Executive: Personal Assistant (Temp)

Job Description – Executive: Personal Assistant (Temp)

An opportunity to support the Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs on a temporary contract basis (maternity leave cover) is available within the Oceana Group. Oceana is a black-owned company (level 1 B-BBEE contributor) with a global presence.

Purpose of the role

The Executive: Personal Assistant (Temp) to the Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs is responsible for providing comprehensive support to Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs and their Executive teams where relevant. This dynamic position requires the ability to anticipate needs, enable productivity, think critically, and offer solutions to problems with a high level of professionalism and confidentiality.

Key Responsibilities:

Executive Support

• Completes a broad variety of administrative tasks for the Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs including managing an extremely active calendar of appointments; completing expense reports; ordering of forex, processing payment to allocated budgets and invoices; composing and preparing confidential correspondence; arranging complex and detailed travel plans, itineraries, and agendas and compiling documents for travel-related meetings.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders on all matters pertaining to the Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs, including those of a highly confidential or critical nature. Prioritize and determine appropriate course of action, referral, or response, exercising judgement to reflect Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs style and organization policy.
• Work closely with the Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs to keep them well informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately. Act as a “barometer,” having a sense for the issues taking place in the environment and keeping the Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs updated.
• Anticipate Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs’ needs in advance of meetings, conferences, etc.
• Coordinate all Executive Team meetings and events and assist as needed, ensure technical set up where required with support from IT
• Provide a bridge for smooth communication between the Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs and staff, demonstrating leadership to maintain credibility, trust, and support with the Executive Team. Complete projects by assigning work to appropriate staff, including the Executive Team, on behalf of the Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs.
• Manage Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs information systems including hardware, software and desktop support, through the logging of IT service calls timeously.
• Diary Management: All relevant participants advised timeously of diary inputs and no scheduled conflicts; Review of diary requests prior to Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs to ensure that this is effectively in line with current events; Preparing and coordinating internal and external meetings
• Manage personal requests from Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs
• Dealing with confidential matters in a professional manner, Prepare and follow up of KPA documentation, annual Exco leave schedule, ESS & SAP
• Provide hospitality to all guests and help to create a welcoming environment.
• Answer internal phone line and respond to inquiries.
• Invest in building long-lasting relationships both externally and internally.
• Other projects/duties as assigned for the overall benefit of the organization.

Travel Booking Management

• Arrangement of complex and detailed travel plans, itineraries, and agendas and compiling documents for travel-related meetings.
• Develop and maintain a relationship partnership with Travel Management Company
• Local and International travel management for the Chief People Officer & Group Executive: Corporate & Regulatory Affairs, Exec team, external board members, visas application processes, flights, transfers, accommodation, and allowances; Reconciliation of expenses and documentation of all travel engagements. Effective communication and collaboration with VIP travel agent to ensure that travellers needs are met individually
• Ensuring availability and flexibility during out of ‘office’ hours to ensure that all engagements, travel and meetings are continued with minimal disruption and inconvenience during travel and hybrid working, flexible ‘on call’ 24 hours during international travel to accommodate time zones in other countries

Event Management/ Coordination

• Manage full logistics and set up for all events arranged through the Chief People Officer / Group Executive Corporate & Regulatory Affairs Offices including but not limited to venue hire, technical equipment hire and coordination, transport, meals and accommodation.

Knowledge, Skills and Attributes:

• Strong organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail
• Very strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders,including staff, board members and external parties
• Expert level written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability
• Ability to react with appropriate levels of urgency to situations and events that require quick response or turnaround.
• Emotional maturity
• Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently
• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion, be adaptable to various competing demands, and demonstrate the highest level of customer/client service and response
• Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Forward looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions
• Excellent judgment is essential.
• Ability to work well within a cross-functional team environment

Behavioural Competencies

• Decision Making and Judgement
• Action Orientation
• Teamwork
• Interpersonal Skills
• Relationship Building
• Verbal and Written Communication

Qualifications and Experience:

• Diploma in Office Administration/Management or similar required
• Executive support experience, including supporting C-level executives with at least 5-8 years- experience at this level.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point) and Adobe Acrobat

In support of the company’s Employment Equity Plan, applicants from designated groups will be given preference for this position. If you are not contacted within two weeks of closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful.