CHRISTOPHER ROBERTS
Buckingham
Summary
Dynamic and adaptable professional with an impressive background across various domains, including information (i.e. libraries), education, sales, and customer services. Skilled in confidently negotiating and engaging with clients, external stakeholders, and team members. Demonstrates excellent problem-solving abilities and excels in communication and time management. Possesses a personable and self-assured demeanor, approaching work analytically while embracing new service platforms, concepts, and ideas. Proficient in conflict resolution, ensuring client satisfaction. Thrives on challenges and enjoys working within a successful team.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Community Support Officer
Helping Hand Team, Buckinghamshire Council
01.2021 - Current
- Applies effective communication skills with customers and colleagues
- 2.5 years' experience in grant procurement - gathering intelligence, drafting, and review
- Strong case-management abilities - managing up to 20 active cases at a time from urgent to non-urgent
- Able to work under stressful conditions
- Experience as both hybrid and in-office working, showing flexibility in working environments
- Operates within a specific Customer SLA - both on urgent and non-urgent cases
- Achieves desirable outcomes with positive feedback from both leadership and customers
- Strong adaptability both within the team structure and across the Business Intelligence and Community Support department after having gone through a recent service review
- Calm demeanour when working with stressful or aggressive customers
- Experience with multiple external stakeholders and internal agencies
- Entrusted with Searchlight (DWP) training to query customer addresses and benefits details as part of checking eligibility criteria
- Experience working across multiple platforms to maintain accurate record-keeping and a 'paper trail' for auditing (both internal and external) e.g
- SAP, SRM, and Service Now
- 8x8 Telephony - used primarily for external calls to customers for call tracing and service improvement
- Continued success with an award-winning team facilitating the Government Household Support Fund to eligible residents
- Employee Representative under the Business Operations service directory
Library Manager
Buckinghamshire County Council
01.2018 - 01.2021
- Applied leadership ability when driving a large team of 35 volunteers to provide a first-class library service
- Hand-picked to undertake additional accountability when providing cover during managers' absence at other libraries, adopting managerial style as appropriate to direct larger, diverse teams
- In response to COVID-19, libraries closed from late March until early July
- As a result, a small task force was created to deliver critical support to vulnerable, shielded residents
- These efforts resulted in hundreds of residents receiving ongoing medicine support, food arrangements, and adult social care from March to August
- The Buckingham HUB received much praise for its efficiency, compassion, and dedication by many, including MP's, and our Service Director - This team was the precursor to the Helping Hand team which merged with the Local Emergency Support Team
- During COVID lockdown was redeployed to work within a task force as part of the business team delivering grants to small businesses from £1000 up to £2000 - often analyzing data to go on for further review or submitting readied cases for grant proposal
- Adapted to change well and quickly - for example, in response to COVID-19 as well as the ever-changing guidance for COVID-19
- Also adapted quickly with different teams, often travelling between library sites
- Thorough experience in library management systems such as Spydus
- Underwent regular training in various topics to keep up to date with health and safety, GDPR, Change Management, and more
- Experience writing risk assessments as well as other health and safety requirements
- SAP Finance trained for cash receipting
Special Needs Learning Support Officer (voluntary)/ Playground Helper
Meath School (I CAN)
01.2015 - 01.2018
- Facilitated teaching staff at a school providing teaching, therapy and care to children aged 4-11 years, whose primary difficulty were speech, language and communication, including Asperger's Syndrome learners
- Worked closely with teachers and other educational staff, helping to prepare and deliver lessons and providing support to pupils on a one-to-one basis as well as in a group setting
- Helped with pupils' learning and development, e.g
- Assisting those who are struggling, listening to pupils read, helping with number work and so forth; performed administrative duties as per teacher's request
- Demonstrated the ability to lead and provides direction when supervising in multiple areas
- Collaborated with class team to facilitate occupational therapy and speech and language programmes
- Oversaw the research, creation, implementation of a school blog - eventually handing over to other staff
- Intimate involvement in the marketing committee, often serving as an in-house consultant on ways to drive traffic through the school website and blog
- Assistant with AAC (alternative and augmented communication devices)
- Volunteer with award-winning Just So Singers special needs choir - performed in multiple settings including the opera 'The Freedom Game' written by Hannah Conway and Sir Richard Stilgoe, celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta
Special Needs Learning Support Officer (voluntary)
Meath School (I CAN)
01.2013 - 01.2016
- Assisted students with autism and complex speech and language difficulties by using sign supported English
- Tier 5 Charity volunteer - a part of an Ofsted Outstanding rated school (more than 10 years rated) - within a talented multidisciplinary team
- Catered for both Local Authority provision and privately funded placement
- Aided access to the full range of learning experiences both inside and outside the classroom and provided modified materials, ongoing one to one support to children with ASD, ADHD, SLCN, OT needs; offered social, behavioural and emotional support
- Successfully created and operated a variety of school clubs
- OT liaison for integrated approach to learning
- Implementing Therapeutic listening programmes, emotional and behavioural regulation along with OT 'sensory diets' to assist
- Adult/Child interaction training to assist in developing curated learning programmes for each child
- Volunteer events photographer for school events including the exclusive ICAN 125th anniversary at the Houses of Parliament chaired by MP Edward Timpson
Assistant Veteran's Affairs Education Benefits Co-ordinator
United States Veteran's Affairs
01.2013 - 12.2013
- Processed veteran's education benefits and delivered an exemplary support service, offering advice via telephone, email and 1:1; acted as the communication conduit between the main VA office and current and potential veteran students
- Proven meticulous attention to detail when engaging in a diligent manner when maintaining accurate records of highly confidential information
- Provided ongoing support throughout veteran's education at the school, often with veteran's with PTSD and other complex needs
Team Leader - El Salvador|Men's RA|IT Support|Touring Assistant
Potter's Field Ministries
01.2011 - 12.2013
- Due to adaptable nature, was selected to undertake a plethora of roles, such as Tour Assistant, IT Support, Men's Resident Advisor and Events Photographer, managing projects in both Montana and Central America
- Developed and implemented a task schedule to support event management
- Created a new network topology for the estate, complete refurbishment of a new building, and assisted with IT activities including troubleshooting as well as software assistance such as Quickbooks and Excel
- Designed and rolled out after-school activities, education programmes and community service projects
- Contributed to managing the logistics of the touring ministry (products, vehicle maintenance, route finding and supporter/benefactor-relations; setup and dismantled stage props, photography and promotional videos
- Team Leader in El Salvador - collaborated with US Agencies and local churches in providing safe orphanages, education, critical healthcare, and food support
Internal Sales Associate (Wholesale)
Platt Electric Supply
01.2007 - 12.2011
- Delivered a consummate customer service when dealing with circa 100 clients, orchestrating the timely delivery of products; account management for a portfolio of accounts, ranging in value from a $3000 credit line, up to $500,000; continually maintained competitive pricing for all services
- Specialised in logistics, working systematically when monitoring deliveries for critical assignments on both on industrial and commercial projects
- Utilised negotiation skills to achieve a significant saving on a shipping order and used excellent planning and organisational ability to orchestrate a large shipment from New York to Washington State in under 24 hours
- Honed administration capability and used skillset to design and implement robust systems used to store and monitor confidential and critical sales and logistical information
- Expert in client and supplier relationships - often accompanied outside sales on larger negotiations
Education
Law Degree -
The Open University
Milton Keynes Microsoft Excel Levels 1 & 2 - undefined
Spokane Falls Community College
Spokane, WA01.2015
Sales & Marketing - undefined
Platt University
Oregon City, OR01.2010
Toastmasters - undefined
Toastmasters
Moses Lake, Washington01.2010
CCNA - undefined
Big Bend Community College
Moses Lake, WA01.2009
Skills
- Adaptable
- Grant procurement
- Analytical
- Team-oriented
- Stakeholder engagement
- Goal-oriented
- Communication
- Client relationships
- Confidentiality
- Attention to detail
- Customer service
- Time management
- Planning and organisation
- Interpersonal
- Active listening
Timeline
Community Support Officer
Helping Hand Team, Buckinghamshire Council
01.2021 - Current
Library Manager
Buckinghamshire County Council
01.2018 - 01.2021
Special Needs Learning Support Officer (voluntary)/ Playground Helper
Meath School (I CAN)
01.2015 - 01.2018
Special Needs Learning Support Officer (voluntary)
Meath School (I CAN)
01.2013 - 01.2016
Assistant Veteran's Affairs Education Benefits Co-ordinator
United States Veteran's Affairs
01.2013 - 12.2013
Team Leader - El Salvador|Men's RA|IT Support|Touring Assistant
Potter's Field Ministries
01.2011 - 12.2013
Internal Sales Associate (Wholesale)
Platt Electric Supply
01.2007 - 12.2011
Microsoft Excel Levels 1 & 2 - undefined
Spokane Falls Community College
Sales & Marketing - undefined
Platt University
Toastmasters - undefined
Toastmasters
CCNA - undefined
Big Bend Community College
Law Degree -
The Open University
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