Rita Kirk Email and Phone Number

Programme & Team Support.Committee secretary & corporate governance, including agenda setting, minute taking, chasing up actions, procedure writing.Coordinating/producing regular team reports.Introducing new ways of working to increase efficiency.Proactive maintenance of action logs.

Rita Kirk has over 25 years experience working in both the public and private sectors (including retail, NHS, Foreign Office, training & enterprise, engineering, regeneration). Her key strengths are in helping organisations to be more efficient & effective. She is experienced in: company secretarial/governance, PMO/project management, setting up systems & processes, finance and HR/training. She is able to analyse situations quickly, identify areas for improvement – then deliver practical, speedy and quality solutions.

"Business Solutions Group"​ (May-Sept via internal AQA recommendation): providing support on budget management, Software Asset Management process/procedure writing, coordinating audit action plans. Advising & creating new project processes & templates; coordinating Training Plan for 100+ staff cost/timescale basis; report writing at Executive level."Preparation & Marking Team" (Mar-May): advisor & mentor on project management, governance, report writing, business & action planning. Working alongside Team Managers to improve their overall effectiveness.

* Supporting Programme Manager to enable her to be more efficient - eg producing planning documentation for next FY, liaising with project team on delivery, report writing. * Producing weekly programme management & performance reports for Prog Manager.* Representing Programme Manager at senior level project meetings & providing updates.* Devising new approaches to stakeholder reporting/liaison & governance - including progress chasing of outstanding actions.* Stakeholder liaison.* Risks & Issues management.* Devising new systems and processes to enable continuity within the team, standardised approach and inkeeping with best practice (eg devising checklists for new project, end of project & handover to 3rd party). * Producing & updating project plans using Microsoft Project.* Using Sharepoint and Google Docs to update project documentation.* Working alongside project & team managers - advising them how to be more efficient & effective.* Coaching staff on PMO methods & techniques (inkeeping with Prince2).* Assisting Project Manager with roll out of new technology to JD Stores in UK & Europe.

Set up Programme Office from scratch - devising all systems & processes. Supported Programme Director & 30 strong project team. Supported Project Boards including Change Board dealing with Requests for Change. Managed contractor timesheets, budgets etc. Managed Risks & Issues log - incl progress chasing. Stakeholder management at all levels. Promoted to Training Manager: responsible for planning and organising training programme for 2,400 staff over 10 week period (93% of staff received training), whilst sustaining increased PMO demands. "An extremely conscientious, hard working & creative individual, who is an absolute pleasure to work with and provides exceptional service. From a personal perspective, it would have been impossible for me to meet the Programme deadlines & overcome the operational challenges without Rita's drive and enthusiasm." - Mike Turner, Tameside Programme Director, Berberis Ltd.

External Consultant to newly created Community Health NHS organisation advising on change management and reviewing internal processes to increase efficiency & ensure "fit for purpose". Undertook review of HR Dept, advised Board on Executive remuneration + Board processes, rewrote all internal HR policies & procedures. Project managed internal car salary sacrifice scheme that had previously stalled. Reported to Senior Manager/Board of Director. (NB Had contract extended 3 times.)

HR, H&S, quality, business improvement, governance/company secretary. Led on internal restructures, skills audit, staff training, recruitment/selection, handling grievances, redundancy, office relocation. Developed company Values and integrated these into recruitment, management and performance appraisal. Provided executive level support to boards of directors (incl verbatim minute taking, induction of new directors, policy/procedure writing, coordinating board meetings, Companies House, maintaining register of interests).

Responsible for all support services for the 200 staff including: reception, procurement, internal H&S, security, PA, maintenance. Devised operational systems & procedures. Led on supplier contract negotiation. Instigated and led on N West benchmarking exercise which resulted in £80K cost savings in area of procurement of stationery.

Assistant Company Secretary: organised board meetings; verbatim minute taking; organised election of directors from 1000+ Chamber members. Introduced openness, accountability & transparency into board operations.Member of Internal Audit team: undertook audits of financial systems to ensure probity.Contract Manager for adult & youth training providers.For a period worked as PA to CEO and senior management team.

Private sector fire protection company based in Lichfield. Managed office, accounts, handled procurement, credit control, introduced systems & procedures.Also worked for parent company as external Marketing Analyst reviewing general fire extinguisher market, competitor analysis & researching opportunities for expansion into the water industry. As a result, the company took strategic decisions relating to their extinguisher sales operation and entry into the water industry.

Worked at British Embassies in Venezuela, Germany and Austria; also Foreign Office in Whitehall.