As the Administrator for the Research & Development department, I undertake various administrative duties, namely keeping our Local Portfolio Management System (LPMS) EDGE accurately up-to-date, as well as assisting in the quarterly National Institution for Health and Social Care Research (NIHR) database submission. Moreover, my role also includes preparing the departmental newsletter, typing letters, email correspondence, and organising meetings on behalf of this department, as well as taking the minutes for meetings both within and external to the Hospital. I also provide support in other routine administrative areas including photocopying, scanning, room-booking and placing stationery orders on behalf of the Research Delivery Team. My role is very varied and involves assisting the Lead Research Nurse, Research Nurses, Research Midwife, and the Clinical Research Practitioner on a day-to-day basis, in addition to liaising with the Associate Director of R&D. As such, I act as a key point of contact for the Research Delivery Team to provide and receive routine information - for example, responding to internal and external queries and referring messages to the relevant person.

• Opening and closing the store, including cash handling• Undertaking regular Health and Safety checks, including cleaning and fire safety• Signing up customers to the “Rewards for Life” loyalty card scheme• Advising customers on all their health and wellness needs• Undertaking and completing an extensive training programme• Covering absent members of staff, including lone trading• Submitting a daily and weekly timecard on behalf of all members of staff• Manual ordering stock before the next delivery day• Managing the preparation and execution of new monthly promotions in-store• Authorising refunds, exchanges, gift vouchers and issuing store credit• Date checking and marking down products based on their Expiry and ‘Best Before’ dates• Accepting deliveries on a weekly basis, including unloading cages and tote boxes• Preparing, handing over and ordering change via the Loomis service• Attending management meetings and regular conference calls with the regional manager

• Handling cash, including Morning Float and Evening Float• Conducting and authorising refunds and exchanges• Customer engagement• Recovery (in various departments - Menswear, Housewares, Linens, Gifts, Luggage & Toys)• Managing the fitting rooms• Dealing with deliveries• Stock replenishment• Ticketing stock• Telephone enquiries• Supporting new members of the team• Undertaking overtime work and covering absent members of staff• Changing the sales events signage and tickets• Encouraging customers to sign up for the “Love Reward” loyalty card schemeIn addition to my paid position at Beales, I also undertook 70 hours of unpaid work experience across various departments, within the store, during the second year of my Business qualification at Bedford College.

In the first year of my course at Bedford College, I completed 42 hours of work experience at the Bedford Borough Council, where I undertook various administrative tasks. • Filing and scanning• Matching documents• Posting notices• Shadowing the senior members of staff• Using the databases