SARAH COSTER

CV SUMMARY

Nationality Year of Birth Current Position Residential Location Gender Email

South African 1977 Office Manager Parkview, Johannesburg Female costersarah@gmail.com

PROFILE Over 15 years work experience providing various management and administrative support roles within multi-disciplinary environments. I am a strategic thinker who has proved to be efficient in planning and maintaining any project/task given to me. I am results driven,and enjoy the sense of achievement that comes from seeing a project through the stages-from its inception to its successful completion. Key skills include providing senior management with administrative, secretarial, financial, human resources and office management support within a various work environments. Has worked predominately within fast paced environments which are mostly deadline driven and require the ability to use initiative and develop efficient and innovative solutions. Currently working as an Office Manager and Project Support Coordinator for a construction and property development company, responsibilities include document control, administrative support for all incoming and outgoing correspondence, client liaison, procurement of construction material, invoicing and collection of payments. Previous experience includes a senior management role for an international fashion and retail brand, responsible for customer service standards, management of staff, maintaining regional sales targets and overseeing of the opening of new stores. Key personal attributes include being of a friendly nature and the ability to get along with a diverse range of people. I work best in a fast paced and positive environment, where there is always some time for laughter and fun.

EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL STATUS Pastel Partner Intermediate, Current Higher Diploma in Financial Accounting, Damelin, 2003 Higher Diploma in Public Relations, Damelin, 2003 Computer Literate in MS Word, MS Excel & MS PowerPoint Computer Literate in Quick Books

EXPERIENCE RECORD 2008 Present 2008 Present UNIT 7 / NORTHLANDS PROJECTS (Construction and development company) Office Manager / Project Support Coordinator

Responsible for the management of the office and company,and (full?) support to the Project Manager from time of tender being awarded ,including: Liaising with engineers,architects and QS for all relevant drawings/schedules and documents for required site(residential,light industrial and commercial) Ensuring the procurement of all market related and cost effective quotations from all wet trade suppliers-earthworks,steel,cement etc up to and including finishes constantly seeking the best possible price in the market based on the volumes and quantities of materials ordered daily Overseeing the snag listing process for the end client at the completion of a project Ordering off all materials for the sites Liaising with sub contractors,suppliers and site foreman to ensure all materials required are delivered to the site timorously to ensure development deadlines are met for client handover Managing of the diary for the Project Manager Capturing of all bank statements for the company up to trial balance Invoicing of all clients and ensuring monies collected and suppliers paid. Making sure all reports ,financial documents and forecasts relevant to the sites and business are prepared,updated and available for the Project Manager Filing VAT with bookkeeper on a bi monthly basis responsible for all documentation control for the company and maintaining of common filing library supervision of all human resource aspects of the business -including ,but not limited to,the control of salary and payslip information,adhering to all safety policies and procedures on the site and the documentation that goes with this.?????Help???

My greatest achievement in my current role is the implementation of a user friendly,efficient filing system for the company where there was not one.This system is easily accessible to all staff within the company where all documents and drawings are quickly available so as to ensure the successful deadline driven results of the project. 2002 - 2008 2002 2008 ACCESORIZE / LA SENZA Group Area Manager( Gauteng and KZN region)

International retail brand - Started with the company as the manager of their flagship store and was promoted to Area manager of their Gauteng and KZN regions.As Area Manager, I was responsible for all financial targets for the regions being met,the employing of all staff for stores, as well as the management of stock control and merchandising as per the international spec,within all stores.I also enjoyed the experience of opening new stores within my regions, as well as extensive travelling to our head office in Cape Town ,to receive brand training from our international visitors.As area manager ,I was responsible for the training of staff in all areas of service which was key to the brand and which was a daily endeavour and set us apart from the competition.I was responsible for the management of at least 30 people at any given time,and this included all human resource aspects such as the grooming and promotion of staff,salary evaluation and liaising with our brand manager and head office on a regular basis,as well as ensuring all instructions from Head office were executed timorously and consistently throughout the stores,making sure the standards of the brand were maintained at all times. 2001 Au Pair/Gap year

Atlanta,USA - I had the privilege of spending a year in the USA on a student visa,taking care of child for a family in the USA,on the Au Pair in America program.I travelled extensively throughout the USA both with the family on their vacations ,as well as on my own.I visited Vail for a skiing holiday ,had beach holidays in Florida and South Carolina and lived New York.I had the most wonderful experiences and learnt to drive on the wrong side of the road!I also had some quite sobering ones as well,as I was living in the USA when 911 took place.On the whole it was a truly life changing year and influenced me greatly in how I live my life.

1999-2000

Freestyle Clothing

Office coordinator- I was the assistant to the designers,and co ordinated the process from the item being selected by the supplier,making sure the fit was correct and all the trims for the garment were selected and it was ready for the quality assurance process.After this it went to the cut make and trim factories to be manufactured for stores.My role involved being the liaison between the designers who I reported to ,and the buyers of the major chains that we supplied.I assisted in making the garment come to life-by sourcing trims ,prints , embroideries and fabrics,and ensuring the concept became a reality.This was a incredibly deadline driven industry,and my ability to work under pressure effectively came from this role. 1996-1998 Educational and teaching sector

Preschool teacher-After matriculating in 1995,my love for children led me to study a course in teaching aimed at children of a preschool going age.I was fortunate enough to teach in a school for two years where I met many wonderful children and parents.I was invited by two of the families at the school to accompany them on their overseas holidays to take care of their children,which were wonderful experiences that introduced me to the wonderful world of travel,I found working with small children and their wonderful honesty taught me so much,and I can only compare it to looking into a mirror on a daily basis,as they teach you alot about who you really are.Although,my experiences since may have led me away from that field,having a child of my own is a constant reality check,for which I am grateful! LANGUAGE CAPABILITY English : Mother tongue

Office Management Teambuilding & Supervision Staff Development & Training Policies & Procedures Manuals

Report & Document Preparation Spreadsheet & Database Creation Accounts Payable/Receivable Bookkeeping & Payroll

Records Management Meeting & Event Planning Inventory Management Expense Reduction