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Karen Riley CV
- 1. 1 KAREN RILEY Occupation ExecutiveSecretary / 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 andmaintaining 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 Internetresearch 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 anotable 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.