Rachel Higgins
Cork,Cork
Summary
I am a highly organised, dependable and reliable employee who is confident working independently as well as part of a team. I am confident being proactive and working on my own initiative. I have gained invaluable customer service experience and interpersonal skills from my role as a Secretary in the Mater Hospital and my various roles in The Rainbow Club Cork Centre for Autism. I am eager to learn and develop my administrative skills further.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Consultant Secretary
Mater Private Hospital
, Cork
2023.10 - Current
- I am currently supporting a busy Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon. I have also covered a second consultant for 6 months of my time in the Mater.
- Answering phone calls and responding to patient queries.
- Handling cash and card transactions for consultation fees.
- Welcoming and assisting patients during the weekly outpatient clinics.
- Scheduling patient appointments, surgeries and medical admissions.
- Proficient in using hospital software systems such as IMED DOC, IMED OP and most recently Perl (Electronic Health record).
- Maintaining patient confidentiality by adhering to strict data protection policies.
- Updating patient charts using patient electronic medical records system. Ensuring all patients charts are up to date
- Preparing letters and correspondance as necessary.
- Calendar Management
Assistant Club Manager
The Rainbow Club Cork Centre for Autism
, Cork
2022.11 - 2023.10
- Assisted with interviewing and hiring of new staff and completing inductions with selected staff
- Taking card and cash payments in the office for social groups, extra activites and summer camps. Ensuring these payments were logged in the payment log on Excel
- Answering the office phone and responding to emails, I had my own email address for parent queries, sending out feedback and general communication with parents and guardians
- Organising 8 weeks of summer camps for service users of all ages using google forms. The Children and Young Adults were placed in a group for camp depending on their individual needs.
- I was responsible for the enrolling of additional activities every 6 weeks for Arts and Crafts groups, Messy Play and Lego groups
- Creating surveys for the CEO to collect data from service users and their families.
- Holding staff meetings and minute taking
- Training the supervisors in how to navigate the workspace google drive and how to carry out their assigned responsibilities.
Additional Needs Supervisor
The Rainbow Club Cork Centre for Autism
, Cork
2020.08 - 2022.11
- Ensuring the smooth running of the two rooms in my area.
- Responsible for co-ordinating staff breaks, cover for annual leave and the weekly staff rota.
- Completing and sending out regular feedback on each service user in my designated area to their parents and guardians.
- Supervision of Transition Year and College placement students.
- Completing regular stock takes and fire drills.
- Ensuring child records were consistently up-to-date physically on paper as well as electronically on the Childpaths software.
- Planned and facilitated stimulating range of age-appropriate activities, including sensory play and arts and crafts.
- Led team meetings in the absence of the Club Manager,
- Responsible for the induction of new volunteers to the club
- Assisted in organising the yearly ASD Santa event, this involved choosing a suitable gift for each service user visiting Santa depending on their interests, allocating the time slots to each family
Additional Needs Assistant
The Rainbow Club Cork Centre for Autism
, Cork
2019.09 - 2020.08
- Engaging and interacting with service users from two to twelve years old, fostering positive relationships
- Planning and assisting with age appropriate activities in each social group
- Cleaned and organised play areas to ensure a clean and safe environment for children.
- Taking attendance, signing children in at the start of the session on Childpaths and signing out at the end of the session
- Creating visuals using Microsoft Word and Canva to be used in the rooms
- Managed and monitored stock and supplies for the groups.
- Supported children's development and social skills with learning-through-play activities
Retail Assistant
Wallis, Debenhams
, Cork
2018.05 - 2020.04
- Ensuring shop floor was organised according to outlined standards
- Working on the tills and processing returns and card and cash payments
- Assisting with deliveries and stock takes
- Interacting with and serving customers
- Receiving and processing product returns.
- Assisting customers with signing up for store loyalty programmes and provided details about key benefits.
- Updating product labelling and pricing to reflect discounts and offers.
- Assisting in stock replenishment to maintain concession appearance.
Relief Staff
Model Farm Road Childcare
, Cork
2018.05 - 2018.10
- I was a student on placement here from January to April 2018 before being taken on as a relief staff member for the Summer and October mid-term.
- Preparing age appropriate daily activities
- Logging information on the Childpaths software for each child in the room throughout the day for parents to view.
- Completing developmental observations for designated children.
- Ensuring child safety by supervising indoor and outdoor activities.
- Greeting parents and children at drop off and collection
- Cleaning and organising play areas to ensure a clean, safe environment for children.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Early Years and Childhood Studies
University College Cork
Cork 2016.09 - 2019.06
QQI Level 6 - Supervisory Management
Cork College of FET
Cork 2023.03 - 2023.06
Skills
- Communication skills
- Problem-solving
- Strong writing skills
- Medical data entry
- Typing and note-taking
- Multitasking and time management
- Planning and organising
- Proficient in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace
- IT and administrative skills
- Attention to Detail
- Customer Service
- Team player
References
Gillian Vaughan
Room Leader at Model Farm Road Childcare
gillianvaughan36@gmail.com
0860659593
Emma O Sullivan
Club Manager at The Rainbow Club Cork Centre for Autism
emma@rainbowclub.ie
0860805810
Sinead O Gorman
Administration Team Lead
sinead.ogorman@materprivate.ie
0892521749
Timeline
Consultant Secretary
Mater Private Hospital
2023.10 - Current
QQI Level 6 - Supervisory Management
Cork College of FET
2023.03 - 2023.06
Assistant Club Manager
The Rainbow Club Cork Centre for Autism
2022.11 - 2023.10
Additional Needs Supervisor
The Rainbow Club Cork Centre for Autism
2020.08 - 2022.11
Additional Needs Assistant
The Rainbow Club Cork Centre for Autism
2019.09 - 2020.08
Retail Assistant
Wallis, Debenhams
2018.05 - 2020.04
Relief Staff
Model Farm Road Childcare
2018.05 - 2018.10
Bachelor of Arts - Early Years and Childhood Studies
University College Cork
2016.09 - 2019.06