The SADC Secretariat invites self-driven individuals who are citizens of Botswana or SADC Citizens with the right to work and live in Botswana to apply for Personal Assistant position tenable at SADC Secretariat Headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana.
Primary Purpose of the job
Manage the daily operation and provide secretarial and document processing services to the Executive Secretary/Deputy Executive Secretary-Corporate Affairs/Deputy Executive Secretary-Regional Integration.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Manage personal affairs of the ES/DES-CA/DES-RI and ensure a smooth coordination of the same.
- Manage and ensure effective upkeep of the ES/DES-CA/DES-RI Office including its cleanliness and provision of supplies.
- Facilitate timely flow of documents/communication/messages to and from the ES/DES-CA/DES-RI.
- Handle and maintain policy, confidential and general management files including all correspondences.
- Draw the attention of ES/DES-CA/DES-RI to important, sensitive and time-bound information.
- Follow up implementation of assignments from the ES/DES-CA/DES-RI to staff.
- When nature of correspondence is urgent and important, bring to the attention of the ES/DES-CA/DES-RI immediately, sometimes calling him/her from a meeting, while on mission by phone wherever he/she may be when absent from duty station.
- In ES/DES-CA/DES-RI absence, ensure that urgent correspondence is brought to the attention of responsible officials and take appropriate follow-up action.
- Provide background materials and information and propose solutions to queries from within and outside the Office.
- Accurately track and reconcile monthly expenses for ES/DES-CA/DES-RI by managing corporate credit cards and receipts; process and submit receipts to Finance.
In addition to the above duties and responsibilities, the PA is expected to carry out the following duties when serving in the DES-CA/DES-RI Office:
- Manage the time of the DES-CA/DES-RI including establishing/arranging appointments, maintaining the calendar of DES-CA/DES-RI, receiving and directing visitors, placing and screening calls and answering queries.
- Receive all incomings addressed to the Office of DES-CA/DES-RI.
- Check and clear for format presentation and accuracy all outgoing correspondences submitted for the DES-CA/DES-RI’s signature.
- Establish and maintain a document/work assignment tracking system including receiving, screening, logging and routing as well as maintaining a system for follow-up and retrieval.
- Make travel arrangements for the DES-CA/DES-RI including travel itinerary, booking, logistical requirements, visa, all protocol and other administrative matters.
- Update mailing list and other relevant contacts.
- Draft on the request of the DES-CA/DES-RI routine correspondences like; letters, memos, note verbales etc.
- Dispatch all outgoing mails.
- Assist in the preparation and servicing of DES-CA/DES-RI conferences/workshops/meetings by: (i) establishing contact with the invitees; (ii) following-up on the invitation letters; (iii) ensuring preparation and distribution of documents, etc.
- Prepare and update proposed calendar of conferences, meetings, seminars and workshops of the DES-CA/DES-RI.
- Secure signatures and track documents through the approval process on behalf of the DES-CA/DES-RI.
Requirements
Qualifications and Experience
Education
- At least a Degree in Office Management or related field from a recognised institution
Professional Certification
- Certified Personal Assistant would be considered an advantage Specialised Knowledge
- Knowledge with office administration processes, policies, principles and practices
- Understanding of the core business processes
- Proficient in the use of computers and computer software relevant to the position
Experience
- Minimum of 5 years work experience as a PA or Senior Secretary to a Senior Management position in a large organisation Skills Requirements
- Confidentiality
- Compassion and empathy
- Emotional intelligence
- Protocol etiquette
- Excellent oral and written communication
- Excellent typing
- Telephone etiquette
- Sound judgement and intuition
- Problem solving
- Numeracy and arithmetic
- Scheduling and time management
- Record management
- Multitasking
Competency Requirements
- Apply interpersonal styles and methods to meet stakeholders’ needs
- Capable of maintaining quality whilst working under pressure and adhering to deadlines
- Compliance with rules, regulations, processes and procedures
- Conceptual and practical thinking
- Customer focused
- Planning and organising
- Demonstrate ability to work independently and without too much close supervision
- Flexible and adaptable to change
- Maintain confidentiality and respectful of sensitive situations
- Methodical and organised, with a high level of attention to details
- Professionalism and adherence to good work ethics (integrity, dependability, punctuality, etc.)
- Willingness to learn and improve on a continual basis
- Resilience and personal drive, self-motivation
- Results and performance driven
- Team player
Closing Date: Mon, 09/29/2025