Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Personal Information
Custom
Timeline
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KAREN LOW

Lumphanan,Banchory

Summary

Highly skilled law enforcement professional with extensive expertise in public order policing, suspect interviewing, and trauma sensitivity. Demonstrates exceptional proficiency in crime scene management, collaborative leadership, and diplomatic negotiation. Adept at managing breach of peace situations and providing victim support while maintaining discretion and confidentiality. Possesses comprehensive legal knowledge, including understanding of discrimination laws and human rights. Committed to community engagement through effective communication, empathetic listening, and public speaking. Proficient in intelligence gathering and analysis, report-writing, budgeting, financial planning, and Microsoft Office suite. Career goal: To leverage extensive skills in law enforcement techniques to enhance public safety and community well-being.

Overview

36
36
years of professional experience

Work history

Police Constable

Police Scotland
01.2024 - 05.2025
  • All duties required on a daily basis, directed by the Chief Constable of Police Scotland in the role as a Police Officer (further explanation can be given as required).
  • Carried out thorough investigations into reported incidents, resulting in accurate case files.
  • Handled sensitive information confidentially-respecting privacy rights of individuals involved in cases.
  • Fostered public trust by maintaining high ethical standards and transparency.
  • Made quick decisions during high-stress situations, minimising danger to the public and fellow officers.
  • Responded to emergency calls for improved public service.
  • Directed traffic during peak hours or emergencies for streamlined vehicular movement.
  • Educated members of the community about personal safety measures – reducing instances of petty crimes.
  • Upheld law and order through proactive policing strategies.
  • Delivered first aid whilst awaiting paramedics at accident scenes, saving lives on multiple occasions.
  • Completed detailed incident reports, providing comprehensive information for follow-up actions.
  • Participated in community outreach programmes to foster positive relationships between police and residents.
  • Executed arrest warrants for the apprehension of criminal offenders.
  • Detained suspects following proper protocols – ensuring fair treatment under law.
  • Enhanced community safety by conducting regular patrols.
  • Achieved resolution of disputes through effective negotiation and mediation techniques.
  • Assisted in crime scene investigations, aiding in evidence collection.
  • Diffused potentially volatile situations by employing proven de-escalation and conflict management techniques.
  • Aided investigations through strategic interviewing and statement taking of victims, suspects, witnesses and informants.
  • Responded quickly to emergency situations, leading calm and effective negotiations with suspects to diffuse highly charged situations.
  • Protected life and property by enforcing UK laws and regulations.
  • Maintained strict confidentiality through careful and correct storage of case documents, in line with internal policies.
  • Produced comprehensive crime reports with meticulous attention to detail.
  • Used proven interview techniques to garner reliable evidence and statements from victims, witnesses and suspects.
  • Kept sensitive intelligence safe and secure from unauthorised access.
  • Wrote and submitted reports concerning police activities and investigations.
  • Enforced laws with authority to maintain good public order.
  • Developed community knowledge to identify and address at-risk individuals and locations.
  • Offered compassionate victim support for minimised distress and upset.

Money Advice and Welfare Rights Officer

Aberdeenshire Council
01.2023 - 01.2024
  • Provide budgetary and debt advice to private and social sector tenants in Aberdeenshire, assisting them to claim a range of welfare benefits, discretionary financial assistance and entitlement cards maximising the take up of welfare benefits and services.
  • Responsible for demonstrating a commitment to quality service delivery through continuous improvement for the benefit of the Service and the organisation.
  • Provide up to date advice and guidance on welfare benefits, financial assistance and entitlement cards to residents of Aberdeenshire.
  • Assist customers to maximise their income.
  • Assist social sector tenants apply for welfare benefits, financial assistance and entitlement cards where appropriate.
  • Record and provide statistical information as required by management for the Welfare Reform Resilience Fund Project.
  • Organise appointments, prepare paperwork for appointments which could include financial assessment of needs for customers.

School and Pupil Equity Fund Administrator

Banchory Primary School, Kintore Primary School
01.2016 - 01.2023
  • First point of contact for all pupils, parents, visitors & staff.
  • Support/communicate directly with QIO/Head Teacher/Deputy Head Teachers.
  • Minute taking.
  • Administrative support to all school teaching & support staff.
  • Provide support and assistance to vulnerable families within the school whilst working alongside external agencies and charities.
  • In-house HR support to all school teaching & support staff.
  • Manage/delegate workload to Admin Support Assistants.
  • Manage/maintain school outlook mailbox.
  • Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Word, Excel, SharePoint, and Teams.
  • Deal with all confidential reports & correspondence as directed by Head Teacher.
  • Full administration of SEEMIS (Scottish Education management Information System) Database.
  • Producing custom reports from information held on SEEMIS.
  • Check Registers & attend to any absences.
  • Extract & manipulate data from information and reports for management use.
  • Administration of P1 & Nursery Enrolment weeks & assisting parents with completion of forms.
  • Working directly with the Early Learning & Childcare Team in the maintenance of the Nursery Admissions Spreadsheet & Admission Forms.
  • Preparing pupil & staff new starter packs.
  • Administer holiday request paperwork.
  • Recording accident & incident reports.
  • Run annual reports for ScotXed (Education Analytical Services Division within the Learning & Justice Directorate of the Scottish Government).
  • EVC Administrator for EVOLVE (online system for the planning, approval and management of educational visits, sport fixtures and extra-curricular activities).
  • Administrator of various educational programmes used within the school setting.
  • Working knowledge of financial management system of Oracle’s iProc – ordering & receipting goods; monthly monitoring of iProc orders.
  • Administration of all school fund & nursery fund finance including petty cash; creating & paying invoices; G4S banking; maintaining school & nursery fund spreadsheets; monthly bank reconciliations; preparing annual accounts for audit; submission of signed annual accounts to OSCR.
  • Budget Monitoring & Budget Reports - checking all school and nursery fund monthly monitoring, invoice with detail & encumbrance reports & dealing directly with Council Assistant Accountant to resolve any discrepancies.
  • Maintaining & checking school & nursery Devolved Budgets.
  • Administration of vacancies & filling vacant staff posts through AskHR & Talentlink.
  • Prepare staff interview packs, interview schedules, admin/admin support assistant interview tasks, process Talentlink candidate assessment forms, complete Talentlink procedures to secure successful candidate.
  • Securing all necessary relief staff.
  • Recording staff sickness on Arcadia, completing & submitting staff special paid/unpaid leave.
  • Complete & submit of all relief staff timesheets, overtime timesheets & travel expense claim forms.
  • Completion & submission of all staff changes to central HR.
  • Maintain staffing report spreadsheet & resolve any issues directly with HR.
  • Planning and organising meetings, training, and events.
  • Coordinate all current Scottish Government regulations for COVID risk assessments and staff testing/results.
  • Administer & record requests for additional support for pupils.
  • Word processing a wide range of documents.
  • All reception duties including answering the telephone; dealing with queries; recording of messages; attend reception desk; issue visitor’s badges; attend to pupil queries; record late arrivals/early leavers; deal with deliveries, workmen & janitor; open/ distribute mail; record/post mail; photocopy.
  • Issue Multi Agency Action Plan, Pupil Review and Informal Consultation Meeting invites and prepare meeting schedules.
  • Organise meetings & events; booking venues; issuing invites & recording attendees.
  • Administration of the school photocopiers - recording photocopying usage; issuing quotas & codes; ordering supplies & rectifying any faults.
  • Assist Deputy Head in maintaining School Website.
  • Assist Head Teacher in creating School Bulletin.
  • Assist Head Teacher with completion of requested Excel Reports from Education & Learning Centre.
  • Record & issue Pupil Reports.
  • Prepare Snow Emergency arrangements & issue to parents.
  • Maintain Emergency Response Plan.
  • Assisting Head Teacher with Fire Drills.
  • Maintain Council Central lets within the school.
  • Administer & record PVG applications.
  • Maintain pupil prescribed medicines log.
  • Archive records.

Business Solutions Assistant

Johnston Carmichael Chartered Accountants
01.2015 - 01.2016
  • Preparation of Draft Annual Accounts for Sole-Traders; Partnerships and Limited Companies.
  • Daily, weekly and monthly book-keeping duties.
  • Raising and processing sales and purchase invoices and credit notes.
  • Reconciliation and balance of supplier and customer accounts.
  • Preparation and reconciliation of Hire Purchase and Lease agreement schedules.
  • Control of sales and purchase ledgers.
  • Setting up supplier and customer accounts.
  • Preparation of Bank Payment Reports and generating Bank Payment Files.
  • Preparation and submission of monthly and quarterly VAT Returns.
  • Data recording and filing.
  • Daily telephone and email contact with clients.
  • Client meetings.
  • Correspondence with client’s suppliers and customers.
  • Managing and maintaining client portfolio.
  • Assisting in the training of new Business Solutions Assistants.
  • Use of Sage, Xero and Financial Force accounting packages.
  • Use of Docurec.
  • Use of Excel.

Office Administrator

Children 1st
01.2012 - 01.2015
  • Service Budget Projections.
  • Monthly Budget Variance Reports.
  • Monthly Validation Reports.
  • Monthly Petty Cash and Bank Account Reconciliation.
  • Maintaining the office invoicing system.
  • Carrying out word processing duties, maintenance of files, filing, photocopying and booking travel requirements.
  • Preparing Team Meeting Agenda.
  • Minute Taking.
  • Data recording on and running reports from an Integrated Information Management System.
  • Preparing organisational charts.
  • Training of new administration staff.
  • Organisation of in-house training days.
  • Preparation of in-house training course paperwork.
  • General admin support to Assistant Director, Service Manager and Office Manager.
  • Managing and maintaining Assistant Director’s calendar.
  • Administration of the Give Kids A Chance Project.
  • Maintaining staff personal records.
  • Answering telephones and greeting service users, volunteers and other visitors.
  • Distributing mail.
  • Preparation of new staff interviews and interview tasks.
  • Use of Microsoft Office 2010 including Word, Excel, Outlook and Power Point.
  • Monitoring stock and organising replacements.
  • Assisting volunteer co-ordinator.
  • General office repairs management.

Home Ironing & Housekeeping Service

01.2009 - 01.2012
  • Providing a fast, efficient and confidential home ironing service to clients.
  • Providing a weekly personal house cleaning service involving all general housework to an extremely high standard.
  • Maintenance of book-keeping records.

Gift Sales Assistant

The Millers
01.1997 - 01.1999
  • Meeting with sales reps and ordering stock for gift department.
  • Stock control.
  • General shop floor sales assistant duties.

Sales Assistant

Aitkens Jewellery
01.1995 - 01.1997
  • General shop floor sales assistant duties.

Accounting Technician

Garden & Marshall ACCA
01.1991 - 01.1995
  • Preparation of draft sole-trader and partnership business accounts.
  • Preparation of draft small limited company business accounts.
  • Preparation of Tax Returns and Tax Computations.
  • Sage Accounting Software.
  • Sage payroll.
  • Client meetings.
  • Preparation of client correspondence.

Trainee Accounting Technician

Bower & Smith CA
01.1989 - 01.1991
  • Assisting in the preparation of sole-trader and partnership business accounts.
  • Assisting in the preparation of Tax Returns and Tax Computations.
  • Assisting in the financial audits of Limited Companies.
  • Sage Accounting Software.
  • Sage payroll.
  • Filing.

Education

M.A.A.T. -

Member of The Association of Accounting Technicians

HNC - Accounting, Business Organisation & Information Technology, Costing, Economics, Law, Mathematics & Statistics

in Accounting

Highers - Biology, English, Food & Nutrition

O’Grades - Accounting, Arithmetic, Art & Design, Biology, English, French, Geography, Food & Nutrition, Mathematics, Secretarial Studies

Typewriting - Typewriting 1, 2 & 3

SCOTVEC

Skills

  • Accounting, budgeting and financial planning
  • Microsoft office suite proficiency
  • Database management and administration
  • Discretion and confidentiality
  • Attention to detail
  • Database management and administration
  • Event planning
  • Excellent written and verbal communication
  • Highly organised
  • Outstanding customer service
  • Decision making

Personal Information

Hobbies: keep fit, yoga, running, hillwalking, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, cycling, playing tennis, all kinds of music, board games, gardening, cooking, baking, gorge walking, rock wall climbing, bouldering, belaying, travelling throughout Europe and beyond with family

Custom

  • Mrs Jackie Fernandez, Head Teacher, Banchory Primary School, Arbeadie Road, Banchory, Aberdeenshire, AB31 4EH
  • Miss Lindsey Grove, Finance Manager, Norco Group Ltd, Unit 3-6 Airways Industrial Estate, Pitmedden Road, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, AB21 0DT

Timeline

Police Constable

Police Scotland
01.2024 - 05.2025

Money Advice and Welfare Rights Officer

Aberdeenshire Council
01.2023 - 01.2024

School and Pupil Equity Fund Administrator

Banchory Primary School, Kintore Primary School
01.2016 - 01.2023

Business Solutions Assistant

Johnston Carmichael Chartered Accountants
01.2015 - 01.2016

Office Administrator

Children 1st
01.2012 - 01.2015

Home Ironing & Housekeeping Service

01.2009 - 01.2012

Gift Sales Assistant

The Millers
01.1997 - 01.1999

Sales Assistant

Aitkens Jewellery
01.1995 - 01.1997

Accounting Technician

Garden & Marshall ACCA
01.1991 - 01.1995

Trainee Accounting Technician

Bower & Smith CA
01.1989 - 01.1991

HNC - Accounting, Business Organisation & Information Technology, Costing, Economics, Law, Mathematics & Statistics

in Accounting

Highers - Biology, English, Food & Nutrition

O’Grades - Accounting, Arithmetic, Art & Design, Biology, English, French, Geography, Food & Nutrition, Mathematics, Secretarial Studies

Typewriting - Typewriting 1, 2 & 3

SCOTVEC

M.A.A.T. -

Member of The Association of Accounting Technicians

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KAREN LOW