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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 • Arranging travel and accommodation for the Training team. • Assisting with Vendor or System queries. • Booking external training venues and arranging catering at Regional Office venues. • Coordinating and arranging Channel Training nationally. • Creating monthly training reports for Management. • Creating, updating and distributing National Training calendars. • Directly managing the Training Department. • Escalating lack of training bookings to Management. • Establishing and maintaining relationships with key role players within the business. • Following the payment process, including obtaining quotes for training venues, negotiating discounts, raising

requisitions on Oracle and arranging approval thereof.

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• Liaising and escalating any errors / problems with the booking system. • Managing all day-to-day training enquiries / requests / queries from all business areas. • Managing and completing training bookings via relevant booking system.

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. • Assisting / offering assistance to other management or other staff when required. • Creating new MS Excel spread sheets of travel costs for the Department. • 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 various documents to simplify processes and procedures. • Maintaining hard copy and electronic filing systems. • Managing electronic diary, including setting up monthly meetings with Directors of Nashua Mobile and Altech

Autopage. • Managing the office in the boss’s absence. • Ordering stationery for the Department using Oracle. • Performing general clerical duties, including photocopying, faxing and scanning documents. • Training current PA on how to update monthly management report. • Travel Coordinator for management and consultants’ local travel.

2. 2007 – 2008

Paragmed (Pty) Limited Quellerina, South Africa

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY / PA

Responsibilities • PA to the Managing Director and CEO. • Arranging catering for various functions. • Assisting / offering assistance to other management or other staff when required. • Conducting annual performance evaluations for cleaning staff. • Creating company organisational chart and various business-related spread sheets. • Creating, recording and distributing meeting minutes and agendas. • Handling all VIP visit arrangements. • Handling maintenance and building related issues. • Liaising with the printing company to arrange for printing of business cards, letterheads, business forms, etc. • Line Manager to 2 cleaning staff members. • Maintaining hard copy and electronic filing systems. • Managing company library. • Managing Petty Cash. • Managing stationery room, including ordering and distribution thereof. • Managing the office in the bosses’ absence. • Ordering all kitchen and office supplies and taking stock thereof. • Organising local and international congresses and conferences. • Performing general clerical duties, including but not limited to photocopying, faxing, mailing and filing. • Screening calls, telephonic liaising and writing correspondence. • Travel Coordinator for all local and overseas travel.

3. 2006 – 2007

Nedbank Limited - HR Retail Cluster, Organisational Development Sandton, South Africa

PERSONAL ASSISTANT

Responsibilities • Temporary PA to the Head of Organisational Development. • Arranging parking. • Assisting with external vendor management. • Capturing all expense claims and submitting them to the Accounts Department.

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• Compiling reports and correspondence on MS Word, MS Excel and MS PowerPoint. • Conducting Internet research and development on latest best practice on related topics that are part of the

service offering. • Handling general typing and filing for Head of OD and the OD team. • Handling telephonic liaising and writing correspondence. • Liaising with various business consultants, management and staff across the Group. • Managing electronic diary and inbox. • Managing the office of the OD Head and handling office admin of the OD team. • Preparing and editing documents and presentations for Head of OD and OD team. • Setting up meetings, including booking meeting rooms.

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. • Collating and distributing board packs. • Conducting internet research. • Coordinating and booking meetings and boardroom and organising refreshments. • Filing. • Handling all local and international travel arrangements, flights, hotels, car hire, visas, etc. • Handling all personal issues, including payment of accounts. • Handling daily admin for executives. • Handling dictation and extensive Dictaphone typing. • Liaising with clients and associates. • Maintaining high level of confidentiality. • Managing electronic diary. • Managing the office in the bosses’ absence. • Screening calls. • Sending and receiving e-mails. • Typing all secretarial correspondence requested by Executives, Auditor or Company Secretary. • Typing company organisation charts.

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.

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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.