Saima Hammad
Dudley
Summary
Accomplished Executive Management professional with extensive experience leading business operations, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and organisational development. Proven ability to drive business growth, improve operational efficiency, and lead high-performing teams. Skilled in executive decision-making, project management, financial oversight, and implementing strategic initiatives that align with corporate objectives. Recognised for strong leadership, problem-solving abilities, and building productive relationships with senior executives, board members, clients, and key stakeholders. Experienced in translating business strategy into operational success while maintaining high standards of governance and performance. Accomplished Operations Officer with extensive experience in managing probate applications and overseeing deceased estate administration. Drives regulatory compliance and operational success through meticulous case assessments and effective stakeholder communication. Recognised for building strong relationships and leading teams to meet performance targets in high-pressure environments.
Overview
2
2
Languages
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Operations Officer/ Senior Case Worker
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Birmingham
01.2024 - Current
- Manage probate applications and support the administration of deceased estates in line with legislation, court procedures and HMCTS policies.
- Process and review applications involving Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) and ensure supporting legal documentation is complete and accurate where relevant.
- Assess applications involving Inheritance Tax (IHT), checking HMRC documentation and identifying discrepancies before progressing cases.
- Review legal documentation relating to deceased estates, including wills, death certificates and estate information, ensuring compliance with probate legislation.
- Conduct detailed case assessments, identify missing information and communicate with applicants, solicitors and other stakeholders to resolve complex queries.
- Maintain accurate case records using HMCTS case management systems while ensuring confidentiality and GDPR compliance.
- Prioritise a high-volume caseload, meeting performance targets and service standards in a fast-paced environment.
- Provide guidance to customers and legal professionals on probate processes, demonstrating excellent communication and customer service skills.
- Provide Team Leader cover, supporting the day-to-day management of the team to ensure business continuity and service delivery.
- Act as the first point of contact for colleagues, providing guidance on policies, procedures and complex casework.
- Support HR-related matters by monitoring attendance, reporting sickness absence, escalating wellbeing concerns and signposting colleagues to relevant support where appropriate.
- Assist with onboarding and mentoring new starters, coordinating training and helping colleagues develop confidence in their roles.
- Support managers with HR-related activities, including onboarding new staff, mentoring colleagues, monitoring attendance, escalating wellbeing concerns and maintaining confidentiality when handling sensitive employee matters.
- Handle sensitive and confidential employee information with professionalism and discretion.
- Contribute to performance discussions by identifying development needs, recognising good performance and escalating capability or conduct concerns to management where required.
- Facilitate effective communication within the team, ensuring organisational updates and policy changes are shared and understood.
- Analyse complex legal documentation and evidence to make accurate, evidence-based decisions, identifying risks and resolving issues before they impact service delivery.
- Drive continuous improvement by identifying inefficiencies, recommending process improvements and implementing new ways of working to enhance productivity and customer service.
- Build positive relationships with colleagues, solicitors, executors, HMRC and members of the public, communicating complex legal information clearly and influencing positive outcomes.
- Lead by example, motivating colleagues, promoting an inclusive team culture and providing support and guidance on complex cases and operational procedures.
- Adapt quickly to changing priorities, legislative updates and operational demands, demonstrating resilience and maintaining high standards under pressure.
- Monitor quality and accuracy across casework, ensuring compliance with HMCTS procedures and delivering an efficient, customer-focused service.
- Work collaboratively across teams and departments to resolve complex issues, share best practice and achieve organisational objectives.
- Coach and develop colleagues through knowledge sharing, informal training and constructive feedback, helping build capability and confidence within the team.
- Produce high-quality reports, correspondence and management information to support informed decision-making and operational performance.
Executive Assistant
Kwik Fix Vehicle Solutions Ltd
Dudley, West Midlands
02.2022 - 12.2023
- Executive Calendar Management
- Complex Travel Coordination
- Board Meeting Preparation & Coordination
- C-Suite Stakeholder Management
- Confidential Information Handling
- Executive Correspondence & Communication
- Meeting Scheduling and Minute Taking
- Strategic Diary Management
- Project Coordination
- Event Planning and Management
- Office Administration
- Document Preparation and Proofreading
- Report and Presentation Creation
- Budget Tracking and Expense Management
- Vendor and Supplier Liaison
- Prioritization and Time Management
- Problem Solving and Decision Support
- Process Improvement
- Multitasking in Fast-Paced Environments
- Relationship Management
- Discretion and Professionalism
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
- Google Workspace
- CRM and Database Management
- Cross-Functional Team Coordination
Patient Liaison Officer
BMI The Priory Hospital
12.2021 - 02.2022
- To convert appropriate self pay enquiries and consultations to self-pay procedures within Circle Health Group against pre-agreed targets.
- To ensure a quality service for potential self pay patients including the accurate and timely response to self-pay enquiries from patients, consultants, medical secretaries and the National Enquiry Centre (NEC).
- To facilitate necessary access times and information required for patients to convert to procedure.
- To appropriately influence patients to choose Circle Health Group for their procedure.
- Provide pre-consultation information and indicative pricing accurately and promptly to the NEC and to patients that have enquired directly to the hospital/self-pay office to maximise conversion to appointment.
- Fulfil patient requests for information with email or posted information by the end of the same day as the initial request.
- Follow up pre-consultation enquiries that have reached the hospital directly (not via the NEC) within 24 hours of the initial request.
- Book appropriate self-pay patients into a suitable clinic appointment.
- Lead the costing, management and distribution of self-pay packages to patients, Consultants, Medical Secretaries and the NEC using standard, national pricing and Circle Health Group pricing calculators as appropriate.
- Accurately record the minimum data set and track enquiries and quotations, ensuring shared access with the hospital's management team.
- Follow up with post-consultation self-pay patients, where possible, by meeting them immediately after their consultation or contacting them no later than the following day, ensuring patients understand the benefits of remaining privately funded for treatment, the availability of Circle Health Group finance and next steps in the event of treatment being needed. Utilise information provided from the marketing team to facilitate these conversations.
- Track and report month-to-date self-pay bookings and conversion rates from consultation to treatment vs monthly target.
- Liaise and influence relevant hospital departments to provide self-pay patients, consultants and medical secretaries with preferred access times.
- Coordinate with Reservations to ensure all self-pay procedures are paid in full prior to patient's admission.
- Coordinate and assist whenever possible in the organisation and hosting of consumer open events, including customer meet and greet, capture of minimum datasets and subsequent follow-up within 48 hours of the event or immediately after if the event is a free mini consultation with a Consultant.
- To be proficient in the use of Ultragenda patient administration system, charge master and pricing tools.
- Commitment to ensuring quality services are delivered to both internal & external stakeholders through continuous improvement activities.
Customer Relations Executive
Legal Insurance Management
Brierley Hill
03.2015 - 06.2021
- Answering calls, allocating contractor's to emergency jobs, communicating with external companies.
- Assessing claims. First point of contact for complaints. Training staff. Excellent understanding of policy wordings. Approving invoices. Assessing costs. Validating claims. Liaising with Financial Ombudsman Service. Implementing new strategies to ensure we are working at our best, ensuring our team are happy within the workplace. Identifying trends in claims. Claim reporting. Issuing formal letters.
- Liaising with Underwriters where necessary and ensuring the applications of appropriate clauses, endorsements and conditions etc.
- Handling claims proactively in accordance within the agreed authority level to deliver a high quality claims service.
- Ensuring claims are correctly reserved and are settled in accordance with settlement guidelines.
- Paying valid claims ensuring the proper application of policy limits and excesses.
- Handling allocated internal tasks, such as: inactivity and diaries, ensuring that all tasks are dealt with within applicable time limits progressing the customer element of the claim to a prompt.
- Positive changes. Cost effective strategies implemented. Training of staff.
- Within 1 year of commencing work with this company I have been promoted to the role of a customer relationship manager. I deal with investigating complex claims ensuring a fair resolution is provided to the claimant. My role includes assessing compensation awards that we offer to our clients.
Receptionist/Administrator
Heartlands hospital (A&E)
Birmingham
03.2014 - 03.2015
- Meeting and greeting patients.
- Booking patients into the A&E department ensuring they are referred to the relevant area.
- Liaising with social workers, police, GP surgeries.
- Updating systems.
- Ensuring medical staff are dealt with as urgency.
- Issuing letters of appointments.
- Searching NHS free access eligibility for patients.
- Scanning notes accurately.
- Report all safeguarding issues.
Administrator
Heartlands hospital
Birmingham
03.2013 - 03.2014
- I work in A&E as an administrator/receptionist. I book in patients, ambulances, update records, answer calls, fax, email.
- I deal with people from all walks of life, e.g. people with mental health issues, disabilities, emotionally unstable people, victims of domestic violence.
- Able to deal with high pressure.
- Prioritise workload.
- Communicate with people from all walks of life.
- Liaison with doctors/consultants, health care professionals.
Clerk
Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service
Birmingham
01.2013 - 01.2014
- Providing all aspects of admin work to Tribunal Judge, preparing rooms, meeting and greeting Appellants, explaining Procedures/Rules/Regulations to Appellants, emailing, faxing, filing, making internal/external calls, typing decision notices, booking in interpreters, gathering further information, forwarding all evidence to all parties.
- Gained training of dealing with all kinds of people, e.g. people with learning difficulties, language barriers, mental health problems, physical problems.
- Attended customer focused training.
- Expanded my experience of dealing with sensitive issues.
- Trained 2 people within the team.
- Expanded my knowledge of Microsoft packages.
- Gained experience of producing 100% accurate work at all times.
- Demonstrated I can engage with people from all walks of life.
- Invented strategies to improve team performance.
- Demonstrate my ability to work on my own initiative.
- Gained confidence to make effective and accurate decisions.
- Understanding the importance of confidentiality and data protection.
- Aware of how to communicate clearly and concisely.
- Demonstrated good judgement in selecting the proper mode of communication.
- Respond quickly to all oral and written communications.
- Demonstrated I can handle plan my workload and meet deadlines.
Volunteer Worker
Citizen Advice Bureau
Wolverhampton
01.2010 - 01.2011
- Meeting and greeting clients, gathering information on service required, e.g. Immigration, Employment, debt, benefits, completing enquiry form with clients, giving client options on which services are available to them, making internal/external referrals, updating in house system with query and outcome, helping clients complete benefit application forms, providing clients with numbers, addresses of required departments.
- Gained knowledge of various services.
- Increased my confidence of dealing with member of the public face to face.
- Learnt to respect the opinions, abilities and contributions of others.
- Effectively turned defensive situations into supportive relationships.
- Demonstrated I can handle situations in a calm, objective manner.
- Performed effectively despite sudden deadlines and changing priorities.
- Accept responsibility for compliance with rules and regulations.
- Making effective use of all organisational resources.
- Developed positive working relationships.
- Making a substantial contribution to the operation and growth of the organisation.
- Demonstrated accuracy, thoroughness and orderliness in performing work assignments.
- Gained knowledge on how to display a professional pride.
- Strong ability to identify, analyse and solve problems.
- Plan appropriate strategies to arrive at solutions.
- Display positive, friendly and relaxed attitude.
Volunteer Worker
Dudley Muslim Association
Dudley
10.2006 - 04.2007
- Signing in/out clients, answering calls, typing letters, photocopying, faxing, typing accommodation reports, assisting senior members of the team to complete accommodation reports, fill in benefit application forms, taking minutes, booking appointments, opening and closing premises.
- Gained confidence in telephone manner.
- Increased knowledge of Microsoft packages.
- Awareness of issues within local area.
- Knowledge of Immigration rules and regulations.
- Increased typing speed.
Receptionist/Administrator
Safetynet Accident Claims
Dudley
04.2004 - 04.2005
- Opening and closing premises, deal with daily correspondence, meeting and greeting clients, completing claim forms, arranged inspections of vehicles, updating clients with their claims, arranging medical examinations, dealing with solicitors on daily basis, emailing, faxing, scanning, answering calls, ensuring smooth running of office, plating taxi vehicles, invoicing.
- Performing with consistent accuracy.
- Keeping accurate records.
- Demonstrated the ability to achieve desired results.
- Excel in simplifying systems and reducing paperwork.
- Make effective use of office equipment.
- Dressed to convey an appropriate message.
- Promoted within 6 months of joining company.
- Managed group of 4 people.
- Expanded knowledge of office equipment.
- Keeping calm under pressure.
Education
English B - GCSE
Castle High School
Dudley, UK09.2007
Skills
- Office experience
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Outlook
- Customer Service
- Microsoft Excel
- Payroll
- Executive calendar management
- Complex travel coordination
- C-Suite stakeholder management
- Board meeting preparation
- Case management
- Legal documentation
- Probate processes
- Tax assessment
- Compliance monitoring
- Customer service
- Relationship management
- Process improvement
- Team leadership
- Conflict resolution
- Communication skills
- Data analysis
- Problem solving
- Confidentiality handling
- Training and mentoring
- Positive attitude
- Customer service excellence
- Legal research
- Creative thinking
- Strong communicator
- Attentive listener
- Confidential documentation and record-keeping
- Time-management
- Decision making
- Team player
- Active listening
- Self-awareness
- Effective communication
- Care planning
- Non-Judgmental approach
- Technical troubleshooting
- Relationship-building
- Empathetic
- Written and verbal communication
- Knowledge of social policy
- Client assessment
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Risk Management
- Staff development
- Strengths-based approach
- Time efficiency
- Administrative duties
- Emotional resilience
- Self-motivation
- Strategic planning
Languages
Urdu
Punjabi
Additional information
I am a very determined individual who thrives to succeed in everything I do. I believe hard work and honesty is the key to success. Am I known amongst my work colleagues as a respected and hardworking member of the team. I enjoy travelling, I've had the opportunity to visit many countries worldwide. I enjoy working with people from different walks of life/background and I communicate well with others, my friends describe me as a people's person.
Timeline
Operations Officer/ Senior Case Worker
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
01.2024 - Current
Executive Assistant
Kwik Fix Vehicle Solutions Ltd
02.2022 - 12.2023
Patient Liaison Officer
BMI The Priory Hospital
12.2021 - 02.2022
Customer Relations Executive
Legal Insurance Management
03.2015 - 06.2021
Receptionist/Administrator
Heartlands hospital (A&E)
03.2014 - 03.2015
Administrator
Heartlands hospital
03.2013 - 03.2014
Clerk
Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service
01.2013 - 01.2014
Volunteer Worker
Citizen Advice Bureau
01.2010 - 01.2011
Volunteer Worker
Dudley Muslim Association
10.2006 - 04.2007
Receptionist/Administrator
Safetynet Accident Claims
04.2004 - 04.2005
English B - GCSE
Castle High School