Olivia Frances Silvertop Matthews

Working within the Customer Service and Sales teams at Dart River Adventures and Shotover Jet assisting with a variety of tasks including but not limited to –

• Assisting with day to day operations at Dart River Adventures including checking in customers, answering emails and phone calls, answering radio calls and filling in the daily river diary.
• Managing enquiries and reservations for C&I groups - liaising with agents and group leaders as to what product are the best fit for their group, preparing quotes, advising on logistics, availability & possible enhancements.
• Adapting our current product offerings to create bespoke, exclusive experiences to fit current market requirements. Managing quoting, reservation and logistical side of these products.
• Being the point of contact for local agents and providing training as required.
• Organising & assisting with famils and site visits
• Assisting with the design of the new website, and Dart River Adventures Social Media
• Assisting with local marketing initiatives including TNZ and DQ campaigns and organising local fundraising events
• Shuttle driving as required

Leading a small team and managing the operations of a successful Horse Trekking business. Duties included but not limited to:

• Supervising operations staff and keeping employees compliant with company policies and procedures.
• Scheduling employees for shifts, taking into account customer traffic and employee strengths.
• Managing trip capacities to reflect seasonal demand to ensure the business runs at optimum levels
• Developing systems and procedures to improve operational quality and team efficiency.
• Leading hiring, onboarding and training of new hires to fulfill business requirements.
• Managing the SOP and ensuring the staff are familiar with and working within its guidelines. Reviewing annually or as required.
• Overseeing the general horse care including feeding, schooling, treatment of minor injuries, and paddock rotation and management
• Guiding horse treks as required.

Work in all areas of the restaurant including waitressing, cooking and baking, and coffee making.

Assisting with the organisation of events taking place at the hotel, and managing hotel and holiday cottage reservations. Bar work and waitressing shifts as required.

Assisting Mrs Tomlinson with the running of Beaufort Polo Club. Duties included:

• Organising polo lessons for schools, pony clubs and individuals,
• Managing the allocation of staff property, preparing agreements and inventories and organising and overseeing maintenance.
• Overseeing and implementing the clubs health and safety policy
• Staff recruitment – interviewing and preparing contracts, applying for work permits for Argentinian grooms.
• Managing rented stables for the season (allocation, agreements and invoicing)
• Overseeing the running of a small saddlery business including invoicing, stocktaking and ordering.

Work in all aspects of the hotel including cooking, bar and waitressing work and some housekeeping.

Assisting senior surveyors with all aspects of estate management and professional work, in preparation for gaining my MRICS qualification. Tasks included but not limited to:

• Valuations & Rent reviews
• Property lettings - including marketing, viewings, pre-tenancy checks & preparing and renewing tenancy agreements. Managing Landlord and Tenant relationships.
• Overseeing estate maintenance and repairs & farm diversification schemes.
• Reviewing and implementing farm and estate health and safety policies.
• Basic planning advice.
• Assisting with estate end of year accounts including VAT returns, stocktaking valuations and setting budgets.
• Working alongside farm managers advising on agricultural systems. Applying for environmental grants and helping farmers to work within the guidelines they impose.

Paid work experience position assisting the Estate Director with the management of the estate, particularly with Single Farm Payment and Entry Level Scheme applications, commercial and residential property lettings, rent reviews and the visitor management enterprise.

Paid work experience shadowing & assisting senior surveyors and working in all aspects of Estate Management on a variety of properties ranging from the Crown Estate to Highways Agency to small independent commercial units. Tasks included dealing with agricultural and environmental scheme applications, leases and licences (including agricultural, residential, commercial and sporting), estate benchmarking, and planning applications.

Bar and waitressing work during university holidays.