Rachael Awatea Church
Whangarei,NTL
Summary
Highly motivated professional with a positive attitude and passion for providing high-quality advice and guidance to clients. Proven ability to identify customer needs, resolve conflicts and build strong relationships. Possesses excellent problem-solving, communication and interpersonal skills.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Governance Advisor
Climate Change Interdepartmental Executive Board
01.2023 - Current
- Manage and run governance function of the Climate Change Interdepartmental Executive Board (Board) and Deputy Chief Executives Group.
- Arrange governance meetings, coordinate agendas, record minutes and decisions, coordinate briefings and information, and provide programme coordination support.
- Ensure maximum engagement and information flows at all times, internally and externally.
- Demonstrate leadership through sound influencing, judgement, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
- Actively contribute to team’s work programme, continuous improvement, and development goals.
- Provide analysis and quality assurance to ensure papers meet requirements established by Board and Deputy Chief Executives Group.
- Support Chairs of Board and Deputy Chief Executives Group with advice about upcoming papers, agenda structure, quorum, and any other procedural issues.
- Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders to provide ongoing support.
- Facilitate communication and collaboration between departments to help business function smoothly.
- Anticipate responses and prepare clear and articulate answers.
- Streamline communication processes, ensuring stakeholders receive regular updates.
Senior Advisor, Governance
Ministry of Justice
02.2022 - 01.2023
- Provided secretariat and advisory services to Chief Executive, Executive Leadership Team, External Risk and Audit Committee, and other governance committees.
- Provided analysis and quality assurance to ensure papers met requirements established by Senior Leadership Team, informing Governance Manager of any issues arising.
- Supported Chairs of committees with advice about terms of reference, upcoming committee papers, agenda structure and any other procedural issues.
- Supported Governance Manager in identifying, analysing and providing advice on issues of importance related to governance, identifying process improvements to governance system.
- Contributed towards coordination and development of papers, reports, briefings and proposals.
- Built effective working relationships with key stakeholders.
Senior Executive Assistant to Secretary for Justice
Ministry Of Justice
02.2019 - 02.2022
- Managed complex calendar scheduling with focus on proper allocation of executive availability.
- Managed schedules, events and travel plans for conferences, meetings and seminars, as well as domestic and international trips.
- Processed travel expenses and reimbursements for executive team and senior management group, including annual declaration of Chief Executive's expenses.
- Contributed to smooth business operations by planning and organizing meetings and conferences.
- Maintained professionalism while handling sensitive information by adhering to strict confidentiality protocols at all times.
- Developed strong relationships with internal departments to facilitate cross-functional collaboration on key initiatives driven by senior leaders.
- Prepared meeting agendas and briefing papers for members of board of directors and executive team.
Executive Assistant to Chief Executive
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
03.2018 - 02.2019
- Managed complex calendar scheduling with focus on proper allocation of executive availability.
- Managed schedules, events and travel plans for conferences, meetings and seminars, as well as domestic and international trips.
- Processed travel expenses and reimbursements for executive team and senior management group, including annual declaration of Chief Executive's expenses.
- Contributed to smooth business operations by planning and organizing meetings and conferences.
- Maintained professionalism while handling sensitive information by adhering to strict confidentiality protocols at all times.
- Developed strong relationships with internal departments to facilitate cross-functional collaboration on key initiatives driven by senior leaders.
- Prepared meeting agendas and briefing papers for members of board of directors and executive team.
Executive Assistant to Deputy Chief Executive, Security and Intelligence Group
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
06.2014 - 03.2018
- Provided efficient, responsive and proactive executive assistant support to Deputy Chief Executive (DCE).
- Developed understanding of DCE's work commitments and priorities to make decisions, anticipate needs and effectively support DCE. Determined issues of relevance, importance and necessity, exercised good judgement regarding matters of urgency.
- Protected DCE from unnecessary pressure and interruptions, whilst ensuring DCE’s availability for Prime Minister, Ministers, Chief Executives and others where appropriate.
- Liaised with Ministers' offices, Chief Executives' offices and international partner agencies, including regular correspondence on DCE’s behalf.
- Established and maintained strong relationships with key stakeholders.
- Arranged domestic/international travel bookings (airfares, accommodation, rental cars) for DCE.
- Coordinated meetings and conferences, room bookings, function venues, catering and meeting security requirements.
- Accurately maintained departmental register of national security clearances, liaising with NZSIS to ensure clear communication and accurate records, exercised confidentiality and discretion in handling of all personnel information.
- Provided secretariat support to the Department’s Security & Organisational Health Subcommittee (agendas, minutes, actions, meeting packs).
- Participated on interview panels for various departmental administrative positions.
Executive Assistant to Director, Office of Chief Executive
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
05.2013 - 06.2014
- Managed administrative workload of Director, anticipating work demands and proactively addressing issues in advance.
- Accurately maintained diaries and collated meeting information.
- Coordinated department’s Executive Leadership Team and Senior Management Group meetings, updated organisational dashboard and departmental risk register.
- Provided executive support as Acting Executive Assistant to Chief Executive, including coordination of Chief Executives' meetings, preparing meeting papers, handling phone calls for Chief Executive.
- Maintained Department's register of national security clearances and processed incoming security clearances for departmental staff.
- Provided secretarial support for departmental Security Committee (minutes, agendas, papers).
- Provided administrative assistance with departmental OIA requests.
Executive Assistant to Director, Security and Risk Group
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
06.2011 - 05.2013
- Provided administrative support for Director, including diary management internal/external meeting arrangements; organising catering; processing monthly invoices; collating meeting papers.
- Coordinated monthly meeting of Chief Executives of government agencies, including preparation and distribution of meeting agendas and papers, and confirmation of security clearances for all meeting attendees.
- Arranged all travel including flights, accommodation and rental cars for Director and other staff.
- Provided administrative support to colleagues as necessary.
- Established and maintained effective relationships with key stakeholders and internal and external service providers.
Personal Assistant to Deputy Secretaries, Cabinet
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
12.2005 - 06.2011
- Provided administrative support for two Deputy Secretaries of Cabinet, including diary management, word processing, internal/external meeting arrangements, travel bookings, filing.
- Prepared agendas, minutes and papers for weekly Cabinet Committee meetings, including weekly updates of distribution lists for Ministers and Chief Executives receiving copies of papers.
- Provided executive support as Acting Executive Assistant to Secretary of Cabinet, including arrangement of weekly Cabinet meetings, preparation of minutes and agendas for Cabinet and Committee meetings, liaison with Prime Minister's office and other Cabinet Ministers' offices, physical delivery of messages and papers to Deputy Secretaries of Cabinet, Prime Minister and Ministers during weekly Cabinet meetings.
- Regularly published shared documents on Public Sector Intranet.
Coordinated weekly schedule of Ministers overseas. - Coordinated annual Duty Ministers folder, including leave dates, contact phone numbers, acting arrangements for Cabinet Ministers and office staff on annual leave.
Education
Health Service Receptionist Certificate -
Hutt Valley Polytechnic
Wellington, WGNEntrance to University -
Prospect College
Wellington, WGNHigher School Certificate -
Upper Hutt College
Wellington, WGNSkills
- Relationship building
- Communication
- Strategic planning
- Training and mentoring
- Presentations and public speaking
- Attention to detail
- Problem-solving
- Administration collaboration
- Administration required reporting
- Records maintenance
Certification
- Institute of Directors Governance Essentials workshop
- Strategic Partnering 2-day workshop, led by Systemic Leadership Development
- PDT minute taking workshop
- National Certificate in Business Administration, Level 4
- MOSSA qualified instructor in Group Active; Group Core; Group Fight; Group Power
- Les Mills Body Pump qualified instructor
- Team Xtreme Youth Life Skills Certificate
- Youth Suicide Prevention Certificate
Technological Proficiencies
- Adobe Pro
- Diligent Boardbooks
- Groupwise
- Microsoft 365; Word; Excel; Powerpoint; Outlook; SharePoint
- Internet Explorer
- OneDrive
- OneNote
Professional Referees
- Sylvia Frean, Principal Analyst, Climate Change Interdepartmental Executive Board unit, Sylvia.Frean@climateieb.govt.nz, 021 052 8490
- Dr Kyle Whitfield (previous Manager, Ministry of Justice), National Manager, Board and Ministerial Services Directorate, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Kyle@whitfield.info, 021 121 6547
- Alice Ropata (previous Director, Office of the Chief Executive, Ministry of Justice), Official Secretary to the Governor-General of New Zealand, Alice.Ropata@govthouse.govt.nz, 021 224 2240
Attributes
- High level of integrity, and discretion
- Able to exercise good judgement under pressure
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills
- Punctual, professional, and proactive
- Highly empathetic and a great judge of character; I read the room!
- Fast and accurate typing speed
- Excellent grammar and spelling
- Disciplined proof-reader
- Eye for detail; task focused
- Happy to work unsupervised or as part of a team
- Strong relational skills and quick witted!
Hobbies and Interests
- Health and fitness - running, weight training, circuit training
- Group Fitness Instructor at Cityfitness, qualified in four programmes
- Samba reggae
- Family and friends
- Food and wine
- Travel
- Reading and movies
Timeline
Governance Advisor
Climate Change Interdepartmental Executive Board
01.2023 - Current
Senior Advisor, Governance
Ministry of Justice
02.2022 - 01.2023
Senior Executive Assistant to Secretary for Justice
Ministry Of Justice
02.2019 - 02.2022
Executive Assistant to Chief Executive
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
03.2018 - 02.2019
Executive Assistant to Deputy Chief Executive, Security and Intelligence Group
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
06.2014 - 03.2018
Executive Assistant to Director, Office of Chief Executive
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
05.2013 - 06.2014
Executive Assistant to Director, Security and Risk Group
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
06.2011 - 05.2013
Personal Assistant to Deputy Secretaries, Cabinet
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
12.2005 - 06.2011
Health Service Receptionist Certificate -
Hutt Valley Polytechnic
Entrance to University -
Prospect College
Higher School Certificate -
Upper Hutt College
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