Saray Sedeno
Southport
Summary
I have a diverse background in various roles within the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment and the New Zealand Customs Service. As a Technical Advisor, I provided specialist support in immigration policy and procedures, acted as a subject matter expert in the fishing sector, and focused on driving quality and consistency through coaching and training. In my role as a Senior Immigration Officer, I assessed visa applications, mentored colleagues, and provided technical advice. As an MIQ Security Officer, I ensured the safety of individuals in managed isolation and quarantine and handled security breaches. As an Assistant Customs Officer, I enforced border control acts and maintained the security of a Customs Controlled Area. Overall, my experience encompasses immigration, security, and border control, emphasizing safety, efficiency, and compliance.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Technical Advisor
Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment
12.2022 - 06.2024
- Providing specialist, technical support in relation to immigration policy and procedures and in accordance with immigration law to visa decision makers and external stakeholders
- Act as a subject matter expert to wider office in relation to fishing sector
- Driving quality and consistency through coaching and training to visa decision makers
- Providing operational support to senior management
- Managing complex, sensitive, and challenging cases
- Reviewing policy and procedures, providing input based off knowledge and experience.
Senior Immigration Officer
Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment
01.2022 - 12.2022
- Assess and decide visa applications in accordance with Immigration policy, procedures, and law
- Using assessment and interviewing techniques to ensure all information is obtained to make timely and quality decisions
- Acting as team-lead and a subject matter expert to mentor colleagues to achieve results
- Providing technical advice to colleagues on complex applications
- Creating and distributing resources within the team
- Facilitate training for staff moving to new products
- Actioning high-priority requests and sensitive cases.
MIQ Security Officer
Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment
11.2021 - 01.2022
- Maintained a security presence for returnees completing 10 days in managed isolation and quarantine
- Processed arriving guests and departing guests in a safe manner to protect New Zealand against COVID-19
- Frequent communication to external stakeholders such as Ministry of Health, NZ Police and Aviation Security
- Conducted surveillance to ensure the safety of New Zealand was not compromised
- Promptly ensured all security breaches were delt with in a proactive and realistic timeframe.
Assistant Customs Officer
New Zealand Customs Service
10.2020 - 11.2021
- Enforcing the Maritime Border Order Act 2020, Customs and Excise Act 2018, and COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020
- Confronting breaches of the Maritime Border Order Act 2020 by correctly utilizing warnings and infringement notices where necessary
- Consistent engagement with stakeholders to maintain the safety of New Zealand’s maritime border
- Monitoring shipping schedules, planning and liaising with Ministry of health in disembarking COVID-19 positive mariners
- Frequently assisting in keeping security of a Customs Controlled Area (CCA) through surveillance, investigating and patrolling
- Upholding the image and integrity of New Zealand Customs Service.
Christchurch Regional Manager
Kelly Club New Zealand
09.2018 - 03.2020
- (Previously worked as assistant supervisor before promotion to regional manager) Independently worked for an Auckland based company, on the ground in Christchurch managing 25 staff across four different after school care locations
- Ensured that quality programmes were delivered by staff that followed, Ministry of Social Development policies & procedures, as well as food safety template control plans
- Creating professional relationships with external stakeholders, principals, school staff and parents
- Securing contracts in new schools and successfully opening new clubs
- Increasing programme numbers from 5 to 30 children a day
- Completed accounts receivable and bank reconciliation within xero
- Recruited staff and continued to keep a high standard across all four programmes.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Human Services
University of Canterbury
06.2020
Skills
- Training and mentoring
- Analytics
- Technical Operations Management
- Network Administration
Driverlicense
Full and clean
Attributes
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong analytical and report writing skills.
- Provides specialist immigration policy advice across a wide range of products to decision makers and external stakeholders.
- Ability to write, review and present reports to relevant stakeholders.
- Policy reviews and analyses experience.
- Cross-cultural knowledge base.
- Overseeing time sensitive projects of visa processing.
- Ability to establish and build professional relationships in a timely manner.
- Performs all tasks with a high degree of accuracy.
- Consistently displays a high level of integrity at a professional and personal level.
- Proactively able to juggle fluctuating workloads in a fast past and ever-changing environment.
Personal Information
Date of Birth: 10/01/1999
References
Available upon request.
Timeline
Technical Advisor
Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment
12.2022 - 06.2024
Senior Immigration Officer
Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment
01.2022 - 12.2022
MIQ Security Officer
Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment
11.2021 - 01.2022
Assistant Customs Officer
New Zealand Customs Service
10.2020 - 11.2021
Christchurch Regional Manager
Kelly Club New Zealand
09.2018 - 03.2020
Bachelor of Arts - Human Services
University of Canterbury