1. 1
KAREN RILEY
Occupation Executive Secretary / Personal Assistant
Gender Female
Nationality South African
Ethnic Group White
Language English, Afrikaans
Drivers Licence Code 08
Availability Immediate
Contact Details
Cell phone +27 84 690 9697
Email rileykaren32@gmail.com
LinkedIn http://za.linkedin.com/in/karenriley2
Residential Location Northcliff, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Professional Profile
Executive Secretary / Personal Assistant with more than 25 years’ working experience, including over 6 years
as a National Training Coordinator for a corporate telecommunications company and over 4 years as a Senior
Sales Consultant in the IT security industry. Proficient in MS Office, strong work ethic, excellent attention to
detail and command of the English language. An energetic, motivated and resourceful individual who is
receptive to new ideas. Strong decision making and problem solving skills.
Education
1977
Ace Secretarial College
Six Month Secretarial Course
1976
Florida Park High School
Grade 10
Certification Courses
• Event & Business Travel Management
• MS PowerPoint Advanced
• Time Management
• Business Writing Skills
• EasyScript Speedwriting
• MS Outlook Advanced
• MS Word Advanced
• MS Excel Advanced
Computer Skills
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Oracle
• SkillVantage Manager
• Vineyard
Areas of Expertise
• Proficient in MS Office.
• Excellent organiser & coordinator.
• Excellent verbal & oral communication.
• Diary management.
• Travel management.
• Database management.
• Excellent typing skills.
• Dictaphone typing.
Career History
1.1 2008 – 2014
Cell C
Sandton, South Africa
NATIONAL CHANNEL TRAINING COORDINATOR
Responsibilities
• Directly managing the Training Department.
• Creating, updating and distributing National Training calendars.
• Managing and completing training bookings via relevant booking system.
• Booking external training venues and arranging catering at Regional Office venues.
• Coordinating and arranging Channel Training nationally.
• Managing all day-to-day training enquiries / requests / queries from all business areas.
• Escalating lack of training bookings to Management.
• Liaising and escalating any errors / problems with the booking system.
• Arranging travel and accommodation for the Training team.
• Following the payment process, including obtaining quotes for training venues, negotiating discounts, raising
requisitions on Oracle and arranging approval thereof.

2. 2
• Establishing and maintaining relationships with key role players within the business.
• Assisting with Vendor or System queries.
• Creating monthly training reports for Management.
Achievements
• Received 2 Luminary Awards from Executive Management for Excellence in the Workplace.
• Reduced operational costs by min. of 20% YTD in 2014. Company Directive was 15%.
• Made recommendations that were approved by Management to increase efficiency of the Department.
1.2 2008
Cell C
Sandton, South Africa
EXECUTIVE PERSONAL ASSISTANT (Temporary Position)
Responsibilities
• PA to Executive HOD – Commercial Sales.
• Managing the office in the boss’s absence.
• Managing electronic diary, including setting up monthly meetings with Directors of Nashua Mobile and Altech
Autopage.
• Creating templates for monthly management report, including inputting figures and formulas in MS Excel and
creating graphs that will update automatically once new figures have been input.
• Creating new MS Excel spread sheets of travel costs for the Department.
• Creating various documents to simplify processes and procedures.
• Assisting / offering assistance to other management or other staff when required.
• Performing general clerical duties, including photocopying, faxing and scanning documents.
• Maintaining hard copy and electronic filing systems.
• Travel Coordinator for management and consultants’ local travel.
• Ordering stationery for the Department using Oracle.
• Training current PA on how to update monthly management report.
2. 2007 – 2008
Paragmed (Pty) Limited
Quellerina, South Africa
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY / PA
Responsibilities
• PA to the Managing Director and CEO.
• Managing the office in the bosses’ absence.
• Screening calls, telephonic liaising and writing correspondence.
• Assisting / offering assistance to other management or other staff when required.
• Creating, recording and distributing meeting minutes and agendas.
• Performing general clerical duties, including but not limited to photocopying, faxing, mailing and filing.
• Maintaining hard copy and electronic filing systems.
• Travel Coordinator for all local and overseas travel.
• Organising local and international congresses and conferences.
• Handling all VIP visit arrangements.
• Handling maintenance and building related issues.
• Managing stationery room, including ordering and distribution thereof.
• Liaising with the printing company to arrange for printing of business cards, letterheads, business forms, etc.
• Ordering all kitchen and office supplies and taking stock thereof.
• Managing company library.
• Managing Petty Cash.
• Line Manager to 2 cleaning staff members.
• Conducting annual performance evaluations for cleaning staff.
• Creating company organisational chart and various business-related spread sheets.
• Arranging catering for various functions.
3. 2006 – 2007
Nedbank Limited - HR Retail Cluster, Organisational Development
Sandton, South Africa
PERSONAL ASSISTANT
Responsibilities
• Temporary PA to the Head of Organisational Development.
• Managing the office of the OD Head and handling office admin of the OD team.
• Managing electronic diary and inbox.
• Handling telephonic liaising and writing correspondence.

3. 3
• Conducting Internet research and development on latest best practice on related topics that are part of the
service offering.
• Setting up meetings, including booking meeting rooms.
• Liaising with various business consultants, management and staff across the Group.
• Assisting with external vendor management.
• Arranging parking.
• Handling general typing and filing for Head of OD and the OD team.
• Compiling reports and correspondence on MS Word, MS Excel and MS PowerPoint.
• Preparing and editing documents and presentations for Head of OD and OD team.
• Capturing all expense claims and submitting them to the Accounts Department.
Major Projects
• Assisting with coordinating a very successful 2-day workshop event. Adapting and designing the
communication strategy for the training workshop, including the invitation, printing and collating of the
training manuals.
• Booking the venue, arranging the catering, purchasing the materials for the event and preparing the room by
creating a theme and atmosphere that is conducive to the workshop.
• Nationwide Coordinator of the annual Nedbank Angel Tree initiative.
• Driving the initiative, contacting charitable organisations nationally and all the regional coordinators as the
hub for Nedbank.
• Developing a ‘wish list’ template for the organisations to use.
• Ensuring that all information is accurate before it being added on to the Company Intranet once lists are
received. This project involved a lot of problem-solving, creating thinking and initiative.
4. 2004 – 2006
Squires Foods (Pty) Ltd
Johannesburg, South Africa
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY / PERSONAL ASSISTANT
Responsibilities
• PA to the Chairman and Managing Director.
• Managing the office in the bosses’ absence.
• Screening calls.
• Handling dictation and extensive Dictaphone typing.
• Coordinating and booking meetings and boardroom and organising refreshments.
• Collating and distributing board packs.
• Sending and receiving e-mails.
• Conducting internet research.
• Liaising with clients and associates.
• Managing electronic diary.
• Handling all local and international travel arrangements, flights, hotels, car hire, visas, etc.
• Filing.
• Handling daily admin for executives.
• Handling all personal issues, including payment of accounts.
• Typing all secretarial correspondence requested by Executives, Auditor or Company Secretary.
• Typing company organisation charts.
• Maintaining high level of confidentiality.
Career History: Previous Positions
5.
SENIOR SALES CONSULTANT
Y3K Security Products
1999 – 2004
6.
SENIOR SECRETARY / ADMINISTRATION SUPERVISOR
Commercial Union Group Services
1985 – 1999
Key Strengths
• Strong planning, organising and monitoring abilities and an efficient time-manager.
• Attention to detail, planning, organisation and daily delivery requirements.
• A constructive team member who contributes practically to the success of the team.
• Ability to prioritise and deal effectively with a number of tasks simultaneously.
• Active and dynamic approach to work and getting things done.
• Responds quickly to changing situations and works well under pressure while maintaining individual team
effectiveness.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting and problem solving skills.
• Excellent listener and communicator, effectively conveys information verbally and in writing.
• Excellent internal and external negotiation skills with ability to engage and influence clients.
• Good interpersonal skills - works well with others, motivates and encourages.

4. 4
Endorsements
“Karen has a notable ability to learn new technologies quickly. Her work is of the highest standard of
accuracy, and she can be relied upon to maintain utmost confidentiality. Karen is renowned for her
organisational capability.” Dr. V.K. Samuelson, General Manager, Commercial Union Group Services
“…she carried out her duties efficiently and effectively. She has a pleasant personality and also interacted
well with the head office staff and those people she dealt with outside the company.” G.S. Thomas, Chairman,
Squires Foods
References
Available on request.