Zoe McDermid
Leigh-on-Sea,Essex
Summary
Organised and dedicated Administrative Assistant with proven track record of providing exceptional customer service in fast-paced production environments with strong project management skills. Thriving under pressure to meet tight deadlines, whilst simultaneously offering strong financial experience and understanding; with a natural aptitude for numbers. Providing keen attention to detail with strong decision making to manage multiple, concurrent tasks. Works autonomously if needed and enjoys problem-solving for best efficiencies. Also enjoys working as part of a team. Self-motivated work ethic and passionate about business success. Extensive experience in operational coordination, planning and support. Background working with confidential information, strict processes and ambitious targets.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work history
Business Support Assistant
Essex County Council
04.2023 - Current
- I work in Reception at Social Services one day a week.
- I provide administrative support to the Education team
- I collate police, school and health reports for Child Protection Conferences.
- Deal with routine enquiries at reception or by telephone and refer more complex matters to appropriate members of staff.
Practice Manager/ Personal Assistant
St James' Place Wealth Management
London
11.2022 - 02.2023
- Remote-based maternity cover role: learned very quickly through Zoom training sessions and online Salesforce courses
- I had to enable my own laptop setup and all systems and partake in courses in compliance, bribery and money laundering whilst learning new systems
- Working mainly in Salesforce, I booked in meetings, created compliant letters of authority, typed up minutes from dictation, set up new clients and updated CTFs.
- Chased providers whilst offering an approachable and professional service to the Practice's client base.
Admin Manager
Westwood Academy Nursery
Hadleigh
03.2018 - Current
- Was brought in to conduct all admin requirements for a startup small business.
- Quickly developed knowledge and expertise, implementing new procedures and policies that have been adopted throughout the Trust.
- Conducted audits and risk assessments to achieve regulatory compliance.
- Managed staffing schedules in line with Early Years ratios.
- Website changes.
- Maintain a professional and friendly approach to alleviate any anxieties and resolve any issues, treating each new child as an individual with their own specific needs
- Produced budgeting tools, financial procedures and invoicing methodology.
- General day-to-day emails and all admission-based work.
Admin and Attendance Officer
Westwood Academy Primary School
Hadleigh
11.2014 - 03.2018
- I worked in the school office coordinating all duties associated with the administrative running of the school including the pastoral care and the first aid elements of dealing with poorly children
- Communication: Made website changes, and both produced, and sent out, a weekly newsletter to the school community
- Assessed and evaluated school services, offering improvement strategies to meet absence reduction targets.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of attendance, absence management and pupil registration laws to aid education of schools and families.
- Supported families, pupils and schools in addressing and improving attendance, enforcing relevant legislation as required.
- I have also sent Agendas and have taken minutes at a Governors' meeting.
- Ensured thorough child safeguarding and welfare through diligent monitoring and risk assessments.
Office Manager/ Administrative Assistant
Oracle Publications (Ltd)
Southend-on-Sea
11.2009 - 07.2011
- I ran the administrative side of the office, maintaining and updating large databases from researching and creating editorial features, liaising and chasing contributors and proof reading and sub-editing articles
- This also included all invoicing and chasing subsequent payment, plus liaising with printers, advertisers and members of the public with any queries
- I also performed a number of ad hoc PA duties to the Publisher, as and when required.
- Responded to telephone enquiries from clients, vendors and members of public.
- Handled various day-to-day admin responsibilities to maintain smooth business operations.
- Took on additional tasks on manager's request.
Magazine Production Manager
Reader's Digest Magazine
London
08.2005 - 11.2009
- Manage all repro, print and distribution of the monthly magazine.
- Ensure both editorial content and advertising were planned through a negotiation process of ‘flatplanning' to ensure editorial integrity alongside maximum advertising revenue.
- Quality control the output in terms of proof checks.
- Press pass printed material (France).
- Supplier Management.
- Negotiating contracts and RFPs
- Internal Production contact for editorial, advertisers and the RDUK management board
- Ensuring deadlines were adhered to and maintaining implicit attention to detail to ensure pages are correct in terms of running order, colour and content
- Producing and maintaining a £200,000,000 budget
- Creating print orders and Purchase Orders.
- Print/ paper buying.
- General Presentation/ Office skills: Running meetings by producing and sending agendas and minutes
- Coordinated and controlled all production processes, ensuring products were delivered on time and within budget.
- Reviewed production issues and implemented corrective action plans, enhancing operational efficiency.
- Established and adjusted work procedures to meet production schedules, delivering output to deadlines.
- Supervised production schedules and production quality for timely delivery (KPIs).
- Conducted frequent quality and compliance reviews of all production work.
Product Coordinator
Services, Guardian Newspapers Ltd
London
10.2002 - 08.2005
- Flat-planning daily, weekly and monthly publications for newspapers, magazines and supplements
- Working between Advertising, editorial, production, circulation and distribution, plus externally with printers, to ensure communication is channelled accordingly
- Ensuring Print Specifications are adhered to and coordinating inserts and onserts, polybags, cover-wraps and varying demands of creative advertising
- Liaison and negotiation with editorial teams regarding advertising requirements and honouring specific editorial demands.
Display Ad Coordinator
Ad Services, Guardian Newspapers Ltd
London
03.2001 - 10.2002
- Enforcing copy deadlines
- Copy-chasing advertising copy, checking spec & size of artwork, and ensuring it is received from design companies according to deadlines
Credit Controller
Eastern Energy
08.2000 - 03.2001
- Collecting money owed to company through Gas and electricity debt, specialising in ‘Major Credit'
- Direct communication with company Financial or Managing Directors
- Placement of Pre-debt/ pre-emptive calls.
Finance Assistant
South-East Essex College
Benfleet
06.1998 - 09.1998
- Post offering financial support for students and staff
- General finance duties to include invoicing, plus the maintenance of strict Excel Spreadsheets and registration of new students for September intake.
Education
BA (Hons) Degree - Visual Culture
University of Brighton
Brighton2001
Foundation Course -
South-East Essex College
Southend-on-SeaA-Levels -
SEEVIC College
Essex1997
GCSEs -
Deanes School
Essex1996
Data Masterclass for Senior Leaders -
Essex County Council
Annual GDPR -
Essex County Council
Corporate Governance -
Essex County Council
Managing Menopause in the Workplace -
Essex County Council
How to Disagree with Someone more powerful -
Essex County Council
Minute Takers Training Course -
Essex County Council
Money Laundering Awareness and Anti Bribery -
St James's Place
Salesforce - Modules. -
St James' Place
LondonSkills
- Office oversight
- Attendance records preparation
- Procedure improvement
- Office management
- Purchase order creation
- Schedule management
- Project scheduling
- Sensitive material handling
- Strong problem solver
- Proofreading
- Supplier liaison
- Dedicated team player
- Invoicing and billing
Interests
I am creative and enjoy cultural pursuits. I love food and love to cook. I enjoy reading and my kindle, with a current book mid progress, is never far from me. I am interested in art and enjoy yoga. However, my biggest interest in the past few years would be my three children and partaking in activities that stimulate and educate them.
Timeline
Business Support Assistant
Essex County Council
04.2023 - Current
Practice Manager/ Personal Assistant
St James' Place Wealth Management
11.2022 - 02.2023
Admin Manager
Westwood Academy Nursery
03.2018 - Current
Admin and Attendance Officer
Westwood Academy Primary School
11.2014 - 03.2018
Office Manager/ Administrative Assistant
Oracle Publications (Ltd)
11.2009 - 07.2011
Magazine Production Manager
Reader's Digest Magazine
08.2005 - 11.2009
Product Coordinator
Services, Guardian Newspapers Ltd
10.2002 - 08.2005
Display Ad Coordinator
Ad Services, Guardian Newspapers Ltd
03.2001 - 10.2002
Credit Controller
Eastern Energy
08.2000 - 03.2001
Finance Assistant
South-East Essex College
06.1998 - 09.1998
BA (Hons) Degree - Visual Culture
University of Brighton
Foundation Course -
South-East Essex College
A-Levels -
SEEVIC College
GCSEs -
Deanes School
Data Masterclass for Senior Leaders -
Essex County Council
Annual GDPR -
Essex County Council
Corporate Governance -
Essex County Council
Managing Menopause in the Workplace -
Essex County Council
How to Disagree with Someone more powerful -
Essex County Council
Minute Takers Training Course -
Essex County Council
Money Laundering Awareness and Anti Bribery -
St James's Place
Salesforce - Modules. -
St James' Place
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