About the Role
The Department of Public Service and Administration is seeking a dedicated individual for the position of Director: Executive Support based in Umnotho House, Johannesburg. This critical role plays an integral part in supporting the Head of Department (HOD) by ensuring that executive functions are managed efficiently and effectively. By coordinating high-level briefings, submissions, and executive documents, you’ll help facilitate decision-making processes that impact public service in South Africa. Your work will directly influence how the department operates and engages with its stakeholders, ultimately contributing to improved services for the community.
In this position, you’ll be at the heart of government operations, ensuring that the department meets its commitments and adheres to legislative requirements. Your role is essential for maintaining high standards of governance and accountability, which are fundamental to fostering trust and transparency in public service. Working in a vibrant city like Johannesburg, you will have the opportunity to engage with a diverse range of stakeholders and make a significant difference in the administration of public services.
About the Department
The Department of Public Service and Administration is committed to enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of government services across South Africa. Its mission includes promoting a professional, accountable, and responsive public service that meets the needs of citizens. By working within this department, you will be part of a collective effort to drive positive change and uphold the values of integrity, transparency, and service excellence.
The department plays a pivotal role in shaping policies and frameworks that govern public service operations. Employees are dedicated to continuous improvement and ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations, making every position within the department vital to achieving its strategic objectives.
What You’ll Do
- Coordinate and quality-assure briefings and correspondence for the HOD
- Manage end-to-end logistics for meetings including scheduling, agenda setting, and minute-taking
- Track executive decisions and directives, producing weekly reports on progress
- Standardise templates and procedures for executive documents, ensuring compliance
- Provide research and synthesis on policy and legislative issues to support decision-making
- Maintain organised records and a central repository for correspondence and decisions
- Conduct quarterly compliance reviews and address any gaps identified
- Oversee responses to audit findings and verify closure of action plans
- Develop and maintain stakeholder engagement plans and ensure effective communication
- Implement service standards and monitor compliance to improve efficiency
What You’ll Need
- NQF Level 7 qualification in Public Administration, Public Management, Political Science, or Business Administration
- Nyukela Certificate for entry into SMS (Senior Management Service) required prior to appointment
- A minimum of 5 years’ experience in executive support, governance, or administration at a middle to senior managerial level
- Strong knowledge of PFMA/Treasury Regulations compliance and intergovernmental coordination
- Valid Code 8 or 10 driver’s license
How to Apply
Please forward your application, quoting the relevant reference number, to the link quoted in the specific advertisement below.
Requirements
NQF Level 7 in Public Administration / Public Management / Political Science / Business Administration qualifications.Nyukela Certificate for entry into SMS (Senior Management Service) from the National School of Government submitted prior to appointment.
A minimum of 5 years of experience at a middle / senior managerial level in executive support / governance / administration.
Demonstrable experience in PFMA/Treasury Regulations compliance, secretariat services, and intergovernmental coordination.
Code 8/10.
Job Duties
Coordinate and quality-assure HOD briefings, submissions, memos and related correspondences.Manage end-to-end meeting logistics, that is, scheduling, agenda setting, document packs, minute-taking, and resolutions tracking.
Operate a decision-tracking system, log directives, allocate actions, monitor progress and produce weekly exception reports.
Standardise templates and procedures for executive documents (Cabinet/MEC submissions, minutes, reports).
Provide research and synthesis on policy, legislation and programme issues to support HOD decisions.
Maintain secure, organised records and a central repository for executive correspondence and decisions.
Embed PFMA, Treasury Regulations, DPSA directives, POPIA, MISS/MPSS, and applicable provincial frameworks in office processes.
Run quarterly compliance reviews on submissions, delegations, records and decision logs, remediate gaps and report assurances.
Coordinate responses to audit findings (GAS/AGSA), track management action plans, and verify closure evidence.
Maintain the HOD Delegations of Authority register, ensure alignment to financial and administrative delegations.
Identify executive office risks, keep a risk register and implement control measures including confidentiality and information security.
Facilitate policy/procedure updates and compliance training for executive office staff and document custodians.
Maintain an integrated HOD calendar linking strategic priorities, statutory deadlines and stakeholder engagements.
Operate an executive workflow dashboard-incoming/outgoing items, due dates, dependencies and bottleneck alerts.
Coordinate quarterly performance reviews with Strategy/M&E, compile executive performance packs and insights.
Synchronise HOD directives with programme plans and operational cycles, escalate slippage and propose recovery actions.
Implement service standards for turnaround times on submissions, queries and approvals and monitor compliance.
Produce monthly performance and workload analytics for the Office of the HOD (volumes, turnaround, quality scores).
Manage protocols and channels between the HOD and MEC/EXCO, Office of the Premier, Treasury, DPSA, and sector departments.
Coordinate executive meeting packs (MEC briefings, clusters, FORUMs), ensuring completeness and strategic alignment.
Track undertakings from intergovernmental forums, drive inter-departmental cooperation to close actions on time.
Prepare stakeholder engagement plans, briefs, and follow-up matrices and ensure issues are resolved and feedback loops closed.
Maintain a stakeholder risk and issues log, advise the HOD on emerging sensitivities and mitigation options.
Produce concise, outcome- 213 focused communiqués and post-engagement reports for executive audiences.
Implement and monitor a secure records management system for executive documents, aligned to POPIA and MISS/MPSS.
Establish classification, retention, and disposal schedules, audit compliance and correct deviations.
Oversee the drafting, formatting, and clearance of executive correspondence to ensure consistency with corporate identity.
Operate version control and approvals workflow for briefs, speeches, media responses and communiqués.
Maintain an executive knowledge base: policies, cabinet decisions, provincial priorities, sector insights, and precedents.
Introduce digital tools/workflows (e.
g.
, document trackers) and train staff to improve accuracy and turnaround.
Perform strategic and operational planning.
Manage stakeholder relationships.
Oversee the administrative support functions Perform people management functions.
Perform financial management functions.
Perform asset management functions.
