Senior Executive Assistant/Office Manager

GABRIELA LARREA

*** **********, ***.

Boston, MA 02115

Phone: 202-***-****

E-mail: **********@*****.***

Dedicated team player, with strong interpersonal, communication, and organization skills. Committed to the highest level of professionalism and personal excellence.

Professional Experience

Office Management Specialist, Public Affairs Ofiicer

Embassy of the United States of America, Lima, Peru October 1994 – June 2017

Relieved the PAO of administrative detail and coordinate work flow, taking the initiative to keep projects on schedule and update delegated tasks to ensure deadlines are met;

Review, monitor, and prioritize e-mails on a daily basis and respond to routing requests on behalf of the PAO;

Serve as a resource and initial point of contact for all staff members seeking assistance with a broad range of administrative matters;

Serve as liaison between the Public Affairs Officer’s office and other embassy sections and agencies, including the Executive Office – Ambassador’s and Deputy of Mission’s Office Management Specialists-- for scheduling meetings, compliance with deadlines, completion of taskers, etc.

Provide a full range of routine administrative tasks. Handle telephone inquiries from internal and outside callers; maintain accurate filing system; review incoming correspondence and draft standard or routine letters for the PAO’s signature;

Handle sensitive documents and other communications with absolute discretion.

Coordinate and maintain the PAO’s calendar; ensure up-to-the minute information is available on Outlook calendar; handle heavy meeting scheduling and calendar with great attention to detail;

Handle travel requirements, select the best and most time effective travel itineraries and accommodations. Coordinate travel arrangements, including but not limited to scheduling meetings, coordinating logistics, creating daily schedules, making reservations, organizing travel folders, putting together material needed for trips (agendas, presentations, background, maps);

Coordinate meetings, teleconferences and scheduled commitments to maximize time efficiency; advise of conflicts and offer solutions;

Track expenses and complete expense reports;

Make last minute changes on meeting schedule, travel, and appearances in order to meet the needs of the PAO;

Coordinate closely with other departments on scheduling of meetings, conference calls, and program appearances, often taking the lead as necessary. Assist in organizing other events;

Manage the Time and Attendance report for the section’s 5 US foreign service officers and 25 locally employed staff.

Perform standard and advanced administrative duties for the Public Affairs Section as required;

Work independently and collaboratively with the team depending on the needs of the Section.

Provided advice and guidance as requested by Foreign Services Officers from other sections;

13. BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION

Is the primary assistant to the Public Affairs Officer, a FE-OC who directs the activities of the Public Affairs Section, supervises five FSOs and a staff of 25 FSN employees, and acts as the principal public affairs advisor to the Ambassador. Acts on behalf of the PAO in scheduling meetings, appointments, and delegating assignments in the PAO's name. Serves as the lead secretary of the Public Affairs Section, providing advice and guidance to the IO’s and CAO’s secretaries. Exercises judgment, tact and diplomacy in making arrangements and passing along instructions and highly sensitive information to other U.S. officers and to high-level Peruvian contacts.

14. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES % OF TIME

Acts as principal assistant to the PAO, setting priorities, organizing and 45

managing workloads, maintaining his/her calendar, scheduling appointments,

organizing social/working events, relaying instructions and sensitive

information to American officers, maintaining managerial/ministerial level

contacts in Peruvian media, government, labor and business circles, controlling

access to the PAO by screening incoming calls, correspondence and visitors

and routing as appropriate to other PAS personnel. Prepares guest lists for PAO 's

representation events, organizes catering service, space rental, all details related to

events, and ensures timely distribution of invitations. Prepares and coordinates

all travel arrangements and reimbursement vouchers for PAO’s representation and

travel expenses. Is main PAS point of contact with Executive Office OMS staff.

Supports cultural programming by preparing guest lists, translating materials,

editing programs, preparing invitations, receiving confirmation calls, and other

tasks as needed.

Drafts complex (non-technical) correspondence in English and Spanish for PAO 20

and for the signature of the Ambassador, either on own initiative or acting on

instructions from PAO. Translates sensitive material such as correspondence with

government officials, senior academic and media officials, as well as letters to the

editor for the signature of the PAO. Reviews translations and draft correspondence

in Spanish prepared by all PAS offices for PAO or Ambassador's signature. Reviews

all outgoing cables for typographical, factual and grammatical accuracy; checks cables

for appropriate formatting and distribution and transmits them to IPC.

Reviews incoming correspondence and cable traffic, assigns action, establishes 15

deadlines for answering cables or correspondence, and monitors compliance on

behalf of the PAO. Follows-up on action items. Manages PAO files, including

PAS personnel files, and maintains chronological files of all PAS cable traffic.

Instructs other PAS secretaries and clerical personnel to assure uniformity of 10

administrative procedures and to implement new directives. Advises PAS staff on

security regulations, English practices, IPC regulations and other procedures.

Maintains PAS personnel records and serves as principal liaison with the Human 10

Resources Office. Maintains and reports time and attendance records for PAS.

Assists in organizing training programs for PAS staff. Manages the timely and

complete submission of evaluations for FSOs and FSNs.

Accomplishments

-Developed a SharePoint calendar for tracking the Public Affairs Section wide variety of programs and events, many of them with the participation of the US Ambassador to Peru, and other US officials;

-Supported the visit of the U.S. President and other high-level U.S. Government officials to Peru, on several occasions;

-Served as coordinator and main point of contact among the US State Department’s Foreign Service Institute instructors, international and local participants, and the embassy, in charge of administrative and logistical aspects of various training sessions in Lima.

Secretary to the Director, Project and Program Development Office

US Agency for International Development

Embassy of the United States of America, Lima, Peru November 1986 – October 1994

Provided secretarial and administrative support to the Director of PDP;

In charge of the office’s enormous paper filing system of grants and agreements between the Governments of the United States and Peru;

Handled all incoming calls; prepared and distributed correspondence; maintained supervisor's agendas; translated materials.

Managed the time and attendance report.

Acted as back-up to USAID’s secretaries to the Mission Director and the Deputy Director.

Clerk Stenographer, Office of the Director

US Agency for International Development

Embassy of the United States of America, Lima, Peru July 1985 – November 1986

-Provided clerical and secretarial support to the Director’s and Deputy Director’s secretaries.

-Acted as back-up secretary to the Director and Deputy Director

-

Education and Training

Secretarial Seminar for Foreign Service National employees

US Department of State’s Foreign Training Institute, Virginia September 2000

Primary and Secondary

Colegio Peruano Britanico, Lima, Peru 1968 -1979

Executive Bilingual -- Spanish/English -- Secretarial Training

Academia de Secretariado para Graduadas, Lima, Peru 1980 - 1981

Awards

Strengths:

Languages: Excellent written and spoken Spanish and English;

Computer skills: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint, Internet, and other US government programs;

Superior organizational and prioritization skills;

Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously;

Reliable at all times – early to arrive to the office each day and work until the job is done. Extremely strong work ethic and very goal oriented;

Perform duties with excellent customer service in mind and work gracefully under pressure;

Act with discretion and poise when communicating with VIPs, senior Hill Staff Members and other distinguished guests and contacts;

Professional appearance/demeanor; possess outstanding phone and interpersonal skills;

Self-motivated and very flexible team player who works well with employees at all levels.

Proficiency in various computer programs such as: Win T&A – time and attendance

MyServices – official requests such as motor pool vehicles, access of visitors to embassy, office and residential maintenance services, customs and shipping, technology support

E2 Solutions – travel and expense management tool to create and track travel authorizations and travel vouchers

Contact Management Database – management of contacts, guest lists, mailing lists, mailing labels

Awards

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – Lima, Peru

1992

Certificate of Special Achievement: For her outstanding contribution of the effectiveness of the USAID Mission through special assistance to the USAID Director’s Office in a manner far surpassing her grade and normal work requirements

1994

Meritorious Honor Award: In recognition of Ms. Larrea’s consistently high level of leadership and quality output and effective management of a heavy and constant flow of project and financial documents in support of PDP’s Mission wide operations in YF-93 merits recognition as one of the Mission’s best secretaries

Public Affairs Section, Embassy of the United States - Lima, Peru

1996

Superior Performance Award: For sustained outstanding performance as Secretary to the Public Affairs Officer, in directing the office, anticipating important developments and preparing the response to them, and in offering valuable cultural advice to the PAO.

1999

Meritorious Honor Award: For superior performance in public affairs support.

2000

Meritorious Honor Award: For outstanding support to the Public Affairs Section and your valuable contribution to office management and morale during an especially challenging period.

2002

Group: To the staff of the Public Affairs Section, US Embassy Lima, for their outstanding support to the visit of President George W. Bush to Lima, March 2002.

2007

Group: For outstanding public affairs support of the Falcon-Condor 2007 combined US and Peruvian air forces exercise and air show.

2009

Group: For superior excellence in providing sustained level of quality customer service, flexibility, and perseverance while coordinating multiple tasks to accomplish moving goals leading up to and during the APEC event.

2011

Franklin Award: For continued and outstanding contribution as the behind the scenes professional to task, track and coordinate PAS and mission-wide public diplomacy programs.

2012

Group Eagle Award: For outstanding teamwork in the successful implementation of two high-profile and innovative Technology Camps for educators and civil society organizations.

2014

Eagle Award: For your consistent and exceptional professional standards in providing first-rate administrative service to the entire Public Diplomacy team during a busy transition period for the office.

2015

Group Mission Extra Mile: For your excellent teamwork, dedication and commitment to making the Sweet Honey in the Rock concert a huge Embassy success.

2016

Eagle Award Special Act: For working closely with the Ministry of Education, the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, and the Fulbright Commission, to develop language, translate and gain signatures on a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate academic exchanges between Peru and the United State.

Group: For developing and implementing a complex Super Tuesday program and connecting live U.S. based experts to a local audience

2017

Group: for consistent quality care and customer service in managing the may administrative details for the Public Affairs Section during the APEC year

Group: for outstanding 24-hour support to the White House press corps during the APEC 2016 economic leaders week

Group: for extraordinary support for former President Obama’s final overseas outreach event, the November 2016 Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI)

Kind and level of contacts:

PAS Ministerial and other high-level Peruvian government institutions: to coordinate meetings, events, signing ceremonies, etc.

US Peru binational centers: to coordinate participation of Public Affairs Officer in board meetings and other official affairs.

Fulbright Commission: to coordinate participation of Public Affairs Officer in board meetings and other official affairs.

Private and public universities, NGOs

USAID Peruvian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Economy and Finance: main contact for the completion and signing of US grants to Peru in compliance with regulations

NGOs

Special events: various election nights, Black history month concerts, sports events, social receptions

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