KAREN BENNETT
Cheltenham,GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Summary
Originally from a Banking/Insurance background, I have recently transferred my skills to a customer facing/administrative role working in the Social Care Sector.
I am an accomplished administrator with a strong focus on problem solving/attention to detail which is demonstrated in the high level of customer service provided to our YPs and external partners. Whilst I adapt a disciplined approach to working independently, I thrive in a team environment, working collectively to achieve targets and meet statutory deadlines.
I have excellent communication skills (both written and verbal). I am friendly/personable and love working directly with our Young People at GCC. I am trustworthy and reliable.
Both my audit background and current role have given me valuable experience in analysing data, numeracy, working under pressure, being effecient/able to prioritise and problem solving. I have excellent time management and organisational skills.
Overview
37
37
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work history
ACTING SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR
GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
CHELTENHAM, GLOUCESTERSHIRE
02.2025 - Current
- All Team Co-ordinator and Business Support Administrator tasks listed in previous roles
- Handle high-level administrative tasks to support senior management
- Lead team meetings, ensuring clear communication amongst staff members
- Produce and deliver staff training sessions to enhance the Permanence Business Support teams performance
- Lead regular Business Support 'surgeries' to target overdue health and outstanding finance tasks
- Report findings and status of Finance/Health data to Senior management team
- Hold monthly team supervisions for Cheltenham Business Support staff and provide feedback, where necessary
- Address sensitive staffing issues within the team
- Monitoring and tracking of team activities to ensure service delivery met and deadlines achieved (dip sampling)
- Relay team/service-wide information in a timely manner
- Point of contact for Senior Management within Cheltenham Business Support team
- Produce team rota to ensure levels of staffing meet with requirements for daily office tasks
- Shortlist, interview and recruit new Business Support administrators for the team
BUSINESS SUPPORT TEAM CO-ORDINATOR
GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
CHELTENHAM, GLOUCESTERSHIRE
04.2023 - 02.2025
- All Business Support Administrator tasks listed in previous role
- Petty cash reconciliation
- Monthly web-reporting on health data - feeding data back to team and line manager
- Oversight of team tasks to ensure statutory deadlines are met
- Dip-sampling/Quality checking team processes to ensure policies are adhered to, tasks completed correctly and high standards of service delivery maintained
- Complex invoice cases
- Provide process knowledge support to wider team
- Facilitating training/mentoring for new starters
- Ensure timely and accurate purchases by company credit card (p-card) to support YPs and their families
- Sourcing and arranging staff travel/accommodation
- Provided support during high-pressure situations, contributing to successful crisis management.
- Organising and hosting weekly team meetings to discuss workloads/capacity and current pressure points
- Planning and co-ordinating YP events for the wider teams
- Leading the completion of end of financial year processes for Cheltenham teams including finalising the Accrual template - providing support to the Business Support team in this task
BUSINESS SUPPORT ADMINISTRATOR
GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
CHELTENHAM, GLOUCESTERSHIRE
05.2022 - 04.2023
- Dealing with incoming email correspondence and enquiries by phone relating to Children in Care and Care Leavers
- Processing and payment of financial requests for YPs/Carers
- Processing and payment of service provider invoices (including complex cases)
- Upkeep of team finance trackers
- Payment processing and tracker maintenance for Setting Up Home Grants
- Organising transport/taxi's for YPs including liaising with transport team and registered providers
- Minute taking for MDT and Strategy meetings
- Issuing foodbank, Tesco and Auriga vouchers
- Health tasks; provision and completion of health assessment paperwork (RHA's), issuing/processing Strength & Difficulties Questionnaires, chasing overdue dental information - updating information on YP Liquid Logic record and health trackers
- New starters; ensuring new members to the team have the equipment and full system access required to carry out their role. Issuing welcome email and providing Building/Finance induction
- YP placement transfers/Discharge from Care/Entry into Care; updating relevant information on Liquid Logic and notifying relevant teams of the change in YP status
- Health & Safety; weekly/monthly building checks and audits - reporting and communicating building issues
- Following GDPR principles at all times
- Communication of updates/information to the wider teams
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR/BOOK-KEEPER
FIRST FLOOR BFF
CHELTENHAM, GLOUCESTERSHIRE
01.2021 - 12.2021
- Facilitate/co-ordinate training school courses/sessions
- Suggest strategies to address inefficiencies in current work processes
- Introduction and upkeep of client database and booking system
- Front of house/reception duties including client call handling and complaints
- Marketing/promotion of salon through various media
- Organisation of Manager diary and back office support/administration
- Provide clerical support for clients and external customers
- Liaise with external parties to ensure website/booking system is current/up to date
- Basic book-keeping using Quickbooks
- Submission of accounting reports
- Remote working
FLORIST
THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWER COMPANY
CHELTENHAM, GLOUCESTERSHIRE
07.2019 - 12.2019
- Managing the day to day running of shop, dealing with customers face to face, over the telephone and via email (including customer complaints)
- Providing a high level of customer service to both flower and coffee shop clients
- Maintaining thorough knowledge of varieties of flowers/greenery used in shop to provide information to customers and assist with design decisions.
- Transporting and setting up floral arrangements for large-scale functions, weddings, funerals and corporate events
- Ordering wholesale flower to meet both shop and customer needs, including locally grown, seasonal produce
- Preparing various floral arrangements, potted plants and bouquets based on customer requirements( including regular contract work for hotels, bars and restaurants)
- Using product knowledge, sales abilities and customer relations skills to drive sales in floral design and plant products
- Handling cash/card payments through till system - dealing with online payments and end of day till balance
- Merchandising shop floor and display areas
RETAIL STORE ASSISTANT
REISS
BRISTOL
04.2012 - 10.2015
- Handling the day-to-day running of the store, ensuring high levels of productivity and sales progression.
- Working closely with Store Manager to establish and deliver targets set by Regional Manager
- Staff training to ensure highest standards of Customer Service delivered
- Providing a top level sales service which included merchandising of store & personal styling appointments
- Daily cashing up/till balance
- Accepting, checking and presenting of regular stock deliveries
- Weekly in-store stock checks and bi-annual full company stock check
- Successful resolution of all customer enquiries/complaints
- Successful building and maintenance of client data base for mail shots
- Acting Store Supervisor to cover Supervisor absence/holidays
- Dealing with customer complaints
PROPRIETOR/FLORIST
LILYPOP
BRISTOL
02.2005 - 02.2006
- Managed the day to day running of the shop including sales, design production, book keeping/banking and marketing
- Maintained thorough knowledge of varieties of flowers and greenery used in shop to provide information to customers and assist with design decisions.
- Transported and set up floral arrangements for large-scale functions, including weddings, funerals and corporate events.
- Sourced and selected wholesale flower suppliers capable of meeting business needs and customer demand, including locally grown, seasonal produce
- Prepared various floral arrangements, including potted plants and bouquets based on customer requirements including regular contract work for hotels, bars and restaurants
- Used product knowledge, sales ability and customer relations skills to drive sales in floral design and plant products.
- Client consultations for large installs and weddings
- Customer complaints
- Merchandising store layout and window displays
INTERNAL AUDITOR
AXA INSURANCE
BRISTOL
04.1998 - 09.2004
- Carried out day-day-day audit duties accurately and efficiently.
- Provided independent and objective evaluation of internal controls to effectively manage risk.
- The audit of life assurance/pension processes and all AXA departments to improve efficiency/reduce costs
- The completion of fact finding investigations to determine the expected process/departmental function, reviewing the mechanics and testing
- The completion of a full report of each audit undertaken with conclusion to include recommendations for improvements/change
- Presentation of reports and findings to Managers/Directors
- Leading departmental brainstorming sessions
- Assisting the Fraud & Investigations team with internal/external matters and liaising with the relevant Police force
- Assisting the Y2K Team Manager with systems testing
LIFE ASSURANCE ADMINISTRATOR
SUN LIFE
BRISTOL
10.1991 - 04.1998
- Processing of new business assurance applications to include liaising with underwriting department
- General administration of life insurance policies including surrenders, outstanding payments, cancellation & reinstatements
- Liaising with Sales Office delivering full support between the branch and customer
- Handling of Customer Service enquires in writing/by telephone and internal communication with other life associated departments
- Delivery of departmental targets and KPIs for consistent progress.
- Carried out day-day-day duties accurately and efficiently.
BANK CLERK/CASHIER
TSB BANK
BRISTOL
06.1988 - 09.1990
- The completion of general back office duties including customer service enquiries, processing loan applications & new account applications
- General cashier duties including handling of cash cheques, deposits/withdrawals/transfers, face to face customer enquiries and balancing till at close of day
- The balancing of internal branch suspense accounts
- Administration and maintenance of ATM machine
- Business account administration
- Preparation and central clearance of cheques
- Receiving and verifying cash delivery/collection from security company
- Dealing with customer complaints
- Upheld strict financial controls by keeping funds secure and accurately transferring monies.
- Built and strengthened customer relationships with excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Foreign currency orders and verification
- Verification/checking of customer applications/large deposits
Education
NVQ Level 3 - ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY - FACE
CPD SKIN ACADEMY
NVQ Level 2 - HEALTH & BEAUTY - NAIL TECHNICIAN
BRISTOL SCHOOL OF BEAUTY
NVQ Level 1 - FLORISTRY
FILTON COLLEGE
GCSE -
KING EDMUND SCHOOL
Skills
- Problem solving
- Attention to detail
- Articulate
- Outstanding customer service/communication skills
- Service-oriented
- Process implementation and improvement
- Cash handling/management
- Efficient delegation
- Time management
- Budgeting and financial planning
- Motivational team player
- Work well independently/disciplined
Custom
KAREN, BENNETT, 07545 297295, karenbennett2017@gmail.com, 44 BOURNSIDE ROAD, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, Cheltenham, GL51 3AH
Certification
First Aid Accomplished
Timeline
ACTING SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR
GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
02.2025 - Current
BUSINESS SUPPORT TEAM CO-ORDINATOR
GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
04.2023 - 02.2025
BUSINESS SUPPORT ADMINISTRATOR
GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
05.2022 - 04.2023
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR/BOOK-KEEPER
FIRST FLOOR BFF
01.2021 - 12.2021
FLORIST
THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWER COMPANY
07.2019 - 12.2019
RETAIL STORE ASSISTANT
REISS
04.2012 - 10.2015
PROPRIETOR/FLORIST
LILYPOP
02.2005 - 02.2006
INTERNAL AUDITOR
AXA INSURANCE
04.1998 - 09.2004
LIFE ASSURANCE ADMINISTRATOR
SUN LIFE
10.1991 - 04.1998
BANK CLERK/CASHIER
TSB BANK
06.1988 - 09.1990
NVQ Level 3 - ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY - FACE
CPD SKIN ACADEMY
NVQ Level 2 - HEALTH & BEAUTY - NAIL TECHNICIAN
BRISTOL SCHOOL OF BEAUTY
NVQ Level 1 - FLORISTRY
FILTON COLLEGE
GCSE -
KING EDMUND SCHOOL
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