CURRICULUM VITAE
KAREN JOHNSON
Virtual Assistant
Web: karenjohnson.online | Email:-Tel: - | WhatsApp: -
CURRICULUM VITAE
KAREN JOHNSON
Virtual Assistant
KAREN JOHNSON – PROFILE
A tech-savvy Virtual Assistant with over 16 years of experience as a C-Suite Executive Assistant and an additional
19 years of experience in recruitment, hospitalities, and sales. This includes working remotely as a Virtual Assistant
since 2019 and more than a decade’s experience with WordPress.
Based in Cape Town, South Africa and available to work in any time zone.
Attributes and Characteristics
• Creating and implementing solutions.
• Dedicated to service excellence: patient,
compassionate and articulate.
• Organised with good time management.
• Analytical and pays attention to detail.
• Task and project oriented.
• Takes initiative and is self-motivated.
• Curious, tech-savvy and interested in
creating out-of-the-box solutions.
Software and Programs
• MS Office, Office 365, Google Suite.
• Trello, ClickUp, Slack, Capsule, Calendly.
• Zoom webinar and team management.
• WordPress, WooCommerce, Astra,
Elementor.
• Mailchimp, Active Campaign.
• ConvertBox, PushEngage, PushAlert.
• Descript, Otter.ai, Invoicely, Canva.
• Hootsuite, Social Pilot, Linkin.bio (Later).
• Numerous affiliate marketing networks.
• Amazon KDP (eBook creation).
Key Skills
• Inbox Zero, Calendar and meeting
management.
• Content creation, proofreading and reports.
• Customer service and member management
• Social media profile and community
management.
• Newsletters and email marketing.
• Creating presentations and spreadsheets.
• Travel arrangements and detailed itineraries.
• WordPress web design and site
maintenance.
• Amazon eBook and cover creation.
• Recruitment administration and onboarding.
Education
UX Design (4 Weeks Part-time course)
BCom Economics & Marketing (12 distinctions)
Performance Licentiate (Piano)
Bookkeeping Diploma (distinction)
Websites
ElatedVegan.Health
KarenJohnson.Online
Social Media
LinkedIn — karen-johnson-elated
Twitter — @karenj_online
Instagram — @karenelated
Facebook — karen.johnson.elated.vegan
—
—
—
—
Academy of Digital Arts, 2019
UNISA (3rd year), 2004 (incomplete)
WITS (2nd year), 1987 (incomplete)
Damelin, 1995
Page 2 of 4
CURRICULUM VITAE
KAREN JOHNSON
Virtual Assistant
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Karen Johnson Online — Virtual Assistant
Free-Lance Contractor
Oct 2021 — current
Offering my Virtual Assistant services to small business clients to take on the admininstration and WordPress tasks
to free up their time and help them grow their business. All services: karenjohnson.online/services
Elated Vegan Health — Online Affiliate Marketplace
Founder
Oct 2020 — current
Elated is my part-time solopreneur passion to help people be healthy and vegan. It’s an online affiliate marketplace
with over 8,000 products and is a real-time showcase of my skills in WordPress web design, eCommerce, content
creation, Canva design, email marketing, affiliate marketing and social media management.
Cory Miller Consulting — WordPress Membership Communities and Digital Marketing Courses
Virtual Assistant to the CEO (fully remote)
Jun 2020 — Sep 2021
CEO strategy meetings. Calendar management. Zoom webinar management, promotion and transcripts. Weekly
newsletters. Website management. Blog publishing. Text eBook creation. Implementing courses into AccessAlly.
Affiliate program management. Invoicing. Engaging with project sponsors. Customer service and member
management. Social media management.
Claire Bourquin Recruitment Consultants — Financial Services recruitment
Senior Support Specialist (remote from Sep 2019)
Nov 2018 — Feb 2020
High volume recruitment administration. Liaising with candidates. Compiling required documents. Job spec and
interview lists. Sending CVs to clients. Compiling interview prep packs. Background checks and biometric tests.
Ian Burgess-Simpson Pianos — The distributor of Kawai pianos in Africa
Sales Consultant
Nov 2017 — Jun 2018
Senior sales consultant. Sales proposals and costing spreadsheets. Product specification comparison spreadsheets.
Managing exports and sea freight logistics.
Kagiso Asset Management — Asset Management company
Executive Personal Assistant to CIO and Investment Team of 21
Jun 2014 — Oct 2017
Gatekeeper to the CIO, liaising with internal and external stakeholders. Calendar management. Meeting attendee
profiles. Daily reports. Expense reconciliation. Small project management for CIO’s home and garden. Investment
Team reporting schedule: monitoring progress, proofreading reports, and administrative assistance with team
performance appraisals. Ongoing concurrent conference and site visit schedules for the team. Travel arrangements.
Recruitment administration and onboarding. Managing the CFA mentorship programme. Arranging Investment
Team internal workshops and training. Board packs and PowerPoint presentations.
Page 3 of 4
CURRICULUM VITAE
KAREN JOHNSON
Virtual Assistant
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS (continued)
Dive the World — Online scuba travel business based in Thailand
Blog and Social Media Manager, and Research Assistant (fully remote)
Sep 2009 — Dec 2010
Researching and writing articles, travel packages, dive trip reports, newsletters, special offers, and creature features.
Blog and website maintenance and content creation.
Constantia Uitsig Restaurant — Fine dining restaurant
Head Waitress Team
Jan 2002 — Oct 2009 and Dec 2010 — Nov 2013
Corporate events and weddings. Assigned to tables with 13-22 guests. Training and mentoring new staff. Preferentially
assigned the demanding guests, bridal tables, and VIP’s.
Fleming Asset Management — Asset Management company
Personal Assistant and Marketing Assistant to the Investment Team
Aug 1998 — Sep 2000
Scheduling client report back and new business presentations. Preparing PowerPoint slide presentations and packs.
Preparing quarterly and monthly reports. Liaising with the Public Relations firm. Proofreading and typing tenders.
Travel arrangements and itineraries. Expense reconciliations. Secretarial administration and support. Responding to
client queries for reports on investment performance and/or portfolio details. Maintaining client database.
Safekeeping client mandates.
Theta Group Limited — Listed Financial Services company
Executive Assistant to 3 Directors
Oct 1994 — Mar 1998
Secretarial administration and support. Editing and typing letters, contracts, annual reports, etc. Calendar
management. Reception. Office management. Travel arrangements and itineraries. Expense reconciliations. Ad hoc
personal tasks for 3 Directors. Graphing various company and personal bank balances daily. Financial Company
Secretarial tasks. Responding to telephonic shareholder queries. Liaising with transfer secretaries and JSE regarding
the issue of new shares, rights issues, nil paid letters, etc. Co-ordinating transfer of shares for Asset Managers
including liaising with scrip agents and nominee companies, ensuring that shares were correctly registered,
calculating payment, and ensuring the delivery of scrip coincided with payment. Liaising with the Public Relations
company regarding press releases and printing. Arranging AGMs. Overseeing staff leave, wages and salaries.
Actnet International — IT industry installing large routers, cabling, and hubs
Personal Assistant to Technical Director and Support Secretary to Help Desk
Nov 1993 — Oct 1994
Secretarial administration, support, and ad hoc personal tasks for the Director. Technical Division reception.
Telephonic client support. Monitoring service requests. Managing and logging technician callout schedules.
Assisting with the development of a call despatch system on Microsoft Access. Typing and filing. Monitoring project
progress on Microsoft Project. Minutes and following up on actionable events. Office Manager.
Page 4 of 4
