Barbara Holmes

An experienced professional with a natural ability to relate well to people at all levels, whilst displaying a high degree of discretion, loyalty and integrity. Can be counted on to handle escalations and time critical issues effectively. A focused, business-aware, self motivated team player looking for a fresh challenge.

A skilled organiser and communicator with extensive experience of dealing both cross-functionally and externally. Effective and efficient at handling numerous tasks simultaneously, with a keen eye for detail and accuracy. Fully computer literate in numerous major software packages.

Owner - The Potty Painting Studio

(2019-09)

Set up a new business in our local town for painting pottery for all ages. Role involves organising workshops, coordinating evening events and ensuring an engaging experience for all our customers.

• Manage day to date activities including opening/closing procedures, inventory management and maintenance of the studio space.
• Ensure a clean, organised and inviting environment for all our customers
• Provide exceptional customer services by assisting clients with techniques, design and selection.
• Address customer inquiries, concerns and feedback promptly and professionally.
• Plan and coordinate pottery painting workshops, parties and events for various occasions including, birthdays, team building etc.
• Manage inventory levels by ordering supplies, paints, brushes and other materials needed.
• Track sales, expenses and studio performance to meet revenue targets and manage costs effectively.

Office Manager - Rivopharm UK Ltd

(2013-12 - 2019-09)

Role, to process all orders from Wholesale and Retail customers through our CRM system which also entails liaising with our designated Warehouse and Distributor to ensure all purchase orders are dealt with in a timely and efficient manner. Dealing with all queries and customer complaints. Management of the entire accounting side of the business including raising sales invoices, statements, chasing outstanding invoices, payment of purchase invoices, reconciliation of bank statements, liaising with designated Accountants to submit quarterly VAT and yearly accounts.

General PA duties to the Managing Director as required.

• Part of the initial team of four that set up the company – turnover now over £13m
• Oversaw the bespoke CRM system that runs our stock, supply chain, order processing and basic HR functions
• Managed the Supply Chain side of the business for 6 months until a Supply Chain Manager was employed

Private PA - International Labmate

(2005-10 - 2013-12)

Publisher of Scientific Journals. Role, support the MD in his business and personal life, including overseeing financial portfolios including budgets, profit and loss, and bank reconciliation, diary and email management, travel for both personal and business, payment of personal, settlement and pension fund invoices. Screening of calls and correspondence, expenses and minute taking. To manage all aspects of the MD's property portfolio including timely completion of repairs and maintenance within budget, ensure all rents are received on time, chase tenants if in arrears, negotiation of new leases, rent reviews, analysis of all properties and rent for residential, commercial, roadways and retail. Liaising with land specialists and dealing with environmental issues via relevant organisations e.g.

Environment

Agency and RPA. Timely completion of Tax Returns together with quarterly VAT returns.

• Responsible for analysing financial markets, collating relevant documents and reporting to MD
• Researched and implemented suitable application for all of the MD's shares to enable him to view the real-time price at any one time
• Enhanced inter-company and tenant relationships
• Analysing financial data, monitor performance of shares and highlighting financial risks
• Project managed successful office move
• Project managed purchase of a half million property which was completely re-furbished including re-building part of the structure. Now worth approximately 3 million.

Letting Manager - Key Property Estates

(2005-01 - 2005-10)

Stake in Letting Agency specialising in the Hatfield and surrounding areas of which I was part of the setup team. Role, all aspects of Letting were included within this position, including contracts, liaising with prospective Tenants and Landlords, site visits, references including credit checks and accurate maintenance of databases.

• Set up new business within dedicated timelines
• Project managed development of business and ongoing related activities
• Established working systems for the business including forms, databases and procedures
• Sort to continuously improve contracts based on best practice (quality assured by association)
• Negotiating and agreeing contracts with both tenants and landlords
• Health and safety risk is appropriately managed
• Carried out regular site visits, investigated issues that could cause health and safety difficulties in properties and agree with landlord plan for repair and risk mitigation.
• Dealing with multiple contractors to ensure maintenance is completed on time and in budget to the required specification

Senior Scheduler - McCann Managed Care Services

(2002-10 - 2004-12)

Consulting Company specialising in provision of GP Audits. Company dissolved. Role, support to all System Specialists and Pharmaceutical Representatives and general office duties as required.

Responsibilities include liaising with GP surgeries covering all aspects from receptionists, GPs, Nurses and Practice Managers and also with our contract Pharmaceutical Representatives to ensure validated Audits are carried out. Make initial Surgery contact to collate all relevant data to maximise Representative time effectiveness during Surgery visits. Schedule all Representative appointments and activities to ensure proficient performance.

Report compilation for customers ie: Pharmaceutical Companies.

• Established initial database to monitor System Specialists together with Surgery details.
• Successfully ensured the smooth day to day running of our first and subsequent Audits

Legal PA - Barnes & Partners

(2001-06 - 2002-10)

Working to one solicitor in busy practice, covering residential conveyancing. Provided all paralegal support, covering searches, exchanges and completions. Office support also covered financial purchases i.e. all cheque raising and issuing of invoices. Liaised with clients, mortgage companies, solicitors and estate agents, ensuring that all queries dealt with direct where possible.

• Improved communication skills and level of stress management when dealing in particular with members of general public at which is naturally a very difficult time. Improved ability to convey a sense of reassurance and confidence that they are being dealt with as a priority.
• Ensure that all house purchases were completed smoothly and on schedule when the department was covered by a locum during a period of absence of the usual solicitor.
• Established a system of client recognition for the solicitor to ensure that she had all details to hand when dealing with any correspondence or calls.

PA - IVAX Pharmaceuticals

(1997-04 - 2001-05)

A leading global Generic Pharmaceutical Company. Redundant. Reporting to the Director of Trade Marketing, with reporting staff of 64. Responsible for all office management requirements, with additional project responsibility such as Hospital Contracts (tenders and database management).

Dealt cross-functionally on a daily basis to ensure department needs were met, often requiring key negotiating skills to ensure successful prioritisation from other functions. Acted as a filter control to ensure that only essential emails and queries were passed for personal attention. Provided support to the National Account Management team, provided analytical spreadsheet and presentation support, obtained finical and sales performance data and preparing Management (Board level) reports.

Conference co-ordination – arranging logistical support and presentations, and arranged all corporate hospitality and exhibition involvement.

• Worked with the National Account Managers to remove the levels of counter production competiveness, and introduced a more support and efficient environment where information and skill-sets were shared whilst still remaining individually motivated and targeted.
• Personally ensured a working understanding of all functions both reporting to, and having a direct impact on department, to ensure maximisation of effort and ability to liaise and effectively communicate.
• Identified issue of need for complete records of business transactions and the ever-increasing amount of filing required – researched and sourced CD-ROM alternative, which was then installed company wide, freeing up valuable office space and improved referencing capability.
• When filtering current issues within the department, sought possible solutions to ease Director decision making process and to ensure all usual avenues had been covered.
• Managed departmental morale issues, ensuring that any concerns were filtered to Director, particularly during a difficult business relocation ensuring that key staff loss was kept to a minimum.

Marketing Administrator - IVAX Pharmaceuticals

Reporting to the head of New Product Development, incorporating management of the New Product Introduction, Product Change Request Procedure, Discontinuation Process and office management duties. Involved usage of externally provided data to ensure all market intelligence on new molecules