In 2001 she was graduated in North-West Academy for State Services, as a specialist of Municipal and State Management.
She worked in various Murmanskian government agencies, including Tourism management, prior to her appointment to the governorship in April 2012. Kovtun became the first female leader of Murmansk Oblast. From 1994 to 2005 she worked as Chairman Deputy of the Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee for the Administration of Murmansk Oblast.
From 2005 she was the Chief Deputy of the local Department of the Federal Tourism Agency.
From 2006 til 2009 she leads the Department for Tourism Development of the Directorate for Economics in the Murmansk Oblast Administration. Until 2011 she was the Chairman Deputy of the "Kol GMK" Company.
Governor of Murmansk
In April 2012, President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev appointed Kovtun as acting Governor of Murmansk Oblast, when the previous governor, Dmitry Dmitriyenko, resigned from office.
From 1986 she worked in Murmansk District Committee of the Communist Youth League, and she was the Head of Kol region.
In December 2011 she was elected as member of the Murmansk Oblast Duma, and she was the First Deputy of the Chairman of Murmansk Oblast Duma.