Organisation: Knox Gardens Primary School
Job Title: Admin Assistant – General
Location: Knox Gardens Primary School
Demonstrated capacity to undertake routine support tasks across a range of functions within an Administration role
A highly competent and resourceful customer service professional, I have over 18 years of experience in business development, sales management and administration across a range of business circumstances. Through this experience, I have gained a thorough understanding of clerical functions, secretariat services and business practices within a busy office environment. This is best demonstrated by my long-term contribution to the growth and business performance of Coca Cola Amatil, where I was responsible for undertaking the full range of administration activities to drive best practice marketing, new business, customer service and stakeholder management initiatives. This included acting as the first point of call for all phone and face-to-face interactions for a large customer portfolio encompassing over 300 clients. In this capacity, I managed all incoming and outgoing correspondence, maintained hard copy and electronic customer records, scheduled appointments, performed regular diary management and prepared company documents and client presentations.
Currently employed by Armani Junior, I was originally retained on a casual basis and quickly promoted to the full‑time role of Store Manager. I have since demonstrated my ability to perform a wide variety of tasks to support the successful operation of the business, including managing the flow of invoices and accounts, training staff, monitoring store budgets, performing stocktake activities and ensuring compliance to established store practices. Testament to my skills in this area, my team and I recently received official recognition from the CEO for greatly exceeding the ‘units per transaction’ key performance indicator (KPI) for the Chadstone store. Additionally, the store was awarded Retailer of the Month in March 2014, driven by my ability to oversee all aspects of the store’s operations, including stock control, inventory management, procurement, merchandising and product selection for the store.
Throughout my career, I have demonstrated my ability to identify and respond to areas in need of organisation in order to support, manage, prioritise and maximise the time spent delivering value to the business and its customers. To achieve this, I monitor and action my own workload at all times to uphold a high standard of customer satisfaction and overcome any challenging situations. For example, I implement strategies such as Microsoft Outlook and to-do lists to prioritise workloads and keep track of daily, weekly and monthly routines. Additionally, I take notes in informal and formal meetings to make certain that my tasks are recorded accurately. This ensures that I am ready to provide information within the scope of my role at a moment’s notice. With a wealth of experience undertaking and organising a range of administration functions, I am confident my skills are easily transferable across all business platforms and will allow me to effectively support Knox Gardens Primary School.
Demonstrated capacity to communicate effectively with members of the school community, including students
Working in numerous customer service roles throughout my career, I have developed the innate ability to tailor my communications to my audience in order to deliver relevant information to suit the needs of the enquirer or situation. Effective communication is the most important issue in any organisation and I endeavour to be clear and concise at all times to mitigate the risk of confusion or misunderstanding; common factors that may cause conflict in the workplace. As a parent, I have been actively involved in various school events and supporting my children’s education, lending me the ability to effectively communicate with other parents, teachers and students. From my personal experiences, I have observed that having these positive relationships provides an enriching and elevating effect on all members of the school community and assists with creating a successful learning environment within the classroom. Additionally, this works to strengthen involvement, ownership sentiment, and ultimately, the effectiveness and positive spirit of the school.
Accustomed to liaising with internal and external key stakeholders at all levels, I am comfortable consulting and negotiating with a diverse range of people on a variety of topics relevant to my position. To achieve this, I use effective questioning and active listening techniques to deliver services and solutions in accordance with organisational guidelines. This allows me to effectively interpret and communicate policies, procedures and technical knowledge to my staff or colleagues in a way that is easy to understand and apply to daily tasks. A good example of this occurred in my current role as Store Manager, where I applied my previous knowledge of SAP to rapidly gain working knowledge of the retail system to share my expertise with my staff. Subsequently, I took the initiative to summarise the information provided by head office and reduce it to a one page, step-by-step guide with photos and instructions on using the system.
Due to my approachable manner, engaging method of delivery and ability to provide this information, the system was operational within the set timeframe with minimal disruption to daily routines. This success led to my training manuals being adopted by head office and rolled out across several stores. My ability to communicate effectively in writing has been demonstrated through my extensive experience in a professional environment, providing me with systematic training in clear and concise communication. This is supported by my ability to deliver quality information in the form of policies, minutes, company documents, standard operating procedures, business plans and reports. At all times, I remain aware of the importance of maintaining confidentiality and exercising tact, common sense and sensitivity when communicating information to different audiences.
Demonstrated proficiency in the use of office systems, software (Excel, Word, Publisher, Qkr, Tiqbiz) or technical equipment as relevant to the position.
My substantial knowledge of contemporary software packages, databases and information management systems has been acutely developed throughout my career, allowing me to utilise a broad range of programs and applications to effectively carry out my responsibilities. This includes using Microsoft Office design tools and software to present information in a variety of formats through the design of quality, user-friendly documents. For example, I am able to prepare internal and external policies, procedures, company documents, letters and contracts in accordance with style guide requirements. Additionally, I have proven ability using Excel to capture customer data, maintain records, apply financial functions and report on statistics or results. At all times, I maintain a high standard of work, thoroughness and attention to detail to minimise the risk and impact of any errors. To do this effectively, I review all my work prior to submission and check for inaccuracies in spelling, punctuation and spacing.
Working in sales environments such as Coca-Cola, I have demonstrated a high proficiency in PowerPoint through the creation of engaging presentations for new and existing clients which I deliver via iPad or projector to promote the benefits of company products. In this capacity, I was also required to create hard copy presentations or booklets through the effective use of company equipment such as printers, photocopiers and binding machines in accordance with procedures and manufacturer’s instructions. This experience, combined with the skills I have gained in my current role, has seen me effectively manage and maintain a variety of SAP office systems to effectively record, collate and retrieve relevant information. To do this, I rely on my fast and accurate data entry skills to capture, monitor and report on store performance and use this information to implement daily objectives or identify areas requiring attention.
Maintaining responsibility for the output of work deliverables via these programs and systems, I take ownership of both my achievements and the very rare occasion of human error. I am often commended by my supervisors and colleagues for my high standard of work, thoroughness and attention to detail, and I apply these standards to effectively carry out all tasks. Demonstrated by my success in administration and customer service roles, I am a quick learner and am confident in my ability to rapidly acquire a strong working knowledge of Qkr, Tiqbiz and other programs relevant to this position to maximise the efficiency of the office. With the ability to maintain focus and achieve results through the application of technology, my superior computer literacy and keyboard proficiency skills will allow me to successfully perform the duties of Administration Assistant.
Capacity to work cooperatively as a member of a team with a range of people including teachers, education support, students and parents
Throughout my personal and professional life, I am pleased to say I have achieved a great deal of success building and maintaining relationships with a diverse range of people through appropriate social sensitivity and an informed understanding of cultural awareness. This is demonstrated by over 18 years of career success where I have assumed a high level of responsibility that has demanded exceptional interpersonal skills, such as supervising and training staff, working closely with multidisciplinary teams, managing large client portfolios and handling customer enquiries and complaints. I have built a reputation as a collaborative team player with a proven track record of remaining calm and intervening during crises, supported by the knowledge, training and experience to maintain exceptional customer service standards.
Embracing and recognising diversity is an important skill for all members of an organisation, and at all times I treat both internal and external stakeholders with the utmost respect and courtesy. In this way, I am able to effectively collaborate with colleagues, customers and supervisors across multiple sites to facilitate cooperation and form meaningful partnerships. I respect my role within a wider organisation and understand that the quality of the service I provide directly affects the tasks and service levels of other departments. Maintaining a cohesive approach to the business, I work constructively with key stakeholders and members of my team to ensure work is being attended to within the outlined key performance indicators, team goals and company objectives.
My passion and involvement in being an active member of the wider school community is demonstrated through my participation in parent teacher nights and as a member of the kindergarten committee for two years. Amongst other events, I coordinated a Ladies Pamper Night for the mothers and teachers, which had the added benefit of strengthening my relationships within the school. Additionally, I have been involved in the coordination of school events, fetes and excursions where possible. These experiential learning activities and social events are highly beneficial for students, parents and teachers to enjoy the opportunity to interact in a different context to promote a respectful and collaborative learning community. With presence, experience and gravitas to represent Knox Gardens Primary School at all levels, my professionalism and cooperation will be a great asset in the role of Administration Assistant.
A commitment to professional learning and growth
Displaying personal drive and initiative, I am committed to my own development and enthusiastic about meeting new challenges, as demonstrated through my completion of numerous courses to further my career. For example, in my role as Business Development Executive with Coca-Cola, I actively participated in training initiatives, including the professional selling program that incorporated monthly reviews and refresher courses. To maintain a superior knowledge of the Coca-Cola suite of products, I regularly completed ‘test maps’ in order to exceed the expectations of customers and support a strong and positive brand within the local community. My highly developed sales skills combined with my commitment to professional learning and growth have been particularly valuable in my current position as Store Manager.
For example, I have shared my knowledge within my team and provided extensive sales training to support their learning and development. Each customer is different and therefore, must be approached in a different way according to the type of four types of decision‑makers: analyticals, amiables, drivers and expressives. Facilitating this training within my own store and the wider Armani Junior group via phone and face-to-face role plays, I developed a training module that has been recognised as best practice and adopted by other stores and head office. I firmly believe my keen interest in progressing and encouraging others to further their development has been instrumental to my career success to date.
Using this skills, I am confident in my ability to support the principles and values of Knox Gardens Primary School and contribute to a learning environment that provides equal access to education, training and employment opportunities regardless of age, culture, gender, ethnicity or other discriminating factors. I ensure I stay up-to-date with relevant industry developments, practices and methodologies through my own research and participation in activities designed to improve my performance and the performance of the business. In this way, I am able to remain responsive to employer objectives and constructively challenge business issues and justify my own position to verify my ideas and beliefs. I strive for excellence in all tasks and believe that this exciting opportunity would allow me to build a rewarding new career in a role where I can make a valuable contribution to the School and the wider community.
Demonstrated capacity to provide support and/or attendant care to students where necessary
Throughout my personal life and as the mother of two primary school children, I have provided additional support and attendant care to the children of family and friends. This experience has lent me the natural ability to establish a good rapport with young people, strengthened through establishing relationships in unstructured playing environments. For example, on the days that I am not required in my full-time role, I care for a friend’s child on a regular basis and contribute to the carpool one night a week where I transport the children to and from Girl Guides meetings. This is further supported by my current role with Armani Junior, where I provide supervision on a daily basis to young children in the store and am regularly rewarded by their smiles, laughter and affection while their parents shop for purchases.
Personally, I have created an understanding and open environment within my own home, paving the way for my children to excel in their learning experiences and taking pride in their school and homework activities. Supporting one child in Prep and another in Grade 4 with learning challenges, I appreciate the importance of working cooperatively with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure individual student excellence. Specifically, I am able to achieve this by communicating the learning requirements in a clear manner and ensuring that I have a strong understanding of the key issues being addressed. Through my experience, I understand the supreme importance of ensuring that all students, teachers and visitors to the school are able to learn and work in an environment free from harm and dangerous hazards and that it is the personal responsibility of all staff members to assist in achieving a ‘zero harm’ outcome.
At all times, I have performed my work in accordance with the requirements of occupational health and safety policies and procedures. Recognising my specific responsibilities in relation to the prevention and management of illness or injury, I have attended regular training sessions in safe work practices, including correct workstation set-up, risk and hazard identification, first aid response and reporting of accidents or incidents. I have a strong working knowledge of the certain policies and procedures in place to protect the students and staff, such as strict guidelines governing student medication, allergy awareness and student illness. I would bring these skills to any future role to promote a safe learning environment that meets the academic, vocational, social and cultural needs of all students under my duty of care.
