Sumathi Dilling

I am a self-motivated individual and take on any job with enthusiasm and dedication. I am very reliable and fulfil my commitments with the drive and initiative required of me and will persist until they are completed to a high standard.

In all my previous jobs, I have worked and liaised with colleagues from different departments and external agencies/organisations. I have always endeavoured to communicate with them in a polite, courteous, respectful and professional manner. Confidentiality on my part was an essential requirement for all the posts I have previously held, and I strictly adhere to GDPR and the company’s policy regarding confidentiality at work.

I have previously worked for the Orkney Health Board and my most recent position was coordinating the MBBS Year 3 programme at the University of Central Lancashire. This programme was run in partnership with the North Cumbria Integrated Care Trust (NCIC) and I worked very closely with my counterpart at the Trust to organise student placements and Expert Half day sessions for which the tutors comprised Consultants from the hospital.

In addition to working with the Trust, I liaised with the Theme Leads for the programme and other departments for room bookings and the reservation of equipment for the tutors. I also consulted with my counterparts in Burnley on admin related issues and the pastoral care team concerning student related issues. I was also required to work with external organisations for transport arrangements, as well as keep track of student attendance with the third sector agencies and GP Practices. In Israel, I worked with staff who hailed from over 70 countries; therefore, sensitivity to and respect for the cultural differences was critical in my dealings with them.

While able to work independently and use my own initiative, I am also a team player and develop good working relationships with my colleagues. I value everyone’s opinion and never hesitate to seek assistance or advice from my colleagues/supervisor on work related matters. I have good problem-solving skills and am open to exploring various options to find solutions to new and challenging work problems.

Throughout my working life, I have worked under pressure to ensure that reports, minutes of meetings, and timesheets are submitted on a timely basis. I was one of the pioneer staff for the MBBS Year 3 programme at the UCLan Westlakes campus and was employed as a part time staff member working two days a week. I started work in July 2018 and was required to ensure that the programme was in place for the students starting on the first Monday in September. This meant that I had a very short window in which to set up the programme from scratch, i.e., liaise with the partner Trust and third sector agencies for external teaching and placements for the first semester at least, organise Induction week, liaise with the taxi company to ensure that the students had transport to their placements in Carlisle and Penrith, liaise with the Theme Leads to ensure that all the teaching material was uploaded to Blackboard and ready to go live for the students at least a week prior to the start of term, and ensure that all the teaching sessions were roomed. Although, subsequently, the systems were already in place, this process was repeated each year, and I was required to work independently to ensure that the programme was ready for the start of the new term.

During the academic year, I was working to very tight deadlines, for example, at the end of each block, I was required to update and analyse the attendance report and inform the relevant staff members about any student who did not meet the required attendance limit. Also, students travel claims had to be checked and submitted for approval and payment within a short timeframe. The timetable was very fluid and required constant changes to it, especially for the external tutors. This meant that I was constantly liaising with my counterpart at the partner Trust to ensure that a new date and time was fixed and that there was a room available. I had to ensure that for each block all the teaching topics in the students learning outcomes were covered.

I believe that I am a good and empathetic listener. As I was the first point of contact for the MBBS Year 3 students at UCLan, students would speak to me about their problems related to both their personal life and concerns about their studies. I would then signpost these students accordingly. I genuinely cared for my students and their wellbeing was very important to me, and I am confident that I will carry out my duties for the patients with the same level of care and empathy.

I feel confident that I will be able to carry out the tasks required with enthusiasm, motivation and determination, and will arise to any challenge with respect and diplomacy.

5 July 2017 – 13 February 2024 University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)

Phase 2 Officer

• Supported the work of the Theme Leads, Clinical Module Leads and tutors to enable delivery of the Year 3 programme.
• Liaised with the placement team and partner organisations about clinical placements, inductions, student allocations and clinical supervision.
• Liaised with placement providers, both clinical and third sector, to coordinate provision of teaching sessions by external staff.
• Worked with the Theme Leads to ensure accurate timetabling is provided to staff and students.
• Raised purchase orders for services provided by partner institutions ensuring transparency of finance.
• Undertook student attendance monitoring using My Progress, and collated weekly timesheets ensuring correct placement partners and Skills Team were notified in the event of absence.
• Organised student inductions on campus and liaised with placement partners to coordinate inductions within the clinical and third sector setting.
• Arranged student travel and processed travel claims.
• Contributed to the planning and delivery of Campus Days and other teaching, including providing assistance to visiting teaching staff, and worked and liaised with Clinical Module Leads and Heads of Year to ensure staffing input to Campus Days.
• Conducted appropriate quality assurance for Campus Days providing the feedback to Theme and Clinical Module Leads.
• Conducted Right to Work Checks for individuals providing services to Phase 2.
• Maintained and produced reports from the technical side of the student e-portfolio system My Progress. Allocate students to groups and created / deployed forms. 
• Monitored student e-portfolio submissions to ensure appropriate professional standards and supervision requirements were met. Liaised with partner institutions regarding remedial action resulting from the monthly audits. 
• Issued alerts and announcements as required, via Blackboard and other appropriate channels.
• Organised and prepared agendas and documents attended and took minutes of the meetings with placement providers as well as any training events / conferences and checked action taken as required for the School.
• Evaluated and suggested further relevant developments within the Phase 2 Administration processes to ensure effective integrated administrative practices and networking across partners and within the University to provide seamless delivery of the programme.
• Acted as a point of contact for administrative staff at partner institutions and regulatory bodies.
• Acedt as a first point of contact for students with concerns and determined appropriate actions, liaising as required with other members of the pastoral team. Organised appointments with the Professionalism, Wellbeing and Safety Tutors. Information sharing with partner institutions and regulatory bodies as appropriate.
• Monitored the MBBS Phase 2 email mailboxes and responded and actioned as appropriate. Provided cross cover for other Phase 2 Administration staff if required.

2015 – 2017 National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom

Administrative Assistant/Records Officer

• Managed a major project involving the digitisation of the National Spiritual Assembly’s paper records. Tasks included supervising volunteers involved with the checking of the scanning quality of the e-documents, determining that e-documents and paper records matched and tallied, organising the shredding of the paper records and storage of the records that the National Assembly wished to keep, liaising with the scanning company accordingly, and preparing project review reports for management.
• Supervising and training volunteers looking after the reception desk. 
• Managing the bookshop – ordering books, keeping track of sales, liaising with the main bookshop regarding the digitisation of the accounting and sales system, and supervising the reception volunteers who looked after the sale of the books.
• Assisted with the preparation of the Records and Volunteers Manuals as well as the tour guide booklet for the volunteers.
• Organised the department’s social events. 
• Assisted the Coordinator of the Department in various tasks, such as maintaining petty cash records and preparing the credit card statement analysis for the Finance Department as well as helped coordinate volunteers for management meetings.
• Maintained the National Database. This involved keeping the records up-to-date – registering new believers, transferring believers in and out of the country, closing the records of deceased friends, change of address and marital status – printing and sending letters and credential cards to believers, fielding questions from the friends and liaising with the Local Spiritual Assemblies, Groups and other agencies, preparing monthly reports for National Assembly and other reports as requested by the Local Assemblies, Groups and agencies.
• Managed the completion of the digitisation of national records and archive material in liaison with external agency.

2010 – 2015 Malaysia and United Kingdom

English Editing Services

• Helped my husband with the administrative aspects of his English editing and proofreading business

2007 – 2010 William Russell Malaysia

Office Manager and Insurance Executive

• Set up the office
• Liaised with external contractors/agencies in the setting up of the office
• Prepared staff recruitment letters
• Maintained staff records
• Maintained petty cash records
• Organised payment of utilities, external contractors/agencies and office supplies
• Prepared monthly accounts (petty cash and cheque payments) for the head office in the United Kingdom
• Processed medical insurance claims made by clients and hospitals
• Liaised with doctors and hospitals for information regarding medical conditions reported by the clients

2006 – 2007 Social and Economic Development Services (SEDS) Malaysia

Office Manager

• Assisted with various tasks, such as helping with the organisation of meetings/conferences and preparing letters of appointment for staff
• Liaised with managers/directors and other internal and external agencies on matters pertaining to the SEDS projects
• Organised meetings, training courses and events for SEDS, and liaised with external agencies
• Maintained petty cash and bank accounts, and kept the account books
• Organised the payment of utilities, staff salaries and payments to other agencies
• Organised staff meetings, and took and prepared minutes 

2001 – 2006 Bahá’í World Centre Israel

Executive Assistant

• Prepared itineraries and arranged international travel for the member of the International Teaching Centre.
• Assisted with the organisation of international conferences including arrangements for accommodation and visa applications.
• Drafted letters and reports, undertook research, analysis of budgets, trained new staff and performed other advanced secretarial duties.
• Analysed and collated the statistics for the officers of the International Teaching Centre and liaised with the statistics department to ensure accuracy.

1998 – 2000 Orkney Health Board United Kingdom

Secretary to the Director of Operational Services

• General secretarial duties
• Administrative arrangements for travel and accommodation
• Maintained confidential records
• Responsible for the scheduling of diaries, arranging appointments and organising meetings, taking and preparing minutes of meetings
• Processed time sheets for nursing staff
• Liaised extensively with other departments and outside agencies
• Part of the organising committee for visit by the Minister of Health

1995 – 1998 Drever and Heddle United Kingdom

Legal Secretary

• Prepared dispositions, wills, standard securities and affidavits
• Performed general secretarial duties
• Liaised with external agencies including Court officials and Local Authority

1992 – 1995 Elektrisola Malaysia

Head of Administration Department and Personal Assistant to Managing Director

• Directed the day-to-day office operations providing fundamental support to the Managing Director and team of consultants. 
• Coordinated the purchasing, security and transportation departments, and the canteen
• Responsible for the organisation of administrative staff and vetting of suitable applicants for senior positions.
• Organised the inaugural opening of the factory including arrangements for ministerial delegation, and other internal company functions 
• Organised travel, accommodation and visas for the Managing Director and staff attending training to sister factories in Europe
• Attended meetings, recorded and prepared the minutes of the meetings
• Organised the move of the entire office and factory from its temporary location to its permanent premises, including the sourcing quotations for office furniture, equipment and utilities, as well as liaising with the successful companies to ensure that the deadlines for installation were met 
• Responsible for identifying and procuring the housing of the company’s factory staff.

1979 –1992 Various Companies Malaysia

Secretary to Managing Director/General Manager

• General secretarial duties
• Conducted research for German foreign investors
• Responsible for accounting and personnel matters

1989 – Institute of Personnel Management Malaysia

• Certificate in Personnel Management (Credit)

1980 – Pitman’s Examination Institute Malaysia

• Correspondence and Report Writing (First Class)
• Private Secretarial Duties (First Class)
• Office Practice 
• Shorthand – 90 wpm

1977 – General Certificate of Education (GCSE) Malaysia

• English – Credit 
• English (Communication) - Credit
• Mathematics - Credit
• Geography – Pass
• Biology – Credit
• History – Credit