SECRETARY SECURITY AND FACILITY

Based at Head Office in Johannesburg, this secretarial and facility support role sits within the Corporate Management Services directorate and provides essential administrative and reception backing to the office of the executive authority. The position is the first point of contact for the executive’s office, meaning the successful candidate will be responsible for shaping visitors’ and callers’ first impressions while ensuring that day-to-day administrative operations run smoothly. It is a role that combines front-desk professionalism with behind-the-scenes coordination, requiring someone who is organised, discreet and able to handle a wide range of clerical tasks without close supervision.

Applicants need a Grade 12 certificate with typing as a subject, or any other training course or qualification that enables them to perform the work satisfactorily. A clean criminal record, with no pending cases, is a firm requirement. The ideal candidate will have strong language skills and the ability to communicate comfortably with people at different levels and from different backgrounds, good telephone etiquette, computer literacy, sound organisational skills, a high level of reliability, and basic written communication ability. Acting with tact and discretion is essential, as is good grooming and presentation, since the role involves direct exposure to senior officials and external stakeholders.

The duties are varied. The secretary will receive telephone calls and route them to the correct individuals, welcome visitors to the executive authority’s office, coordinate appointments with the appointments secretary, type documents for staff within the office, and operate office equipment such as fax machines and photocopiers. Beyond this, the role includes broader clerical support: liaising with travel agencies to arrange travel for staff and the executive authority, arranging meetings and events, identifying venues, inviting role players, and organising refreshments. The post also requires processing travel and subsistence claims, drafting routine correspondence and reports, administering leave registers and telephone accounts, and handling the procurement of standard items such as stationery and refreshments. Keeping up to date with relevant Public Service and departmental prescripts, policies, and procedures is a key part of the job, ensuring that all administrative work is performed correctly and consistently.

The Department of Community Safety encourages youth, people with disabilities, and candidates from designated groups, including coloured, Indian and white applicants, to apply. Applicants with disabilities must attach a confirmation from a registered medical practitioner. Shortlisted candidates will undergo two pre-entry assessments: one practical exercise and one integrity assessment, both of which will be scored as additional criteria during the interview process. Suitable candidates will also be subject to personnel suitability checks, including vetting, criminal record verification, citizenship and credit record checks, qualification verification, and employment verification. The department reserves the right not to make an appointment and may use other recruitment processes. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted; if no response is received within three months of the closing date, applicants should accept that their application was unsuccessful. This is an ideal opportunity for a polished, reliable administrator who thrives on supporting a senior office and managing multiple responsibilities with accuracy and discretion.