Executive Secretary (French Speaking)

HR Talent Partner SA; Somerset West; On-site; ZAR 559,000 - 669,000; Full time

Job summary

HR Talent Partner SA in Somerset West is seeking a French-speaking Executive Secretary to support the CEO and Company Secretary, coordinating diaries, international travel, and board documentation. This full-time role requires discretion and strategic prioritisation in a fast-paced environment.

The ideal candidate holds an advanced diploma or bachelor’s degree in business administration or governance, with proven executive-level support and multilingual capabilities, preferably French.

Qualifications

• Advanced diploma or bachelor's degree in business administration, corporate governance, law, commerce or related field.
• Experience providing executive-level support to CEO or board-level roles.
• Confidential, fast-paced corporate environment experience.
• Experience managing complex diaries, international travel and senior meetings.
• Experience engaging with board members, customers, suppliers, investors and external stakeholders.
• Travel across countries and cultures; working across time zones.
• Strong written and verbal English; additional European language, preferably French.

Responsibilities

• Manage CEO/Company Secretary diary, travel, meetings and follow-up actions.
• Prepare confidential correspondence, briefing packs, agendas, and board materials.
• Coordinate executive communications and high-level stakeholder engagements.
• Liaise with Board/sub-committee administration and governance processes.
• Coordinate international travel, visas and event attendance.
• Ensure document management, confidentiality and access control.

Skills

Executive support

Diary management

Stakeholder engagement

MS 365

Travel coordination

Board liaison

Education

Advanced Diploma / Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or Governance

Tools

Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Job description

Executive Secretary (French Speaking) job vacancy in Somerset West.

A renowned international Engineering company is looking for an Executive Secretary to join their team on a full-time permanent basis in the Helderberg Area.

Salary: R55 000 per month.

Job Purpose:

Provides confidential, proactive coordination and administrative support to the CEO, facilitating strategic priorities, international stakeholder engagements and Board-related activities in support of the CEO and Company Secretary.

Requirements:

• Advanced Diploma/bachelor’s degree in business administration, Corporate Governance, Law, Commerce or related field.


• Experience providing executive-level support, preferably to a CEO, Managing Director, ExCo member, Board, or Governance Support role.


• Demonstrated experience working in a highly confidential, fast-paced corporate environment.


• Demonstrated experience managing complex executive diaries, international travel, senior-level meetings, and confidential correspondence.


• Experience engaging with Board members, customers, suppliers, investors, industry organisations, and senior external stakeholders.


• Experience working across multiple countries, cultures, and time zones.


• Strong proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint.


• Excellent written and verbal business communication skills in English.


• Working knowledge of an additional European or international business language, preferably French.


• Demonstrated experience preparing executive correspondence, briefing packs, presentations, agendas, meeting documentation, and action trackers.


• Exposure to Board and committee administration, corporate governance processes, and confidential Board documentation.


• Experience coordinating executive participation in international conferences, exhibitions, customer visits, or industry forums.


• Familiarity with document management, customer relationship management, Board portal, travel management, or workflow systems.

Recommendations:

• Experience working in an international technology, engineering, aerospace, manufacturing, or similarly complex business environment.


• Exposure to Board portals, governance, CRM, travel or workflow systems.


• Working knowledge of an additional European or international business language, preferably French.

Special requirements:

• Valid passport and willingness to travel domestically or internationally when required.


• Ability to work on-site in Somerset West and provide flexibility aligned to executive and international business demands.


• Strict adherence to confidentiality, information security, and delegated authority requirements..

Position Responsibilities:

• Executive support and office coordination
  
  
  
  • Manage the CEO’s office, diary, priorities, correspondence, travel, meetings, and follow-up activities.
  
  
  • Screen requests, anticipate requirements and conflicts, and elevate urgent or strategically important matters.
  
  
  • Handle confidential, commercially sensitive, governance-related, and personal information with discretion.
  
  
  
  


• Diary and meeting management
  
  
  
  • Manage the CEO’s complex international diary across countries, stakeholder groups, and time zones.
  
  
  • Coordinate executive, customer, supplier, investor, industry, and Board-related meetings, resolving scheduling conflicts proactively.
  
  
  • Confirm meeting objectives and logistics and prepare agendas, briefing packs, presentations, and supporting documentation.
  
  
  
  


• Executive liaison and action coordination
  
  
  
  • Serve as the administrative liaison between the CEO, Executive Committee, regional leaders, and functional teams.
  
  
  • Coordinate information, approvals, reports, presentations, and decisions, communicating CEO instructions accurately.
  
  
  • Record and track actions, responsibilities, deadlines, and dependencies, escalating overdue or highrisk matters.
  
  
  
  


• External stakeholder engagement
  
  
  
  • Coordinate the CEO’s engagements with customers, suppliers, partners, investors, industry organisations, government representatives, and other key stakeholders.
  
  
  • Manage the administrative arrangements for external meetings, visits, conferences, exhibitions, and stakeholder events.
  
  
  • Prepare stakeholder briefings, record commitments, and refer follow-up actions to the appropriate internal owners.
  
  
  
  


• Board and governance administration support.
  
  
  
  • Support the CEO and Company Secretary with Board and committee scheduling, liaison, logistics, documentation, and briefing arrangements.
  
  
  • Coordinate Board submissions and deadlines, arrange Board-related engagements, and track CEO owned actions.
  
  
  • Maintain strict confidentiality and refer statutory, legal, governance, minute-taking, filing, and resolution matters to the Company Secretary or authorised specialist.
  
  
  
  


• International travel and event coordination
  
  
  
  • Plan and coordinate the CEO’s domestic and international travel, including transport, accommodation, meetings, access, and contingency arrangements with the Travel Coordinator.
  
  
  • Arrange visas, invitation letters, itineraries, travel documentation, and related requirements through authorised channels.
  
  
  • Liaise with international stakeholders and manage the CEO’s participation in conferences, exhibitions, panels, industry forums, and networking events.
  
  
  
  


• Executive communication and document management
  
  
  
  • Draft professional executive correspondence, invitations, meeting confirmations, introductions, acknowledgements, and follow-up communication.
  
  
  • Adapt communication for different audiences and coordinate responses requiring input from multiple internal contributors.
  
  
  • Maintain secure, organised records and apply confidentiality, access control, version control, data protection, and records-management requirements.
  
  
  
  


• Internal coordination and continuous improvement
  
  
  
  • Maintain an overview of the CEO’s strategic priorities, commitments, decisions, risks, and key deadlines.
  
  
  • Coordinate internal communication and information flow across departments to support alignment and timely access to authorised documents.
  
  
  • Improve systems, templates, and processes to support an efficient, responsive, and internationally professional CEO office.
  
  
  
  

Applying for Position:

• Only open to South African citizens.