Maria Carelse

CAREER SUMMARY
A fully experienced and qualified Personal Assistant and Office Manager with proven ability in supporting senior managers to enable them to make the best use of their time by dealing with their secretarial and administrative tasks. Able to exhibit confidentiality, discretion, diplomacy and professionalism. I am highly motivated and confident with exceptional multi-tasking and organisational skills. I aim to continue my successful career in a suitable position with an ambitious company or private household.
• 15 years as Personal Assistant
• 6 years as Office Manager
• 9 years as Receptionist
• 5 years as Account Manager
• Employed in the Juice production Industry, Technology, Advertising, Medical, Travel and 5-Star Hospitality

HIGHLIGHTS AND EXPERTISE
• Extensive Diary Management
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for interacting with senior management
• Fluent in Spanish
• Liaising with internal and external stakeholders
• Representing the company and the CEO at meetings and events
• Event organisation and travel arrangements
• Ability to multitask and prioritise a varied workload in an effective manner
• Experience using Switchboard, 3CX
• Skilled with MS Office: Outlook diary management, Excel financials, Word documentation, PowerPoint presentations
• Experience in Accountancy using XERO, EXACT, IRIS and in HR Administration
• Ability to plan ahead and use my own initiative
• Great attention to detail and strong organisational skills
• Efficient, energetic but with a calm nature
• Fast at typing (60 words per minute)
• Full and clean driving license
• First Aid trained/Health and Safety and Fire Warden

EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
• 2021 - Pediatric First Aid Course
• 2010 - Executive PA (Level 7-Advanced) Diploma. Endorsed by ABC Awards. CPD Accredited Certificate. MS Office Included
• 1991-1994- Diploma in Political Sciences at the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain) Majoring in International Politics

EMPLOYMENT
Private Personal Assistant for HNW Family
Business and Private Services

Business Role: Bilingual Personal Assistant/Office Manager
FSB Technology London March 2020 to Present
• Providing all-round support for the COO and senior managers
• Full diary management and organising international travel itineraries
• Producing PowerPoint presentations, attending management meetings, and taking minutes
• Booking restaurants, taxis and couriers
• Organising and attending events and Casino fairs
• Handling incoming calls and enquiries
• Taking minutes in-person and video conferencing programmes
• Assisting HR Department by shortlisting CVs and interviewing candidates by phone and face-to-face
• Hiring suppliers and contractors, ensuring the best prices
• Online shopping for office furniture, ornaments and IT equipment for new starters
• New hires’ first day induction
• Completing personal and credit card expense reports
• Translating documents from Spanish to English
• Sorting and distributing the post
• Maintaining the stock levels of stationary, sugar, tea and coffee with monthly orders
• Keeping reception area and meeting rooms clean and tidy at all the times
• Acting as the first contact point of the company, screening phone calls, taking messages and greeting visitors at the door

Private Personal Assistant/House Manager for HNW Family Kent March 2020 to Present
• Property management, hiring contractors and negotiating the best price
• Full diary management for the Principal, ensuring appointments and meetings are not overlapping
• Organizing travel booking, visas, accommodation and transfers
• Preparing invoices and logging financial details into the ledger
• Liaising with business EA to ensure smooth running
• Shortlisting candidate CVs and attending face-to-face, interviews
• Dealing with confidential matters and sensitive issues
• Screening phone calls and enquiries and handling them accordingly
• Assisting the Principal with various social media platforms to aid the growth of the company
• Organising and participating in events
• Managing and monitoring household inventories
• Dealing with correspondence including emails and letters
• Translating documents from Spanish into English
• Running errands, including grocery shopping and dry cleaning
• Ensuring the smooth and seamless running of the property

Personal Assistant to CEO (business/private capacity)/Office Manager
KSY JUICE BLENDS Battersea, London May 2017 – March 2020
• Providing full diary management for the CEO
• Preparing new employee’s contracts for HR Department and the CFO
• Co-ordinating travel arrangements, including booking flights, accommodation, transport and offering detailed itineraries
• Acting as the first contact point, screening phone calls, taking messages and greeting clients
• Managing suppliers and contractors
• Organising events and parties
• Translating and drafting documents, including PowerPoint presentations
• Screening CVs and shortlisting candidates by phone
• Filing, scanning and photocopying documents
• Processing personal expenses
• Looking after the CEO’s private cars: insurance, tax and parking permits
• Setting up conference calls, attending meetings and taking minutes
• Managing household issues and repairs
• Organising and maintaining supplies of tea, coffee and stationery
• Arranging couriers to Athens

Account Manager
Viking Cruises (Travel Company) Wimbledon, London November 2012 – March 2016

Personal Assistant/Receptionist
Henry Schein Medical (Medical Company) Gillingham, Kent January 2011 – September 2012

Personal Assistant to Sales Manager, Account Manager for the UK and Spanish Department and Technical Support
RCI (Travel Company) Cork, Ireland May 2003 – December 2010

Head Receptionist / Reservationist
The Great Eastern Hotel (5 Star Hotel) London September 1999 – December 2002

Personal Assistant to the Creative Director Madrid October 1994 – July 1999
Leo Burnett (Advertising Agency)
INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES
I am a keen photographer who takes great pleasure in visiting photographic exhibitions, cinemas and art galleries. I enjoy socialising with work colleagues, friends and family. I also enjoy reading novels.
References available on request