EXECUTIVE SECRETARY: OFFICE OF THE CFO

Durban University of Technology; Durban; On-site; ZAR 420,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Durban University of Technology (DUT) in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, seeks an Executive Secretary to the Office of the CFO. The role provides confidential executive support, coordinates governance workflows, and ensures adherence to financial reporting and audit requirements.

Location is ML Sultan Campus, reporting to the Chief Financial Officer. Requirements include a Bachelor’s Degree (NQF7) or Advanced Diploma, strong minute-taking and communication skills, and experience in governance or finance

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) in a related field.
• Strong minutes taking, drafting and communication skills.
• Experience in governance, finance administration or audit environments.
• Knowledge of POPIA and financial governance frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level executive and confidential administrative support to the CFO.
• Coordinate governance workflows and compile documentation.
• Ensure compliance with financial reporting and audit requirements.
• Facilitate timely implementation and tracking of finance-related decisions.
• Support audit, budgeting and financial reporting cycles; liaise with stakeholders.

Skills

Advanced Minute-Taking Certification

Project Management short course

Records Management certification

Drafting & communications

Education

Bachelor’s Degree (NQF7)

Tools

MS Office

Electronic document management systems

Job description

With more than34400 students and approximately 1700 members of staff, theDurban University of Technology (DUT)is a leading university of technology proudly located in the beautiful cities ofDurbanandPietermaritzburg, along the warm east coast of South Africa. Founded in April 2002 through the historic merger of the former ML Sultan Technikon and Technikon Natal, DUT has evolved into a modern, metropolitan, multi-campus university with roots tracing back to 1907.

Today, DUT is recognisednationally and internationallyfor its excellence inteaching and learning, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and engagement. A proud member of theInternational Association of Universities, DUT continues to expand its influence across South Africa and the world. In the2025 Webometrics Rankings, DUT was ranked among theTop 6% of all universities and colleges worldwide, reflecting its academic excellence, research impact, and strong global visibility.

DUT’s Philosophy of Education, “Our creativity and innovation shape adaptive graduates who transform society,” reflects the institution’s deep commitment to meaningful impact for societal transformation. Guided by its inspirational and aspirational ENVISION2030 strategy, which is rooted in DUT’s DNA of being ‘people-centred and engaged’ and ‘innovative and entrepreneurial’ and underpinned by its bespoke Living Values Framework, DUT focuses on ‘contributing to the improvement of lives and livelihoods’.

The University comprises six diverse Faculties:

• Accounting and Informatics
• Applied Science
• Arts & Design
• Engineering and the Built Environment
• Health Sciences
• Management Sciences

DUT also includes a Business School and the award-winning Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology (IWWT), amongst other research centres and institutes, reinforcing its role as a hub for knowledge, innovation, and societal impact. Over the years, the University has substantially grown its research output, dominating the UoT sector. This is evidenced by the steady increase in NRF-rated researchers and the notable, unprecedented award of seven NRF SARCHi Chairs in 2025. This impetus helps us to remain deeply engaged with our communities globally, thereby transforming societies and economies.

At DUT, we believe in nurturing talent and empowering people to make a real difference. If you are passionate about contributing to education, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and engagement, DUT offers the ideal environment -

With more than34400 students and approximately 1700 members of staff, theDurban University of Technology (DUT)is a leading university of technology proudly located in the beautiful cities ofDurbanandPietermaritzburg, along the warm east coast of South Africa. Founded in April 2002 through the historic merger of the former ML Sultan Technikon and Technikon Natal, DUT has evolved into a modern, metropolitan, multi-campus university with roots tracing back to 1907.

Today, DUT is recognisednationally and internationallyfor its excellence inteaching and learning, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and engagement. A proud member of theInternational Association of Universities, DUT continues to expand its influence across South Africa and the world. In the2025 Webometrics Rankings, DUT was ranked among theTop 6% of all universities and colleges worldwide, reflecting its academic excellence, research impact, and strong global visibility.

DUT’s Philosophy of Education, “Our creativity and innovation shape adaptive graduates who transform society,” reflects the institution’s deep commitment to meaningful impact for societal transformation. Guided by its inspirational and aspirational ENVISION2030 strategy, which is rooted in DUT’s DNA of being ‘people-centred and engaged’ and ‘innovative and entrepreneurial’ and underpinned by its bespoke Living Values Framework, DUT focuses on ‘contributing to the improvement of lives and livelihoods’.

The University comprises six diverse Faculties:

• Accounting and Informatics
• Applied Science
• Arts & Design
• Engineering and the Built Environment
• Health Sciences
• Management Sciences

DUT also includes a Business School and the award-winning Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology (IWWT), amongst other research centres and institutes, reinforcing its role as a hub for knowledge, innovation, and societal impact. Over the years, the University has substantially grown its research output, dominating the UoT sector. This is evidenced by the steady increase in NRF-rated researchers and the notable, unprecedented award of seven NRF SARCHi Chairs in 2025. This impetus helps us to remain deeply engaged with our communities globally, thereby transforming societies and economies.

At DUT, we believe in nurturing talent and empowering people to make a real difference. If you are passionate about contributing to education, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and engagement, DUT offers the ideal environment -

Creative. Distinctive. Impactful.

DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (DUT)

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY: OFFICE OF THE CFO

Location: ML Sultan Campus, Durban
Department: Finance
Reports to: Chief Financial Officer

Purpose of the Role

To provide high-level, confidential executive and administrative support to the Chief Financial Officer by coordinating financial governance workflows, managing executive communications and documentation, ensuring compliance with financial reporting and audit requirements, and facilitating the timely implementation and tracking of finance-related decisions across the institution.

The role exercises independent judgement in prioritising finance and governance matters, coordinating cross-functional financial inputs, supporting audit and reporting cycles, and ensuring alignment with institutional policies, regulatory requirements and financial governance frameworks.

Qualifications

Minimum

• Bachelor’s Degree or Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) in either Public Administration, Business Administration, Finance Administration, Governance or related field.

Ideal / Advantageous

• Advanced Minute-Taking Certification.
• Project Management short course.
• Records Management certification.

Experience

Minimum

• Minimum 5 years administrative or executive support experience.
• At least 3 years supporting senior management.

Ideal / Advantageous

• Experience in higher education or finance environment advantageous.
• Experience supporting audit, budgeting or financial reporting cycles.

NOTE TO APPLICANT

Applicants must demonstrate knowledge and technical competencies in the following areas.

Please provide evidence of this in your Curriculum Vitae: -

Minimum

• Advanced executive administration and secretarial practice.
• Knowledge of governance and financial administration.
• Strong drafting, report writing and communication skills.
• MS Office and virtual meeting platform proficiency.
• Discretion and sound judgement in handling confidential financial matters.
• Strong working knowledge of POPIA.
• Understanding of governance protocols and financial compliance requirements.
• Governance structures and institutional processes.
• POPIA compliance requirements.
• Financial reporting cycles and governance documentation standards.
• Electronic document management systems.
• Advanced MS Office.

Ideal / Advantageous

• Exposure to finance governance, audit and reporting environments.
• Knowledge of institutional financial policies and compliance requirements.
• Strong coordination across finance units and stakeholders.
• Advanced record-keeping and document control capability.
• Ability to liaise confidently at executive and audit levels.
• Knowledge of PFMA / financial governance frameworks (where applicable).
• Audit and compliance exposure.
• Financial governance and reporting knowledge.
• Institutional policy and procedure knowledge.

Special Requirements

• Willingness to work after hours during audit cycles, budget preparation, governance meetings and reporting deadlines.
• Ability to manage confidential and sensitive financial, governance and executive information.