. I identified key issues to be discussed and appropriate speakers, organised panels with speakers from multiple regions, ensured that a wide range of perspectives are heard, and provided opportunities for CAN members to have meaningful discussions.

As Oxfam Australia’s Advocacy Coordinator, Climate Change from 2008 to 2009 my key achievements were:
  • As the lead on Oxfam Australia’s policy development and advocacy on climate change I developed an organisation wide strategic plan for climate change, coordinating input from across Oxfam Australia including from campaigns, media and policy.
  • Coordinated research and analysis, and prepared advocacy materials including co-authoring Oxfam International’s equity paper, Hang Together or Separately: How global co-operation is key to a fair and adequate climate deal at Copenhagen which outlined an innovative global mitigation and financing mechanism. This report was influential within and outside Oxfam, the ideas contained within it were adopted by other development organisations.
  • Worked with campaign staff to develop and implement national community campaigning strategies. This included developing and helping to implement the UN climate change e-monitors (Adopt-A-Negotiator equivalent) campaign to engage the public in the international negotiations. 
  • Collaborated with Oxfam’s media unit to identify and take advantage of media opportunities, including briefing journalists, drafting media releases and other media material and was Oxfam’s spokesperson on climate change. During this period Oxfam’s media profile on climate change increased substantially.
  • Coordinated internal working groups on climate change across Oxfam Australia and New Zealand. Provided advice to management, campaigns, media and in-country programs on all aspects of climate change.

For five years (2003 – 2008) I was Executive Officer / Coordinator at the Climate Action Network Australia (CANA), a challenging role that included:
  • Coordinated the development of a joint strategic plan across CANA. This reviewed the fundamentals of how the NGO movement in Australia campaigned on climate change. The implementation of this joint 5 year plan lead to a significantly more effective NGO movement and contributed to the shift in awareness and concern about climate change.
  • Developed a new communications approach. I fundraised for and commissioning a research project to gain a deeper understanding of the values and framing that would be effective on climate change. Delivering a communications toolkit to CANA members.
  • Expanded campaigning on climate change outside of the environment movement. I worked jointly to establish the Climate and Development Roundtable, and recruiting a wide range of organisations to CANA, including development and other organisations. I engaged other organisations outside of the environment movement, including unions, on the issue of climate change. 
  • Coordinated CANA members to develop a comprehensive policy platform, Turning Down the Heat: A Climate Change Action Agenda for Australia that was used as a basis for member election asks in the 2007 election. I also worked with CANA members to develop joint policies in important areas eg carbon capture and storage and emissions trading. 
  • Coordinated and co-wrote a number of submissions into government processes including the Garnaut Review, Green Power, Energy Efficiency, National Electricity Law.
  • Successfully engaged the international, national, state and local members of CANA in key communication and campaign opportunities. I coordinated an international NGO statement for the first meeting of the Asia Pacific Clean Development and Climate Partnership (AP6) and a successful media campaign with Australian NGOs. This campaign resulted in media coverage of the meeting reflecting our perspective. I coordinated CANA members in a reaction to the Prime Minister's 2004 Energy Statement. The coverage achieved around this statement was substantial as smaller members engaged with local media on information I provided. 
  • Transformed CANA members from a group largely not interested nor involved in the international climate negotiations, to an informed and effective delegation of over 40 at Bali, generating substantial media and with a significant input into the negotiations. I coordinated the development and launch of a joint report, Australia’s Mitigation Potential: why Australia should not receive another special deal that was successful in gaining media coverage and helped reposition the perspective that other country delegates had on Australia.
  • I ran a successful capacity building program for CANA members on the international negotiations, delivered by a series of workshops, and resources available over the web. I coordinated a well attended (200+ participants) and very well received capacity building workshop at Bali for CAN-I members that increased the effectiveness of first time participants. 
  • Took over the management of the Power to Change campaign to sell Green Power and turned it from a project that was losing significant money for its NGO shareholders, to a successful on street campaign that made a small profit and generated over 20,000 conversations with people on the street about climate change and 2,000 customers for Green Power.
  • Turned CANA’s financial situation around from an organisation in serious financial difficulties, with only one part time position funded, to one with 2.2 full time equivalent staff and a secure financial position. Membership doubled to 50 organisations.
  • Maintained the CANA website, incorporating new information and providing a public resource on the issue of climate change. It was independently reviewed as one of the most useful Australian websites on climate change. 
  • Established the CANA Conference as the preeminent civil society conference on climate change (possibly the pre-eminent non-scientific conference in Australia at the time), delivering 5 successful CANA Conferences. Attendees grew each year, with approximately 200 people attending the open sessions.

I developed the concept of Green Rock for The Greens NSW, and coordinated 3 Green Rock events from 2002 to 2003.

Green Rock was a series of youth-oriented concerts hosted by The Greens, with funds raised for a community based, youth focused, social justice cause. My role included pitching the concept to local Greens groups to gain seed funding, identifying and working with the social justice organisations, approaching artists, negotiating with suppliers, planning and implementing successful advertising, promotion and public relations campaigns and ensuring the events ran smoothly.
  • Green Rock #1 September 2002. Raised $2,000 for Reach Out! 355 people attended. Free press coverage in street press (Revolver & Drum), Sydney Morning Herald Metro, 6 JJJ mentions, 11 minute documentary on ABC’s Fly TV, email lists, web sites, internet & community notice boards.
  • Green Rock #2 March 2003. Raised $1,250 for Tranby Aboriginal College. 361 people attended. Free press coverage in street press (Revolver & Drum), Indigenous Press (Tungarra), 4 JJJ mentions, free radio advertisements on 2SER, email lists, web sites, internet & community notice boards.
  • Green Rock #3 November 2003. Raised $1,906 for NSW Rape Crisis Centre. Festival held across 3 nights/days at The Annandale. Over 20 bands played for free. Free press coverage in street press (Revolver & Drum), Sydney Morning Herald, JJJ, 2SER, email lists, web sites, internet & community notice boards.

Green Rock reinforced amongst 18-35 year olds that The Greens stand for social justice, and provided young people the opportunity to participate in the political process whilst having fun. It also provided useful links between the NSW Greens and civil society organisations.


Before working in the not for profit sector I had a 9 year career in marketing (1995-2003). My roles included Marketing Manager for Zodiac Australia Pools Division and Product Communications Manager for Coleman Products Australia and involved:
  • Formulating strategic plans, incorporating input from across the management team.
  • Commissioning research projects to better understand how consumers perceived the brand and product. Designing and implementing product and communications strategies, including successful major re-branding strategies. 
  • Successfully rolling out a number of new products and more than doubled sales on existing key product lines. 
  • Product management, including sales forecasting. 
  • Building and managing marketing teams and relationships with external suppliers


No comments:

Post a Comment