All Things Sorted

A helper through and through from a very young age!

With my willingness to always be on hand, I earned my role as mummy's little helper and was in later years affectionately known by the nickname of a character in the drama series Upstairs Downstairs.

After 'A' levels, I went on to study at Wolverhampton Polytechnic where I achieved a DipHE in Languages for Business (French and German).

I have many years secretarial and PA experience, with the following amongst my employers:

Foreign and Commonwealth Office – working in London initially in Downing Street and then moving to Geneva as PA to the First Secretary at the United Kingdom Delegation to the Conference on Disarmament. This involved working with people of many nationalities from all walks of life, Ambassadors and diplomats, Secretaries of State and politicians, journalists and housestaff, couriers and chauffeurs.  We moved office lock, stock and barrel twice a year to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. The organisation of this move fell to myself. I served just over four years with the Foreign Office before moving back to London after my marriage.

Associated British Foods plc – I worked for the Company Secretary for approximately 18 months as his Personal Assistant before my move to Lancashire.

I then spent ten years working for a firm of Chartered Accountants in Preston, as PA to one of the Partners, followed by a position with Indespension, the National Trailer Company, as PA to the Board of Directors.  Whilst working there, I juggled the demands of five directors, and a busy homelife and bringing up our five year old daughter, until I was offered my 'dream job' in August of 1998.

I commenced as PA/Receptionist to the Manager of a Business Centre located in a Grade II listed cotton mill after being approached by the Project Manager who had interviewed me for another role a couple of years previously. I jumped at this opportunity and was thankful that I had not succeeded in obtaining the original job that I had applied for!

The role commenced quietly, but very quickly the first phase of the Business Centre was occupied by tenant companies and the second phase commenced. We went from an occupancy of 250 people in 1998 to an occupancy level of almost 800 by 2002. My role changed dramatically over the years, being involved in all aspects of developing, marketing and running a Business Centre. I was promoted to Assistant Manager within a couple of years and then assumed the role of Manager upon the retirement of the existing Manager in 2005 and the sale of the company followed in May 2006 to a London based company.

The position has been eventful, challenging, and fulfilling over the years and I will be forever grateful to the Directors and Manager back in 1998 for giving me the opportunity to be involved in such an exciting and successful project.

My skills and qualities include:

• Over 25 years secretarial, PA and managerial experience
• Confidentiality of highest level (ex Foreign Office background)
• Discretion
• Loyalty
• Organisational skills
• Obtaining quotations
• Placing orders
• Marketing/promotion
• Good communication and people skills
• French to DipHe level
• German to DipHe level
• Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher, Powerpoint and Outlook Express experience
• Spreadsheet and document design
• Fast touch typist
• Audio typist
• Minute taking by shorthand
• Proofreading
• Basic book-keeping
• Interviewing
• Declutterer and organiser
• Many tried and tested contractors, tradespeople and service providers
• 30 years clean driving licence