MELBOURNE has become the second club to appoint a female development coach, with Michelle Cowan joining the Demons' football department.

Cowan has coached the club's women's team for the past three seasons, working closely with and receiving mentoring from Paul Roos.

Demons football manager Josh Mahoney spoke highly of Cowan's qualifications in taking on such an important job.

"We were able to see first-hand her skills, the way she built the culture of the (women's) team within the two to three days she had the players together," Mahoney told AFL.com.au.

"That, coupled with her experience coaching at WAFL level and other interests she has had in her career, we thought she would really help our development and welfare department."

Cowan will work closely with the Demons' first and second year players, managing their individual development plans and working with the young players on leadership skills.

She will join the development and welfare team, which includes Brendan McCartney, Shannon Byrnes and Andrew Nichol.

Given Cowan's family commitments – she has two young children – she will work in a part-time capacity from her base in Perth and travel to Melbourne four days a fortnight.

However she will maintain regular contact with the players over the phone, as well as watching vision from match days.

Cowan follows Peta Searle into the elite ranks, who was appointed to St Kilda's coaching panel headed by Alan Richardson in 2014.

Cowan comes to Melbourne with a strong football reputation, having previously been an assistant coach at South Fremantle in the WAFL as well as the west Australian women's state team.

Cowan also has weighty credentials outside of football as a professional speaker.

Meanwhile, the Demons have also announced female football ambassador Daisy Pearce will take up a role in the commercial department of the club.

Pearce is seen as the logical choice to captain the Demons' women's team as the League moves closer to establishing a national competition in 2017.