PERSONAL ASSISTANT

This vacancy offers an opportunity to serve as a Personal Assistant within the Construction Procurement directorate of the Supply Chain Management component, based at the Head Office in Johannesburg. Working under the Department of Community Safety, the role is central to ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of a senior manager’s office, with a strong focus on administrative coordination, document management, and stakeholder liaison. The position carries an OSD-graded salary structure with additional benefits, and the successful candidate will support the directorate in executing its procurement functions within a public sector environment.

Applicants must hold a Secretarial Diploma at NQF Level 5 or an equivalent qualification, coupled with at least three to five years of experience rendering support services to senior management. The role demands a sound working knowledge of relevant legislation, policies, prescripts, and procedures, as well as a basic understanding of financial administration. Key competencies include strong language and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with people at various levels and from diverse backgrounds, computer literacy, sound organisational abilities, written communication skills, and the capacity to conduct research and analyse documents and situations. Personal attributes such as good telephone etiquette, high reliability, tact and discretion, professional grooming and presentation, and self-management with motivation are also essential for success in this position.

The duties are extensive and varied, encompassing the full spectrum of executive administrative support. The Personal Assistant will receive and screen telephone calls, perform advanced typing work, and ensure that office equipment such as fax machines and photocopiers remain in good working order. A significant portion of the role involves managing the senior manager’s calendar: recording engagements, assessing the importance and urgency of meeting requests, deciding whether to accept, decline, or refer them, and coordinating with the manager to compile realistic schedules. The position also requires ensuring the effective flow of information and documents into and out of the manager’s office, safeguarding documentation in line with legislation and policies, and scrutinising routine submissions and reports with recommendations for the manager. Additional responsibilities include obtaining inputs and compiling various reports such as progress, monthly, and management reports, responding to internal and external stakeholder enquiries, drafting documents, and filing where required. The Personal Assistant will collect, analyse, and collate information requested by the manager, clarify instructions on their behalf, coordinate travel arrangements, prioritise office issues, and manage the leave register and telephone accounts for the unit. Procurement of standard items such as stationery and refreshments, obtaining signatures on procurement advice and monthly salary reports, and arranging logistical support for meetings are also part of the job. The role extends to recording minutes and decisions, communicating these to relevant role-players, following up on progress, preparing briefing notes, and gathering all documentation related to the manager’s budget. This includes assisting with MTEF submissions, tracking expenditure commitments and actual spending, alerting the manager to potential over or under spending, checking and correlating BAS reports, identifying the need to move funds between items, consulting with the Deputy Director General, and compiling draft memos for such purposes. The incumbent must also compare MTEF allocations with requested budgets and report any changes, while continuously staying abreast of prescripts, policies, and procedures applicable to the work terrain to provide efficient and effective support.

Notably, the department is committed to employment equity and encourages youth, people with disabilities, and candidates from designated groups including coloured, Indian, and white applicants to apply. Shortlisted candidates will be required to undergo two pre-entry assessments, one practical and one integrity-based, and all suitability checks including vetting, criminal record, citizenship, credit record, qualification verification, and employment verification will be conducted. Candidates must also be willing to be placed according to corridor coordination and departmental needs. This is a demanding but rewarding role for a proactive and organised professional seeking to contribute to the public service.