Executive Team Assistant

About the role

This position provides high-level operational support directly to the executive team of the organization. The successful candidate will own a wide range of responsibilities designed to ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of leadership activities. Key ownership areas include the meticulous management of executive calendars to optimize time and resolve conflicts. The role also encompasses comprehensive end-to-end travel management, ensuring seamless domestic and international mobility. Furthermore, this position is responsible for the coordination of internal company events, from conception to execution. Financial controls and record-keeping are critical components to ensure transparency and compliance. The hire will also manage vendor relationships and budgets for specific events. Ultimately, this role ensures that leadership capacity is protected for making time-sensitive decisions.

Key facts

What you'll do

Manage executive calendars to prioritize tasks and resolve conflicts, ensuring leadership capacity for time-sensitive decisions.

Maintain precise daily schedules for executives so critical meetings and commitments remain protected and timely.

Coordinate end-to-end domestic and international travel, covering flights, hotels, visas, and ground transport.

Produce detailed, time-zone-accurate itineraries and provide real-time troubleshooting for travel disruptions.

Source venues and manage vendors for internal company events, including the mid-year update and Summit.

Coordinate invitations and control budgets for all internal events, handling on-site execution as needed.

Maintain comprehensive financial records to ensure transparency and support leadership review during audits.

Oversee the management of office logistics and coworking arrangements in specific locations like the CBD, Woodstock, and Gardens.

Provide discreet and accurate support where sensitive information is handled with the utmost professionalism.

Serve as a central point of contact for stakeholders requiring executive scheduling and logistical support.

Requirements

The posting states a bachelor's degree requirement. A degree is required for the position.

Administrative or operational experience of 1 3 years is expected, ideally within corporate or financial environments.

Proficiency with G-suite is necessary for daily task execution and communication.

Detail orientation is applied to event planning, travel logistics, and calendar management to avoid errors.

Crisis management skills enable calm, rapid pivoting under pressure when unexpected issues arise.

Process discipline ensures reliable execution of repetitive administrative workflows across teams.

A strong understanding of professional communication standards is essential for interaction with leadership.

The ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously without compromising quality is required.

Practical notes

Typical interview steps

Leadership hiring usually includes a strategy case, a people scenario, and a values conversation. Candidates may be asked to turn around a struggling team or plan for growth. Past results are examined closely, especially how decisions were made. Interviewers dig into specific decisions you made and their consequences. Preparing two or three decision stories with numbers and lessons is the best use of time.

Good to know

Modern teams rely on cloud collaboration suites for communication and planning in professional environments. Professionals in this field often manage complex schedules across multiple time zones while coordinating travel and events. Discretion and accuracy are essential in executive support environments where sensitive information is handled.

Questions to ask

Good questions to ask the employer in the interview: what does success look like in the first six months, how is the team structured, what is the current biggest challenge, and how are decisions made. Asking about growth paths and the review process is also well received. Employers expect questions, and good ones show preparation.

Career growth

Leadership careers move from manager to senior manager, director, and executive roles. Each step adds more scope and more responsibility for outcomes. The best leaders keep learning how to delegate, communicate, and decide. Leadership careers reward a record of building and developing people. The higher you go, the more your communication shapes the whole organization.

About the location

South Africa's coastal city has fast internet and a strong startup scene. Monthly costs around $1,500. The CBD, Woodstock, and Gardens have coworking. Load-shedding (power cuts) requires backup plans. Summer (Nov-Mar) is dry and warm.