Executive Personal Assistant at Sanlam Group

Purpose of the role

• To provide high-level administrative support to the CEO or Senior Executive, ensuring efficient operation and handling of executive functions. The Executive PA is responsible for managing schedules, coordinating meetings, handling correspondence, and performing various tasks to enhance the executive’s effectiveness and productivity

What will you do?
Diary Management:

• Manage the executive’s calendar, schedule meetings, appointments, and travel arrangements.
• Coordinate and prioritise incoming meeting requests and ensure timely responses.

Communication:

• Handle incoming and outgoing communications, including emails, phone calls, and written correspondence.
• Draft, proofread, and edit documents, reports, and presentations.

Meeting Coordination:

• Organise and prepare for meetings, including booking venues, preparing agendas, and taking minutes.
• Ensure follow-up on action items and distribute meeting notes to relevant parties.

Travel Arrangements:

• Plan and arrange domestic and international travel, including flights, accommodations, transportation, and itineraries.
• Prepare travel expense reports and ensure timely reimbursement.

Document Management:

• Maintain and organize files, records, and documents, both physical and electronic.
• Ensure confidentiality and security of sensitive information.

Project Support:

• Assist with special projects, research, and data analysis as required.
• Coordinate and collaborate with other departments to ensure project deadlines are met.

Event Coordination:

• Plan and execute corporate events, meetings, and conferences.
• Handle logistics, vendor coordination, and event follow-up activities.

Administrative Tasks:

• Perform general office duties, including ordering supplies, managing office equipment, and ensuring a tidy workspace.
• Handle personal tasks for the executive, as needed.
• Required to investigate and research various ad-hoc business issues, strategic initiatives ad developments. 
• Arrange meetings, catering and all the relevant logistic requirements.
• Prepare payments requisitions for goods and services.

Additional Responsibilities

• Telephone answering and screening of calls, taking messages if management unavailable. Redirecting of call to appropriate person – when necessary.
• Maintains office supplies by ensuring adequate inventory levels at all times (eg. Stationery supplies).
• Provide administrative support by ensuring that time frames, policies and procedures are adhered to in respect of reports, performance management, etc and follow up on deadlines in respect of work processes/reports.

Qualifications and Experience

• Matric/Grade12
• A secretarial certificate or diploma will be a distinct advantage
• 6 – 8 years relevant experience in a secretarial or similar role within the financial services environment.

Knowledge and Skills

• Proficient Microsoft Office Skills (Word, Excel, Outlook and Powerpoint).
• Ability to interact with executives, senior management and staff at all levels and other stakeholders across the business.
• Ability to work independently 
• Applying initiative and innovation in work processes 
• Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences
• Planning and prioritising work to meet commitments aligned with organisational goals.
• Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy and enthusiasm.
• Knowing the most effective and efficient processes for getting things done, with a focus on continuous improvement. 

Personal Attributes

• Communicates effectively - Contributing independently
• Plans and aligns - Contributing independently
• Action orientated - Contributing independently
• Optimises work processes - Contributing independently

Core Competencies

• Cultivates innovation - Contributing independently
• Customer focus - Contributing independently
• Drives results - Contributing independently
• Collaborates - Contributing independently
• Being resilient - Contributing independently