Grace Kariuki

An all-rounded professional with over 10 years of experience contributing to the smooth running of administrative functions.

KEY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Administration skills: Experienced in managing office activities, managing procurement, negotiating with suppliers, making budget preparations, arranging travel itineraries, and handling communication with both internal and external stakeholders
Virtual Assistance: An experienced virtual assistant excelling in offering administrative services to clients remotely, such as scheduling appointments, making phone calls, making travel arrangements, and managing email accounts.
Phone Etiquette: Well-versed in handling calls using the standard telephone etiquette procedure to understand and fulfill the caller’s request.
Front Office Management: Conversant with front-office functions such as re-organizing the visitor check-in and out procedure, keeping a record of all guests and distributing incoming mail, and managing outgoing correspondence.
Personal assistant skills: I am proficient in the roles I carry out, whereby I prepare documents, manage all itineraries, organize and maintain diaries, and make appointments.
Client Service Management: Expert in client relations, successfully resolving customer complaints by identifying problems and taking appropriate corrective action.
Operations Management:  Experienced in improving operational system processes and best practices within the company to guarantee the company’s well-being and ensure the smooth running of the day-to-day business.
Communication and Interpersonal skills: Effective verbal communication with people in and outside the organization while maintaining reasonable and professional working relations.
ICT Competency: Proficient in a Windows environment, competent in Microsoft Office Application suite, database management, and knowledge in navigating the internet and emails.

WORK HISTORY

Support Supervisor Virtual Assistant, Protocol & Security Officer 
Ministry of Energy; December 2021 – To Date
Duties and Responsibilities 
Administration Roles
Coordinating all independent administrative and organizational tasks, such as secretarial activities, to ensure the smooth functioning of staff.
Performing routine administrative duties involving contact with and exposure to confidential materials and information.
Organizing and scheduling meetings and appointments for the Managing Director.
Assisted the Managing Director with his diary to ensure a smooth and seamless activities flow.
Handled telephone calls and queries and supervised cleaning and tidying up of office
Offering customer service and front office at the reception desk.
Assisting clients at reception, ensuring the office was tidy, and collecting and delivering mail and files.
In charge of photocopying services and handling messenger errands
Maintaining official correspondence and communications.
Keeping minutes or notes of regular team meetings and other official meetings.
Serving as the holder of company statutory documents and organizing meetings.

Virtual assistant roles
Answered emails and phone calls from customers.
Made travel arrangements and scheduled appointments.
Made cold calls to generate leads from a provided spreadsheet.
Created content to post on the company’s social media channels.
Conducted online research to find addresses and contact details for a given list of companies.
Prepared presentations according to instructions given.
Security role.
Secured the premises and personnel by staying on patrol, monitoring surveillance equipment, performing building inspections, guarding entry points, and verifying visitors.

Support Supervisor Virtual Assistant 
Ministry of Transport – State Department for Shipping and Maritime; July 2017 to November 2021
Duties and Responsibilities 
Received incoming calls and mail and responded on time.
Maintained contact and building lasting relationships with customers.
Managed a particular sales territory to create a customer base.
Acted in charge of marketing products and services and exceeding sales quotas.
Made sales call and contacted both potential and present customers.
Kept records of all interactions with customers.
Gave demonstrations to customers and educated them about the Retriever tracking application.
Regularly monitor the preferences of customers.
Located or proposed business deals by contacting potential customers.
Communicated new product developments to prospective clients.
Wrote reports and proposals and handled tenders, and handled Service Level Agreements.
Screened potential business deals and analyzed markets.
Assisted the Managing Director with his diary to ensure a seamless activities flow.
Organized scheduled meetings for the Managing Director and handled telephone calls and queries.
Supervising cleaning and tidying up of the office.
Offered customer service and front office at the reception desk.
Virtual assistant roles
Answered emails and phone calls from customers.
Made travel arrangements and scheduled appointments.
Made cold calls to generate leads from a provided spreadsheet.
Created content to post on the company’s social media channels.
Conducted online research to find addresses and contact details for a given list of companies.
Prepared presentations according to instructions given.
Security role.
Secured the premises and personnel by staying on patrol, monitoring surveillance equipment, performing building inspections, guarding entry points, and verifying visitors.

Support Supervisor Virtual Assistant, Protocol, and Security Officer
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; December 2015 to July 2017
Duties and Responsibilities
Assisted the Managing Director with his diary and organized meetings for the Managing Director.
Handled telephone calls and queries and supervised cleaning and tidying up of office
Offered customer service and front office at the reception desk.
Assisted clients at the reception area and ensured the office was tidy.
Collected and delivered mail and files.
Offered photocopying service and handled messenger errands.
Secured the premises and personnel by staying on patrol, monitoring surveillance equipment, performing building inspections, guarding entry points, and verifying visitors.
Virtual assistant roles
Answered emails and phone calls from customers.
Made travel arrangements and scheduled appointments.
Made cold calls to generate leads from a provided spreadsheet.
Created content to post on the company’s social media channels.
Conducted online research to find addresses and contact details for a given list of companies.
Prepared presentations according to instructions given.
Security role.
Secured the premises and personnel by staying on patrol, monitoring surveillance equipment, performing building inspections, guarding entry points, and verifying visitors.

Senior Support Staff
Ministry of Public service youth and Gender); Directorate of personnel management (performance
Contracting division); November 2013 to December 2015
Handled telephone calls and queries and assisted clients in the reception area.
Ensured the office was tidy.
Collected and delivered emails and files.
Offered photocopying services and ran messenger errands.

OTHER PAST EXPERIENCES

Senior Support Staff and Customer Service Representative; The State Law Office and the Department of Justice; November 2011 to June 2013

EDUCATION BACKGROUND & PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Diploma in Information Technology (Cornerstone Training Institute); 2009
Diploma in Air Travel and Ticketing Operations (Regional Center for Tourism and Foreign Languages); 2008
Certificate of Computerized System of Tourism Operations Galileo Amadeus (Regional Center for Tourism and Foreign Languages); 2008
Certificate in Air Travel and Ticketing Operations (Regional Center for Tourism and Foreign Languages); 2008
Certificate of skills improvement course (Kenya School of Government); 2014
Hospitality Skills Management Course (Kenya School of Government); 2019
Virtual Assistant Program (ALX AFRICA); 2022
Crowd Management (STCW Online); 2023
Air Travel and Ticketing Operations Level 1; Regional Centre for Tourism and Foreign Languages; 2008
Certificate in Information Technology; Corner Stone Training Institute; 2009
Consultancy Level II Air Travel and Ticketing Operations; Regional Centre for Tourism and Foreign Languages; 2008
Regional Centre for Tourism and Foreign Languages; Galileo Amadeus; 2008
Certificate in Consultancy Level II Air Travel and Ticketing Operations; Regional Centre for Tourism and Foreign Languages; 2008
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education: St Catherine’s Mountain View Academy; 2005