Personal Assistant Job in Bellville – Department of Water and Sanitation

The Department of Water and Sanitation has advertised a Personal Assistant position at its Water and Sanitation Services Management branch in the Western Cape. The position is based in Bellville and falls under Provincial Operations: Western Cape.

This opportunity may interest experienced administrative and secretarial professionals who have supported senior management in a professional working environment. The successful candidate will provide secretarial, reception and administrative support to a manager while helping coordinate meetings, travel arrangements, financial administration and office procurement activities.

The advertised salary is R338 106 per annum at salary Level 07. Applicants must have a Secretarial Diploma or an equivalent qualification, together with three to five years of experience providing support to senior management.

Important re-advertisement notice: This position is being re-advertised. Applicants who previously applied must submit a new application if they wish to be considered again.

Personal Assistant Vacancy Details

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

Applicants must have a Secretarial Diploma or an equivalent qualification. The department also requires three to five years of experience in providing support to senior management.

This experience is important because the Personal Assistant will work closely with a manager and handle several responsibilities that require professionalism, organisation and discretion. The position involves managing communication, arranging meetings, preparing documents and handling administrative matters that support the manager’s daily activities.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate their previous secretarial or administrative responsibilities clearly. Experience supporting a director, senior manager or another management-level official may be relevant where it matches the requirements of the advertised position.

Knowledge and Skills Required

The department lists several knowledge areas and personal skills that applicants should consider before applying.

• Knowledge of administrative procedures.
• Understanding of secretarial duties.
• Excellent computer literacy.
• Advanced proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite.
• Strong organisational skills.
• Good interpersonal and people skills.
• High level of reliability.
• Written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to act with tact and discretion.
• Self-management and motivation.
• Knowledge of dispute resolution processes.
• Understanding of social and economic development issues.
• Basic financial management and knowledge of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
• Knowledge management.
• People and diversity management.
• Problem-solving and analytical ability.
• Client orientation and customer focus.
• Accountability and ethical conduct.

The department also expects the successful candidate to remain informed about the policies, procedures and prescripts that apply to the work environment. This will help the Personal Assistant provide effective support and ensure that administrative activities follow the relevant requirements.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

The Personal Assistant will perform a combination of secretarial, reception, financial and general administrative duties. The position supports the manager and helps ensure that office activities are properly coordinated.

1. Providing Secretarial and Reception Support

The successful candidate will provide secretarial and reception services to the manager. This includes receiving telephone calls and visitors on behalf of the manager and handling communication in a professional manner.

The role requires good interpersonal skills because the Personal Assistant may interact with employees, visitors, service providers and other stakeholders. The ability to communicate clearly and treat people respectfully will be important.

2. Managing Administrative Procedures

The Personal Assistant will implement administrative procedures within the component. This includes helping maintain an organised office environment and ensuring that routine administrative tasks are completed according to the applicable policies and procedures.

The employee must also remain familiar with the rules and instructions that apply to the work area. This responsibility supports consistent administration and helps prevent avoidable errors.

3. Arranging Meetings and Events

The position involves arranging meetings and events for the manager and staff members in the unit. The successful candidate will prepare relevant documents to help the manager get ready for meetings.

Where required, the Personal Assistant will also take basic meeting minutes. This requires careful listening, accurate note-taking and the ability to record important discussions or decisions in a clear format.

4. Coordinating Travel Arrangements

The successful candidate will liaise with travel agencies to arrange travel for the office. This responsibility may include coordinating the administrative requirements associated with official trips and ensuring that the necessary arrangements are handled properly.

The Personal Assistant will also process travel and subsistence claims for the unit. Accuracy and proper recordkeeping are important when dealing with travel-related documentation.

5. Handling Financial Administration

The role includes processing invoices that arise from the manager’s work activities. The employee must also help ensure that financial procedures are observed within the section.

This responsibility requires basic financial management knowledge and an understanding of the procedures governing departmental expenditure. Applicants should be comfortable handling financial documents and following the relevant approval processes.

6. Supporting Supply Chain Management Activities

The Personal Assistant will engage with Supply Chain Management regarding purchased materials. The employee will also provide records of goods and services procured and handle procurement items for the office.

This means the role involves more than traditional secretarial duties. The successful candidate will need to communicate with the relevant officials and maintain accurate administrative information relating to office purchases.

7. Maintaining Office Records

The position includes administering leave registers and telephone accounts, as well as maintaining proper filing systems. Good records management helps the office retrieve information when needed and supports accountability.

The employee will also provide feedback about identified administrative gaps. This requires the ability to notice problems, communicate them appropriately and assist with improving office procedures.

Why the Personal Assistant Role Is Important

Personal Assistants help managers organise their daily responsibilities and maintain effective office operations. Their work often involves several activities happening at the same time, including communication, scheduling, document preparation and financial administration.

In a government department, these responsibilities also require an understanding of official procedures. Travel arrangements, invoices, procurement records and meeting documents must be handled carefully because they form part of the department’s administrative and accountability processes.

For this reason, the advertised position requires previous experience supporting senior management. Candidates should be able to demonstrate that they can manage confidential information, communicate professionally and organise administrative tasks without constant supervision.

Who Should Consider Applying?

This opportunity may suit experienced secretaries, Personal Assistants and administrative professionals who have supported senior management for three to five years. It may also interest candidates who have experience arranging meetings, preparing documents, managing office records and coordinating travel.

Applicants with strong Microsoft Office skills may find these abilities particularly useful because the department specifically requires advanced proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite.

However, candidates should not rely on computer skills alone. They should also consider the qualification requirement, previous management-support experience and the personal qualities listed in the advertisement.

How to Prepare Your Application

The supplied vacancy details do not include an official application link or the complete submission procedure. Candidates should obtain and read the full Department of Water and Sanitation recruitment advertisement before submitting their documents.

Applicants can prepare by following these steps:

1. Check your qualification: Confirm that you have a Secretarial Diploma or an equivalent qualification.
2. Review your experience: Make sure your work history demonstrates three to five years of experience supporting senior management.
3. Update your CV: Clearly explain your secretarial, reception and administrative responsibilities.
4. Highlight computer skills: Include your genuine experience with Microsoft Office applications and other relevant office systems.
5. Demonstrate relevant abilities: Highlight meeting coordination, travel arrangements, document preparation, filing and financial administration experience where applicable.
6. Use the correct reference number: Identify the position as Personal Assistant, reference number 131126/29, where required.
7. Follow the official instructions: Check the complete advertisement for the required forms, supporting documents and submission method.

Important Re-advertisement Notice

This vacancy is a re-advertisement. The department specifically states that applicants who previously applied must re-apply.

Previous applicants should therefore not assume that an earlier submission will automatically be considered under the re-advertised process. They should follow the latest recruitment instructions and submit a new application as directed in the official advertisement.

Enquiries About the Personal Assistant Vacancy

Applicants who require further information about the position can use the enquiry contact provided in the vacancy details:

Contact person: Ms NM Bila-Mupariwa
Telephone: (021) 941 6004

This number is provided for enquiries. Candidates should consult the full official recruitment advertisement to confirm the correct application channel.

Related Jobs on JobzPro

Readers interested in secretarial, administrative and office-support careers may also find these JobzPro articles useful:

• Senior Secretary Vacancy 2026 at the Department of Basic Education
• Secretary Job in Pretoria 2026: Department of Rural Development and Land Reform
• Administration Clerk Job at Pietermaritzburg High Court 2026

These articles cover related administrative and secretarial career opportunities. They are separate vacancies and should not be treated as confirmation that the same position is available at another department.

Find More South African Job Opportunities

JobzPro shares employment information and career resources for South African job seekers. Readers can explore government vacancies, private-sector opportunities, administration jobs, logistics positions, internships and learnerships.

Visit JobzPro.co.za for more job updates and career information.

Follow the Jobs 101 channel on WhatsApp for more South African job updates:
Follow Jobs 101 on WhatsApp

Important Information for Applicants

This article summarises the supplied information for the Personal Assistant position at the Department of Water and Sanitation, reference number 131126/29. The position is based in Bellville and offers R338 106 per annum at salary Level 07.

The vacancy is a re-advertisement, and previous applicants must apply again. The supplied details do not state a closing date or provide an application link. Candidates should check the complete official recruitment advertisement to confirm the closing date, application procedure and supporting documents before submitting an application.