Sara Golden
Worcester,Worcestershire
Summary
A conscientious, hard working and proactive manager/executive. Self employed since 2000 and latterly running my late husbands oil central heating business since he passed in 2020.
Experience in a variety of fields including Marketing, HR, Accounts, PR, Purchasing and Payroll. Extremely good at customer service and making customers feel valued and listened to.
Excellent Project Manager with attention to detail and the ability to effectively juggle and prioritise tasks to deadlines.
Looking to use my knowledge and experience in a new field and take on a new challenge. I work well under pressure and will always go the extra mile to get a job done well. I have high level of integrity and value the need for confidentiality in certain forums
A self-assured individual offering more than 10 years of experience Business Owner experience. Flexible and poised promoting well-developed skills in customer service and project management.
A friendly and resourceful person with developed problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities. Using exceptional leadership and team-building skills to create strong company culture that boosts productivity. I like to keep keen knowledge of trends and developments in any field I am working in.
An encouraging manager and analytical problem-solver with talents for team building, leading and motivating, as well as excellent customer relations aptitude and relationship-building skills. Proficient in using independent decision-making skills and sound judgment to positively impact company success. Dedicated to applying training, monitoring and morale-building abilities to enhance employee engagement and boost performance.
Overview
34
34
years of professional experience
8
8
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Business Owner
Midland Tank & Boiler Services
Worcester, Worcestershire
2020.11 - 2024.02
- Following the death of my husband in November 2020, I took over the day to day running of the business fulltime
- As a Sole Trader business owner I wear many caps
- Within the business I am pretty much responsible for everything
- Working with 4 staff (3 site based and 1 office)
- Tracked industry and consumer trends to identify opportunities to boost sales.
- Oversaw budget management to keep to financial targets.
- Established business goals and objectives to provide organisational direction toward growth and prosperity.
- Applied customer feedback to inform business strategy and foster continued loyalty.
- Addressed operational inefficiencies, implementing actionable improvements to support business growth.
- Facilitated ongoing website updates and maintenance to align with brand evolution.
- Optimised flow and scheduling of daily operations for maximum productivity.
- Researched and identified potential business opportunities in untapped markets to drive revenue.
- Facilitated team-building and morale-boosting activities to support employee satisfaction.
Office Manager
Midland Tank Service
Worcester, Worcestershire
2014.06 - 2020.11
- Whilst working For Sureweld & Roof Ltd my late husband lost his job and set up this new oil tank installation company
- Initial I assisted with his back office & accounts on a part time basis until I left Sureweld in 2014 and went fulltime
- At this point the business expanded and we employed 2 new staff members and built a home office in the garden to facilitate my working from home and looking after our two small children.
- Managed 2 employees for office, supervising workers, enhancing productivity and driving efficiency.
- Produced high-quality documents, spreadsheets and presentations for internal and customer-facing needs.
- Oversaw office budget to responsibly allocate equipment and resources.
- Collaborated and clearly communicated across teams to achieve consistent service delivery.
- Oversaw appointment scheduling and itinerary coordination for both clients and personnel.
- Trained and mentored staff to drive performance and target achievement.
- Managed high volumes of correspondence with excellent record-keeping and minimal response times.
- Improved overall office efficiency by establishing smooth workflow processes, monitoring daily productivity and implementing modifications to eliminate operational bottlenecks.
- Provided proper scheduling of clients, ensuring timely and effective allocation of resources and calendars.
- Conducted risk assessments to reach regulatory compliance and promote staff health and safety.
- Negotiated with vendors to minimise costs and improve service delivery.
- Built rapport with key stakeholders to improve communication and operational delivery.
- Recruited and hired qualified candidates for vacant and new positions.
- Prepared vendor invoices and processed incoming payments.
- Managed costs and billing, resolving financial discrepancies effectively through organisational management of account information.
- Completed orientations to integrate new staff to company systems and culture.
- Oversaw office inventory activities, including ordering and requisitions, stocking and shipment receiving.
- Organised physical files and digitised records to ensure ease of accessibility and retrieval by team members.
- Interacted with customers professionally by phone, email or in-person to provide information and direct queries to appropriate staff members.
- Tracked and recorded team expenses and reconciled accounts to maintain accurate, current and compliant financial records.
- Handled conflicts and complaints with strong problem-solving and mediation skills.
PA to MD
Sureweld & Roof Ltd
Worcester, Worcestershire
2008.04 - 2014.06
- I returned to Sureweld in my old capacity as PA on a self employed part time basis
- I continued with the old duties I previously carried out 3 days/pweek
- Organised personal and professional calendars, supplying timely reminders of upcoming meetings and events.
- Prepared meeting rooms and event spaces to achieve successful client engagements.
- Checked and opened mail, enabling prompt response to correspondence, bills and invoices.
- Took detailed, accurate meeting minutes, collating and promptly distributing to relevant staff for swift action.
- Coordinated flight, accommodation and travel arrangements, maintaining strict compliance with budgets and schedules.
- Purchased office supplies to maintain consistent inventory.
- Processed mail, email and phone enquiries, minimising correspondence backlogs.
- Professionally greeted clients and delivered friendly, knowledgeable assistance.
- Managed digital mailbox, delivered mail and telephone messages.
- Copied, scanned and faxed documents to assigned recipients.
- Screened and directed incoming phone calls and distributed correspondence effectively.
- Met principal's family needs, including working closely with partner and supporting children.
- Planned and executed small intimate gatherings and large social events.
- Prepared for client meetings, including arranging accommodations and building appropriate schedules.
- Assisted with home maintenance management, special projects and daily operations.
Business Manager
Alpha Tank Services
Worcester, Worcestershire
2003.07 - 2006.01
- My late husband invested in a new start up 'Alpha Tank Services' and I ran the back office from home
- My duties included: Accounts, Pay Role, Marketing, Supplier interface, Purchasing, Banking, Customer Service, Quotation processing
- Independently managed recruitment, employee motivation and training.
- Integrated new systems for scheduling appointments, managing customer contacts and coordinating retention strategies.
- Reviewed sales and expense records to make proactive adjustments to policies and procedures.
- Improved operations by implementing training and development sessions into employee schedules.
- Handled complex project management concerns independently and accurately.
PA to MD
Sureweld & Roof Ltd
Worcester, Worcestershire
2000.02 - 2003.11
- I started working at newly formed Sureweld & Roof Ltd with my old colleague who set up his own aluminium standing seam roofing company after redundancy
- This was on a self employed basis, as I was also doing some part time ad hoc marketing works for a few small companies
- As the business grew I worked full time covering all aspects of the business from raising & submitting quotations, processing orders, raising worksheets and helping to plan the welders diaries
- I helped out with accounts and looked after the HR role for the employees, as well as arranging and sorting insurances for a fleet of 12 vehicles and planning MOT & servicing schedules
- I sourced and managed the PL insurance cover and coordinated credit control
- I built up the company's database and coordinated the marketing & PR for the business in conjunction with the MD
- Towards the end of my time here I was also helping to build up an Oil Tank installation company that my husband had invested in (Alpha Tank Services) - I left in November 2003 to have my first child.
- Produced high-quality documents, spreadsheets and presentations for internal and customer-facing needs.
- Oversaw office budget to responsibly allocate equipment and resources.
- Oversaw appointment scheduling and itinerary coordination for both clients and personnel.
- Trained and mentored staff to drive performance and target achievement.
- Improved overall office efficiency by establishing smooth workflow processes, monitoring daily productivity and implementing modifications to eliminate operational bottlenecks.
- Conducted risk assessments to reach regulatory compliance and promote staff health and safety.
- Arranged corporate events and conferences for 20+ attendees.
- Recruited and hired qualified candidates for vacant and new positions.
- Completed orientations to integrate new staff to company systems and culture.
- Oversaw office inventory activities, including ordering and requisitions, stocking and shipment receiving.
- Interacted with customers professionally by phone, email or in-person to provide information and direct queries to appropriate staff members.
- Developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for administrative employees.
- Provided complete meeting support, including materials preparation and minute-taking.
Marketing Executive
Rowberrys
Worcester, Worcestershire
1998.05 - 1999.12
- I was employed by Rowberrys (a standing seam, aluminium roofing company) to set up and run the marketing profile
- The company was diversifying into a number of new sectors, and they were in the process of rebranding and launching the new image to their customer base
- Guided clients on brand image and ethos to foster winning brand strategy and increased online engagement.
- Reviewed and incorporated performance data and client feedback to inform continuous improvement initiatives.
- Liaised with board members and stakeholders to discuss budgetary and operational needs and goals.
- Oversaw development and execution of multi-channel marketing campaigns to drive growth.
- Spearheaded rebranding initiatives to boost brand awareness and realign marketing collateral with client values and mission.
- I set up their database and coordinated a new sales brochure with photography taken on some of their large site projects (Millennium Stadium - Cardiff) Unfortunately myself and the General Manager were made redundant when they lost a big contract and downsized.
Marketing Services Executive
Peglar Limited
Doncaster, South Yorkshire
1989.09 - 1998.02
- I joined Peglar on the trainee management track after completing my A level studies in 1989
- During my time with the company, I worked in all 19 office & shop floor departments to gain a good knowledge of the business but was eventually settled in the Export Sales and the Marketing departments
- My Roles were varied and often challenging
- My last role was working under the Sales & Marketing Director and included the organization and fulfillment of the company's annual sales conference (50+ delegates) This was usually held at an external venue and included set up, compilation of all PowerPoint presentations for each speaker, media materials, finding and booking a suitable venue, coordinating hotel bookings and communication with all departments involved
- I had a team of 3 working in support
- I coordinated all external exhibitions attended by the company both in the UK & America, which included the design and collaboration with the stand builder, employing & managing resources and any external staffing to man the stand during the shows
- I managed a million-pound budget for the advertising/ PR and exhibitions, working closely with the agency staff to fulfill marketing briefs from the company directors and product managers.
- Facilitated board-level discussions to align corporate strategy with investor expectations for sustained financial success.
- Maintained smooth operations through careful management of office workflow and administrative processes.
- Spearheaded development and delivery of product initiatives based on in-depth market research.
- Managed team performance, celebrating successes and identifying areas to improve.
- Supervised budgets and timelines, ensuring progress met project scope targets.
- Reduced financial discrepancies by improving documentation and reporting accuracy for budget and operational controls.
Education
BTEC national Diploma in Business Studies -
1990.09 - 1992.05
10 ‘O' Levels in Mathematics, English Language, English Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Geography, French, German, Humanities, Art -
1982.09 - 1989.06
1 ‘A' Level – English Literature
Skills
- Personnel Management
- Customer Service
- Project Co-ordinator
- Microsoft Word / Excel / Power Point
- Xero Accounting
- Sage Accounting (basic)
- Payroll (basic)
- Supplier interface / purchasing
- Business administration
- Business operations
- Data collection and analysis
- Project budgeting
- Contract management
- Customer relations
- Customer service
- Employee management
Custom
- Painting / crafts
- Singing
- Reading & Nature
Timeline
Business Owner - Midland Tank & Boiler Services
2020.11 - 2024.02
Office Manager - Midland Tank Service
2014.06 - 2020.11
PA to MD - Sureweld & Roof Ltd
2008.04 - 2014.06
Business Manager - Alpha Tank Services
2003.07 - 2006.01
PA to MD - Sureweld & Roof Ltd
2000.02 - 2003.11
Marketing Executive - Rowberrys
1998.05 - 1999.12
Rotherham Technical Collage - BTEC national Diploma in Business Studies,
1990.09 - 1992.05
Marketing Services Executive - Peglar Limited
1989.09 - 1998.02
Hayfield Comprehensive School - 10 ‘O' Levels in Mathematics, English Language, English Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Geography, French, German, Humanities, Art,
1982.09 - 1989.06