Executive Assistant
Executive Assistant — Africa Services
Location: Johannesburg, South AfricaType: Permanent
Two steps ahead.You turn complexity into calm.
About the Role
As Executive Assistant, you’ll provide high-level support to a Group Head responsible for Africa Services, coordinating a fast-moving agenda across multiple countries and time zones. You’ll act as the first point of contact, safeguarding priorities, preparing the leader for decisions, and ensuring the right information reaches the right people at the right time.
This role blends classic EA excellence—diary, travel, and meeting orchestration—with project coordination, document preparation, and stakeholder follow-through. Expect a pace that’s high, expectations that are clear, and a leader who values judgment, discretion, and proactive problem-solving.
Who the Client Is
This opportunity is with a diversified services group operating across the African continent. The organisation is known for operational scale, disciplined governance, and a collaborative leadership culture. It partners with public and private stakeholders to deliver essential services and long-term impact.
What You’ll Do- Own complex diary management, prioritising across regions and shifting demands.
- Plan and coordinate multi-leg African and international travel, visas, and itineraries.
- Prepare briefings, board packs, and meeting materials; capture actions and drive follow-ups.
- Track priorities, deadlines, and risks; flag issues early and propose solutions.
- Coordinate leadership meetings, workshops, and stakeholder engagements.
- Manage confidential correspondence, contracts, and approvals with meticulous version control.
- Process expenses and budgets; support vendor onboarding and procurement workflows.
- Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to progress decisions and deliverables.
- Support ad hoc projects, research, and analytics to inform executive decisions.
- Proven experience as an Executive Assistant supporting C-suite or Group Head level.
- Expert calendar, travel, and meeting administration across multiple time zones.
- Strong document production (PowerPoint/Word) and spreadsheet confidence (Excel).
- Crisp written and verbal communication; able to draft, edit, and proofread.
- High discretion, integrity, and comfort handling sensitive information.
- Strong organisation, urgency, and follow-through; calm under pressure.
- Advantageous: exposure to Africa markets, board support, and procurement workflows.
- The Group Head’s time is protected and focused on the highest-value priorities.
- Meetings run on-time with clear agendas, decision records, and closed actions.
- Travel, logistics, and compliance are seamless—even when plans change late.
- Stakeholders experience responsive, professional, and solution-oriented engagement.
- Documents are accurate, on-brand, and board-ready the first time.
- You anticipate needs, remove friction, and keep critical work moving forward.
Rewards & Realities: You’ll have visibility at the top table, meaningful impact, and broad exposure across Africa. The flip side: rapid context-switching, occasional out-of-hours coordination, and high expectations for accuracy and pace.