Candy Bennewith
Personal Assistant / Project Administrator
Durban
Summary
Reliable and detail-oriented Personal Assistant with a strong background in delivering high-level administrative support to senior executives. Expertise in travel management, expense tracking, calendar coordination, and project scheduling. Skilled multitasker proficient in Microsoft Office, adept at managing confidential information while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism. Exceptional communication and organizational skills ensuring seamless office operations.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Language
Work History
Project Administrator
Massmart
06.2021 - 04.2025
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless project integration.
- Monitored project progress closely, promptly addressing any deviations from the plan or schedule.
- Maintained accurate records of all project-related expenses to facilitate budget tracking and financial reporting.
- Organized critical documentation for easy access and retrieval, increasing team productivity.
- Facilitated regular team meetings for effective communication, collaboration, and problem-solving efforts.
- Prepared and submitted reports on project progress to all stakeholders.
Accounts Administrator – Part-time After-hours position
Detail and Design
02.2022 - 04.2025
- Processing supplier invoices on Sage
- Capturing supplier payments and reconciling accounts in Sage
- Raising customer invoices on Sage
- Sending out monthly customer statements
- Calculating debtor discount and capturing receipts in Sage
- Preparing monthly supplier payment schedules
Personal Assistant to IT Executives
Massdiscounters t/a Game Stores
10.2016 - 05.2021
- Responded to emails and other correspondence to facilitate communication.
- Enhanced executive productivity by managing complex calendars and scheduling high-level meetings.
- Prepared comprehensive meeting minutes for future reference.
- Managed local and international travel arrangements, including flights, accommodation, and itineraries, for smooth business trips.
- Assisted in the preparation of presentations and reports, contributing to well-informed decision making.
- Served as first point of contact for incoming visitors or phone calls, ensuring prompt responses or directing inquiries appropriately.
- Monitored expenses closely, maintaining an organized filing system for easy access to financial records.
- Maintained appropriate filing of personal and professional documentation.
- Coordinated events and functions with attention to detail ensuring successful execution.
- Facilitated smooth office operations by managing supplies inventory and overseeing maintenance requests.
- Reduced operational costs, negotiated with vendors to secure competitive rates for office supplies.
- Maintained confidentiality, handled sensitive information with discretion and integrity.
- Streamlined invoice processing to ensure timely payments, closely collaborated with finance department.
PA and Office Manager
MLC Quantity Surveyors
01.2016 - 09.2016
- Answering phone and screening calls
- Meeting and greeting guests - ensuring comfort and serving refreshments.
- Debtors – raising fee invoices and following up on payment
- Creditors – making payments and creditor recons
- Co-ordinating travel - booking flights, accommodation and car hire
- Typing of tender documentation, letters etc.
- Liaising with clients
- Managing petty cash
- Purchasing and keeping stock of all office stationery and refreshments
- Managing the office Cleaner
Personal Assistant to Director
RM Strauss Attorneys Inc.
02.2015 - 12.2015
- Answering and screening telephone calls
- Welcoming clients and offering teas and coffees
- Dictaphone typing of agreements, emails and other legal documents
- Co-ordinating travel - booking flights, accommodation and car hire
- Meetings and diary management
- Capturing invoices and making payments for all business accounts on internet banking
- Reconciliation of business accounts and payment thereof
- Preparing credit card and cash expenses for the accountants
- Managing petty cash
- Ordering and managing stationery
- Managing the office Cleaner
- Attending to personal business for Mr RM Strauss
Key Account Manager
Home Habitz Product Sourcing CC
01.2010 - 05.2014
- Responsible for managing the sales accounts of homeware textiles for the major retailers including Mr Price Home, Sheet Street, The Hub, Makro and Game
- Sourcing products and putting ranges together using current trends and the internet
- Product development
- Selecting factories and building relationships with these factories
- Preparing costings and sending quotes to the buyers
- Price negotiation between customer and factory
- Presenting product to customers in the form for presentation packs and samples
- Liaising with buyers – following up on samples and orders
- Overseeing production of orders
- Reviewing sales reports and giving customer feedback
- Travelling to trade fairs in China
- Meeting sales targets
Bookkeeper
KR Accounting Services
10.2006 - 12.2009
- Responsible for the bookkeeping function for 15 clients using Pastel which included raising invoices, reconciling of debtors and creditors, preparing cash book to trial balance and preparing bank reconciliations, preparing and submitting VAT returns.
- Creditors control – processing of supplier invoices onto system, reconciling of the supplier statements to the creditors age analysis.
- Debtors control – preparing debtors statements of account, processing payments made by debtors and reconciling debtors' payments to the debtors age analysis.
- Payroll for 12 clients using VIP Softline which included submitting EMP201’s and UIF declarations.
- Managing petty cash.
Prior to October 2006
Various
- June 2004 – February 2006 – Personal Assistant – Unilever, Durban
- March to December 2003 – Personal Assistant – Investec, Johannesburg
- January 1994 – December 2002 – Various secretarial temp positions - London, UK
Education
Certificate - Agile Project Management
PM Ideas
04.2001 -
Certificate - Project Administrator Course
PM Ideas
06-2022
Certificate - Bookkeeping
Varsity College
Durban10-2007
Diploma - Complete Secretarial Course
Sight & Sound Business College
Durban09-1992
National Senior Certificate -
Danville Park Girls’ High School
Durban12-1989
Skills
Strong organisational skills
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Interests
Yoga, Reading, Music, Travel, Trail Walking, Beach, Family, Baking
Languages
English
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
Timeline
Accounts Administrator – Part-time After-hours position
Detail and Design
02.2022 - 04.2025
Project Administrator
Massmart
06.2021 - 04.2025
Personal Assistant to IT Executives
Massdiscounters t/a Game Stores
10.2016 - 05.2021
PA and Office Manager
MLC Quantity Surveyors
01.2016 - 09.2016
Personal Assistant to Director
RM Strauss Attorneys Inc.
02.2015 - 12.2015
Key Account Manager
Home Habitz Product Sourcing CC
01.2010 - 05.2014
Bookkeeper
KR Accounting Services
10.2006 - 12.2009
Certificate - Agile Project Management
PM Ideas
04.2001 -
Prior to October 2006
Various
Certificate - Project Administrator Course
PM Ideas
Certificate - Bookkeeping
Varsity College
Diploma - Complete Secretarial Course
Sight & Sound Business College
National Senior Certificate -
Danville Park Girls’ High School
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