Executive Assistant

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Executive Assistant is the operational backbone of Broll Project & Development Services, id.work, Hospitality & Advisory Services and rest of Africa divisions. The role combines office management, executive personal assistant support and business operations in one position, keeping the Managing Director's office and the wider division running smoothly so that senior leaders and project teams can focus on delivering for clients.

Key duties include managing the Johannesburg office and its suppliers, running the Managing Director's diary, travel and correspondence, and coordinating meetings, proposals and reporting across the division's project management, cost management, development advisory and interior design teams. The Operations Executive is often the first point of contact for clients, consultants and colleagues, and contributes directly to the division's professionalism, responsiveness and growth.

JOB OVERVIEW 

The Executive Assistant is responsible for the effective day-to-day running of the division's office and administrative operations, and for providing proactive personal assistant support to the Managing Director. The role requires sound judgement, strict confidentiality and the ability to anticipate needs, manage competing priorities and keep multiple workstreams moving without close supervision.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Office Management
– Manage the day-to-day running of the Johannesburg office, including managing executive diaries, stationery, onboarding and general housekeeping.
– Manage relationships with IT support.
– Coordinate onboarding and offboarding logistics for staff and consultants, including workstations, equipment, system access and induction schedules, working with HR and IT.
– Plan and coordinate team meetings, training sessions, client functions and team events.
– Manage the office budget by obtaining quotations, raising purchase orders and tracking supplier invoices through to payment.
Executive and Personal Assistant Support
– Manage the Managing Director's diary, prioritising meetings, protecting focus time and resolving conflicts proactively.
– Screen and manage calls, emails and requests on the Managing Director's behalf, and draft, proofread and format correspondence, letters and documents to a professional standard.
– Arrange local and international travel, including flights, visas, accommodation, transfers and detailed itineraries, with a particular focus on Pan-African travel.
– Prepare agendas, briefing packs and minutes for internal and client meetings, and track actions through to completion.
– Coordinate the Managing Director's leadership, executive and client meeting cycles, including papers, reminders and follow-up.
– Process expense claims and travel reconciliations accurately and on time.
– Handle confidential and commercially sensitive information with complete discretion.
Operations and Business Support
– Coordinate the compilation, formatting and submission of proposals, tenders and RFP responses, tracking deadlines, inputs and approvals across teams.
– Maintain up-to-date CVs, credentials, project lists, case studies and templates for use in proposals and client presentations.
– Maintain document control, filing and records for the division, including contracts, proposals and project correspondence, on SharePoint and other document platforms.
– Support project managers, cost managers and directors with meeting logistics, document distribution, stakeholder contact lists and general project administration.
– Support month-end administration by coordinating with finance on timesheets, invoicing schedules and sub-consultant and supplier payments.
– Track and diarise professional registrations, memberships and insurance renewals for the team.
– Maintain team leave calendars and resource schedules, and prepare simple reports and dashboards for management.
– Liaise with other Broll business units, group services and the interior design and fitout team to keep shared processes and requests aligned.
– Maintain and improve internal templates, systems and standard operating procedures, identifying opportunities to streamline or automate administrative work.
– Support the roll-out and adoption of collaboration and document management tools across the team.
– Ensure compliance with company policies, data protection (POPIA) and information security requirements.
– Perform other duties as reasonably required by the Managing Director.
Key Performance Areas
– The Managing Director's diary, travel and correspondence are managed accurately, with minimal conflicts or last-minute surprises.
– The office runs efficiently, with suppliers, equipment and facilities issues resolved quickly and within budget.
– Proposals and submissions are coordinated to a high standard and delivered on time, every time.
– Records, templates and shared documents are current, well organised and easy to find.
– Colleagues, clients and suppliers experience a responsive, professional and helpful first point of contact.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
– A Diploma or Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Office Management, Operations Management or a related field is required.
– A recognised executive assistant or office management qualification is a plus.
– At least 5-10 years' experience in an office management, executive assistant or operations role, ideally within professional services, property, construction or consulting.
– Proven experience supporting senior executives, including diary management and complex travel arrangements. Experience arranging Pan-African travel is advantageous.
– Exposure to proposal, tender or RFP coordination is advantageous.

REQUIRED SKILLS
– Excellent written and verbal communication, with a polished professional standard.
– Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and work under pressure to meet deadlines.
– Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams) and SharePoint, and comfort learning new systems quickly.
– A high level of discretion, integrity and professionalism when handling confidential information.
– A proactive, resourceful approach with strong problem-solving skills and a habit of following through.
– Strong interpersonal skills and a confident, client-ready presence when dealing with senior clients, consultants and suppliers.
– Excellent attention to detail, with a sound working knowledge of basic finance administration such as purchase orders, invoicing and expense management.
– Willingness to work flexibly around peak deadlines and to travel occasionally.