Work at Sonke

Executive Assistant to the Co-Executive Directors

Founded in 2006, Sonke is a womxn’s rights organisation that is committed to feminist principles, using a rights-based and gender transformative approach to achieve human rights and gender justice. Our vision is a poverty free world in which womxn, children, men and gender non-conforming individuals enjoy equitable, caring, healthy and happy relationships that contribute to the development of gender just and democratic societies. Sonke strengthens governments, civil society and citizen’s capacity to advance gender justice and womxn’s rights, prevent gender-based violence, and reduce the spread of HIV and the impact of AIDS, and in this way contributing to social justice and the elimination of poverty. (http://www.genderjustice.org.za/)

About this position

The Executive Assistant will, under the guidance of the Co-Executive Directors (Co-EDs) ensure effective and efficient functioning of the Co-EDs offices. The Executive Assistant will maintain confidentiality in all aspects of their work, providing secretariat functions to the Board of Sonke, and supporting the senior management team in implementing Sonke’s strategy. The successful candidate will work closely with the Co-EDs in ensuring that the organisation is compliant both with its own reporting requirements and its external compliance requirements. They will be responsible for taking and drafting the minutes of the board, management team meetings and other ad hoc meetings and will assist with all logistics relating to these meetings.

The Executive Assistant works closely with the Co-EDs and is responsible for:

  • Providing high level administrative planning, coordination, operational and logistical support to the Co-EDs office on a day to day basis.
  • Provide minute taking services and logistical support at the Board, senior management team (SMT), Full Management Team (FMT), Unit Managers (UM) and other meetings.
  • Managing board relations on behalf of the Co-EDs
  • Supporting the Co-EDs through a well-maintained diary, travel schedule and workflow plan.
  • Working closely with Unit Managers and administrators in ensuring smooth and well-coordinated interface with the Co-EDs office with a specific focus on coordinating key events in the Sonke calendar
  • Working with the Co-EDs to ensure that Sonke is compliant with internal reporting requirements and with external statutory obligations.
  • Support the Co-EDs with the compilation of the operational plan and other work as requested.

Key duties

1. Providing support to the Co-EDs

  • Provide administrative planning, coordination, operational and logistical support to the SMT asrequested by the Co-EDs.
  • Respond to queries and any other correspondence to the Co-Eds.
  • Draft correspondence as requested by the Co-Eds.
  • Developing and maintaining Co-EDs filing system.
  • Developing and maintaining systems to organise the Co- ED’s information.
  • Arrange travel for the Co-Eds.
  • Arrange events as requested by the Co-Eds.
  • Work with Co-EDs to schedule and then ensure adherence to monthly supervision meetingsbetween Co-EDs and other members of SMT and FMT.

2. Compliance

  • Maintain the monthly internal compliance schedule.
    • Track compliance against submission of all reports detailed in the compliance schedule.
    • Follow up with unit managers.
    • Distribute the compliance schedule and the compliance per unit monthly.
  • Maintenance of organisation’s registration and legal status.
    • Maintain organisation’s external legal compliance with both CIPC and the Department of Social Development by ensuring submission of board secretarial changes.
    • Submit audit and annual reports to relevant government entities.
  • Maintain and distribute a monthly organisational calendar to staff.
    • Liaise with the unit administrators to identify information to be added to the calendar.
    • Update the calendar and distribute to all staff.
  • Audit and Donor checking on compliance.
    • Assist the Co-EDs in providing all necessary compliance documentation to the auditors
  • and donors.

3. Managing Board relations

  • Together with the Co-EDs, the Executive Assistant will be the only contact persons with the Board.
  • Liaise with auditors and the Board to update CIPC documentation annually.
  • Logistical support including booking of board room, arranging catering, printing of documents, and compiling of meeting packs for the board meetings.
  • Minute taking and follow up on action items status.
  • Ensure that all meeting minutes is placed in the minute book and signed.
  • Initiate and respond to board correspondence.
  • Maintain a filing system of board correspondence and all key board documents.
  • Draft board resolutions as and when required.
  • Draft letters of appointment and prepare orientation packs for new members.
  • Draft and edit board policies.
  • Maintain board schedules on personal info, positions on board, etc.
  • Organising events and all other activities for board members.
  • Follow up with board members on outstanding information needed.

4. Meeting coordination and minute taking

  • Work with the Co-EDs to develop and adhere to a monthly SMT, quarterly FMT, monthly unit manager meeting and monthly staff meeting schedule.
  • Coordinate the on-time submission of all management reports.
  • Take minutes at SMT, UM, FMT and staff meeting.
  • Logistical support including booking of board room, arranging catering, printing of documents and compiling of meeting packs for management and staff meetings.
  • Follow up on action item status.
  • Edit minutes for purposes of distribution to staff members.
  • Ensure that all meeting minutes is placed in the minute book and signed.
  • Participate in all meetings with Co-EDs and record the proceedings in the meetings, make notes of action items required.

5. General

  • At the discretion of the Co-EDs participate in the recruitment of personnel.
  • Conducting occasional research for the Co-EDs.
  • General support as required.
  • Liaise with managers to submit unit plans for the annual operational plan the report against the annual plan.

Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree

Experience

  • Minimum of 7 – 10 years of progressively responsible experience as an Executive Assistant and or Programme Assistant.
  • Proficiency in the use of modern office equipment and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc).
  • Use of web-based databases for information management.

Skills required

  • Ability to work under pressure.
  • Ability to work independently and in a team.
  • Strong focus on deadlines and procedures.
  • Assertiveness regarding correct practices and procedures.
  • Ability to prioritise and manage deadlines.
  • Excellent planning and time management skills.
  • Excellent writing skills in English and preferably, but not required, another SA language.

Personal qualities required

  • Confident, assertive communicator who can work comfortably with diverse groups of people and across all levels.
  • Attention to detail.
  • Reflective and open to learning.

Application Process

  • Interested applicants should submit their CV, a motivational letter that details your experience, the contact details of three referees via email to Sonke’s Human Resource Unit at hiring@genderjustice.org.za. closing date 17 February 2021.
  • For non-South Africans, it is the responsibility of the applicant to attain a work permit from the Department of Home Affairs, and employment will depend on a valid work permit being in place.
  • Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear from us by 31/03/2021, please
  • consider your application unsuccessful.
  • The organisation reserves the right not to make an appointment.

Location

Johannesburg or Cape Town (Cape Town preferable)

Salary

R409 288 per annum - total cost to company

Closing Date

17 February 2021