Business Personal Assistant

Role Purpose

• A high-trust role supporting the Head of Operations and the broader MFP Operations portfolio. The successful candidate will combine executive support with hands-on business coordination, disciplined follow-through, data and document management, stakeholder engagement, governance administration and practical problem-solving.
• The Business Personal Assistant enables the Head of Operations to focus on strategic priorities by taking ownership of the coordination, preparation, follow-up and administration required to move work forward. The role acts as the operational link between the leader, the Operations team, provincial structures, advisers, product houses, support functions and external stakeholders.
• The incumbent is expected to create order in a high-volume environment, maintain reliable information and records, anticipate requirements, surface risks early, prepare decision-ready material, and ensure that agreed actions are completed. Success in the role is measured by the quality of preparation, the accuracy of information, the reliability of follow-through, stakeholder responsiveness and the reduction of avoidable administrative burden on the leader and team.

Requirements

• Grade 12 or equivalent qualification.
• A post-matric qualification in office administration, business administration, operations, project coordination or a related field is preferred.
• Additional training in project coordination, business communication, reporting, records management, digital systems or operational management is advantageous.
• At least five years' relevant experience in executive support, business administration, operational coordination or a comparable role.
• Demonstrated experience supporting a senior leader and coordinating work across multiple teams or business functions.
• Experience compiling reports, presentations, meeting packs, trackers and formal business communication.
• Experience managing complex diaries, senior stakeholder engagements and competing deadlines.
• Experience handling confidential information and supporting governance or controlled business processes.

Duties & Responsibilities

Executive Partnership and Priority Management

• Act as a trusted support partner to the Head of Operations, managing priorities, commitments, deadlines, risks and dependencies.
• Screen, prioritise and coordinate incoming requests, correspondence and actions, ensuring appropriate escalation where required.
• Prepare the leader for meetings and decisions by consolidating relevant information, documentation, risks and recommendations.
• Maintain follow-up processes for decisions, approvals, actions and commitments, ensuring completion and accountability.
• Proactively identify and escalate risks, conflicting priorities or delays that may impact business outcomes.
• Protect executive focus time while ensuring urgent operational matters receive prompt attention.

Calendar, Meeting and Event Management

• Manage a complex executive calendar aligned to business priorities, preparation requirements and key deadlines.
• Coordinate meetings, workshops, leadership forums, training sessions, town halls and business events.
• Schedule engagements across multiple stakeholders, resolving diary conflicts and logistics requirements.
• Prepare agendas, meeting packs, attendance records, minutes, action logs and follow-up communications.
• Manage venues, virtual meeting platforms, catering, travel arrangements and related administrative requirements.
• Ensure participation, required inputs and meeting readiness ahead of scheduled engagements.

Correspondence and Communication Support

• Manage and organise correspondence requiring action, response, referral or follow-up.
• Draft and review professional communications including emails, announcements, briefing notes, invitations and stakeholder updates.
• Adapt communication content and tone for diverse internal and external audiences.
• Verify accuracy, completeness, stakeholder distribution and action clarity before communication release.
• Consolidate stakeholder input into clear, consistent messaging while maintaining confidentiality where required.

Operational Coordination and Project Support

• Coordinate operational activities, projects and business improvement initiatives across the portfolio.
• Translate leadership decisions into actionable plans, responsibilities, timelines and deliverables.
• Maintain project plans, action registers, decision logs, issue trackers and supporting documentation.
• Coordinate activities and dependencies across business functions and stakeholder groups.
• Support implementation readiness through effective coordination of communications, training, system access, reporting and support processes.
• Identify process inefficiencies and recommend practical improvements to enhance effectiveness and accountability.

Reporting, Data and Decision Support

• Collect, validate, analyse and consolidate information from multiple sources for reporting purposes.
• Prepare reports, dashboards, presentations, briefing packs and management summaries.
• Utilise spreadsheets and reporting tools to reconcile information, identify exceptions and provide meaningful insights.
• Ensure reporting accuracy through validation of source data, calculations, definitions and reporting periods.
• Maintain operational trackers, records and datasets as assigned.
• Present information in a clear, decision-ready format, highlighting key risks, issues, actions and ownership.

Governance, Risk and Confidential Administration

• Support governance activities, approvals, compliance administration and evidence management.
• Maintain accurate records of decisions, approvals, submissions, attendance and completed actions.
• Coordinate system, access and licence administration in accordance with approved governance processes.
• Handle confidential business, people, client and financial information with discretion and integrity.
• Apply records management, privacy, information security and document retention requirements.
• Identify and escalate control weaknesses, process non-compliance or data integrity concerns.

Financial and Resource Administration

• Coordinate invoices, purchase requests, payments and associated financial administration activities.
• Verify supporting documentation, approvals and coding before submission and processing.
• Monitor assigned budgets, licences, subscriptions and service-related expenses.
• Coordinate travel, accommodation and related documentation in accordance with company policy.
• Manage office resources, equipment requests and administrative assets.
• Raise, monitor and follow up on service requests relating to systems, access, software and workplace requirements.

Stakeholder and Client-Centred Support

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Represent the Head of Operations professionally and deliver a positive stakeholder experience.
• Coordinate stakeholder requests and ensure timely resolution through the appropriate channels.
• Provide accurate updates, manage expectations and ensure closure of outstanding queries and requests.
• Manage urgent or challenging situations professionally, balancing business needs, client impact and stakeholder requirements.

Knowledge and Process Management

• Maintain accurate, organised and accessible business records, process documentation and reference materials.
• Capture and maintain operational knowledge, procedures, guides and frequently asked questions.
• Support the development of knowledge-management resources that improve collaboration and self-service.
• Ensure document version control, archiving and management of current source documents.
• Utilise Microsoft 365 and approved business systems to improve collaboration, information management and operational efficiency.
• Support business continuity through the documentation of recurring activities, key