Former McKinsey consultant Andrew Nipe will lead the federal government’s new in-house consultancy with Joanne Rossiter appointed as his deputy.

The establishment of Australian Government Consulting (AGC) is part of the government’s attempt to break its reliance on external consultants, with $10.9 million committed to fund the in-house function over the next two years.

AGC will have three core functions, according to the APSC:

• delivery of core strategic consulting projects

• strengthening APS capability via skills transfer

• achieving better value for money when external consultants are engaged

Mr Nipe, who’s been named as Chief Consulting Officer, has previously worked for global management consultants McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company.

Most recently, he held the position of Chief Data Officer for the Victorian Government, as well senior roles in the Victorian Department of education.

Ms Rossiter joins AGC from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, where she led national skills reform, and brings to the role senior management consultancy experience with Nous.

Over the next two years the in-house function it will deliver at least 15 projects and work with agencies across the public service to build its project pipeline, public service minister Katy Gallagher says.

AGS  has already completed two pilot projects in partnership with the Centre for Australia-India Relations on economic engagement with India, and the new Net Zero Economy agency on strategic business planning.

“Australian Government Consulting will offer public servants the opportunity to work across departments on projects that have, in the past, been outsourced to external consultancies,” Ms Gallagher said in a statement. 

“Not only will this new function strengthen internal skills and capabilities by bringing important work back into the APS, but it will also save the taxpayer money.”

She said initial recruitment for in-house consultants received expressions of interest from nearly 1,000 applicants.