Penelope Edwards

Strategic Executive Assistant and Virtual Operations Specialist with 8+ years of experience providing high-level, confidential support to founders and C-suite executives in fully remote environments. Expert in complex calendar management across time zones, executive correspondence, travel coordination, board and investor communications, and cross-functional project delivery. Known for exceptional discretion, emotional intelligence, and the proactive judgment to stay three steps ahead of a CEO's needs.

Proficient in Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom, Notion, Asana, and AI productivity tools. Available full-time EST.

Virtual Executive Assistant & Operations Manager at Procare Holistic Wellness (2022-08 – 2025-09)

• Owned the founder's executive calendar across US and international time zones — scheduling all meetings, protecting focused work blocks, and eliminating scheduling conflicts to maximize leadership bandwidth.
• Drafted and managed all CEO-level correspondence including partner outreach, stakeholder updates, and investor-facing communications — maintaining a consistent executive voice and ensuring zero missed follow-ups.
• Coordinated 30+ brand partnership campaigns simultaneously, serving as the primary liaison between the executive, external partners, and cross-functional vendors — achieving 100% on-time delivery and improving campaign efficiency by 30%.
• Arranged complex multi-leg travel itineraries including flights, accommodation, ground transport, and full preparation materials — ensuring the executive arrived informed and ready for every engagement.
• Collaborated directly with senior leadership on weekly priority audits, translating strategic goals into actionable calendar and project schedules that kept the organization aligned and on track.
• Prepared executive-ready reports, presentations, and KPI summaries using Google Workspace and analytics tools — distilling complex data into clear, decision-ready briefings for leadership and partners.
• Built comprehensive SOPs, filing systems, and operational checklists that standardized workflows and reduced administrative overhead — enabling the executive to focus on growth, not operations.
• Handled all confidential financial records, sensitive stakeholder information, and executive communications with full discretion and sound judgment at all times.

Executive & Campaign Support Consultant at Netflix, Vodacom, Unilever, King Price Insurance (2020-05 – 2022-06)

Simultaneously managed high-trust executive support contracts across four major corporate brands, demonstrating the multi-stakeholder judgment and context-switching capacity required in an Office of the CEO.

• Managed executive scheduling, stakeholder correspondence, documentation, and cross-team coordination across four concurrent corporate clients — with zero errors or missed deadlines.
• Led production workflow coordination for Netflix's Blood & Water campaign — managing influencer briefings, deliverable timelines, and C-suite approvals from initiation through completion.
• Served as the communication bridge between brand leadership, creative teams, and external partners for Unilever and Vodacom campaigns — drafting formal correspondence and maintaining full documentation of all stakeholder interactions.
• Demonstrated exceptional judgment and discretion operating within enterprise governance environments, managing sensitive brand and executive information across competing stakeholder priorities.

Project Coordinator & Administrative Lead at RL Tours (2019-08 – 2020-03)

• Coordinated end-to-end administrative workflows including scheduling, client documentation, contracts, and payment schedules for multiple concurrent programmes.
• Acted as stakeholder liaison between internal leadership and external vendors — managing communications, resolving issues proactively, and ensuring seamless operational execution.

Executive Assistant & Operations Coordinator at Giving Wings Strategic Consulting (2017-11 – 2018-02)

Clients: Standard Bank, Old Mutual, Liberty, Toyota

• Provided executive-level administrative support across high-stakes leadership development engagements for major South African corporates — managing calendars, coordinating logistics, drafting correspondence, and maintaining full confidentiality.
• Contributed to PR and communications initiatives that drove a 30% boost in client engagement and secured 3+ media placements reaching 50,000+ professionals.

Diploma in Food Science & Technology – University of Johannesburg (2021)