Senior Secretary Vacancy 2026 at the Department of Basic Education

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has advertised a Senior Secretary position based in Pretoria. The post falls under the Branch: Social Mobilisation and Support Services, within the Chief Directorate: Care and Support in Schools and the Directorate: Psychosocial Support.

This opportunity may suit candidates with strong administrative, organisational and communication skills who want to support senior management in a public sector environment. In particular, the successful candidate will provide secretarial and administrative support to the Director: Psychosocial Support.

The advertised salary is R280,278 per annum at salary Level 06. However, the role involves more than answering telephone calls and arranging appointments. It also includes preparing documents, coordinating meetings, maintaining records and communicating with internal and external stakeholders. Therefore, applicants should be organised, professional and able to handle confidential information responsibly.

About the Senior Secretary Position

The Senior Secretary will help the Director: Psychosocial Support manage daily administrative responsibilities. This includes maintaining the director’s diary, arranging meetings, preparing correspondence and ensuring that documents are properly managed.

In addition, the role supports the smooth operation of the office by coordinating travel arrangements, preparing meeting documents and following up on decisions. Consequently, the successful candidate must be able to organise several tasks while ensuring that important deadlines and appointments are not overlooked.

The position also requires professional communication with colleagues, stakeholders and members of the public. Furthermore, confidentiality is important because secretarial staff may handle sensitive correspondence, reports and internal documents.

Minimum Requirements

Applicants should carefully review the requirements before preparing an application. According to the supplied vacancy information, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• A Senior Certificate or an equivalent qualification.
• Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures.
• Knowledge of departmental policies and public service regulatory frameworks.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Interpersonal, organisational and planning skills.
• Telephone etiquette and record management skills.
• Minute-taking and report-writing skills.
• Sound knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams.
• The ability to work under pressure, maintain confidentiality and manage multiple tasks.

Although relevant experience is not listed as an absolute minimum requirement, one year of experience providing secretarial or administrative support to senior management will be an added advantage. Similarly, a valid driver’s licence will be beneficial but is also listed as an added advantage.

Therefore, applicants who have previously supported managers, coordinated meetings or maintained office records should explain that experience clearly in their applications. Nevertheless, all information provided should be accurate and relevant to the requirements of the position.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The Senior Secretary will perform a range of administrative tasks to support the Director: Psychosocial Support. These duties involve diary management, document preparation, meeting coordination, records management and stakeholder communication.

1. Provide Secretarial Support to the Director

The successful candidate will provide day-to-day secretarial and administrative support to the Director. This includes helping organise the director’s workload and ensuring that routine office activities are handled efficiently.

In addition, the secretary will need to manage competing requests professionally. Because senior management schedules can change, flexibility and good planning will be important when arranging appointments and responding to new priorities.

2. Manage the Director’s Diary

Diary management is another important responsibility. The successful candidate will schedule meetings, appointments and events while keeping track of the director’s commitments.

Furthermore, effective diary management helps reduce scheduling conflicts and supports the efficient use of time. The secretary may also need to communicate changes to relevant participants and ensure that appointments are recorded accurately.

3. Handle Telephone Calls and Correspondence

The position involves receiving, screening and directing telephone calls and correspondence. This requires good telephone etiquette and the ability to communicate information clearly and professionally.

Moreover, the secretary must be able to distinguish between routine matters and issues that need to be referred to the director. Confidential information must also be handled carefully, in accordance with the relevant departmental procedures.

4. Prepare Documents and Presentations

The successful candidate will draft and route correspondence, submissions, reports and presentations. Consequently, written communication skills and attention to detail are essential.

Applicants should be comfortable using Microsoft Office applications to prepare and format documents. In addition, the ability to check information carefully can help reduce errors in official correspondence and reports.

5. Coordinate Meetings and Record Decisions

The Senior Secretary will coordinate meetings, prepare agendas, take minutes and follow up on resolutions. These duties help ensure that meetings are properly organised and that decisions are documented.

After a meeting, the secretary may need to track agreed actions and follow up with relevant individuals. Therefore, good time management, accurate minute-taking and reliable communication are particularly useful in this role.

6. Maintain Documents and Records

The position includes managing incoming and outgoing documents and ensuring that proper filing and records management systems are maintained. The supplied vacancy information states that records must be managed in line with departmental policies and the requirements of the National Archives and Records Service.

Furthermore, organised records help the office retrieve information when needed. Confidential documents must be handled appropriately, while files should be maintained according to the applicable procedures.

7. Arrange Travel and Accommodation

The successful candidate will arrange travel and accommodation for the director and process related claims. This responsibility requires careful planning, accurate documentation and coordination with the relevant service providers or offices.

In addition, the secretary should keep track of the details required for travel arrangements and claims. This helps the director’s official commitments proceed with fewer administrative delays.

8. Provide Logistical Support

The role includes maintaining logistical and administrative support for workshops, meetings and stakeholder engagement activities. This may involve coordinating practical arrangements and ensuring that the required administrative information is available.

Meanwhile, the secretary will help maintain office supplies and support the efficient functioning of the office. These duties require initiative and the ability to identify routine administrative needs before they disrupt daily operations.

9. Liaise With Stakeholders

The Senior Secretary will liaise with internal and external stakeholders on behalf of the director. Professional communication is therefore essential when arranging meetings, responding to requests and sharing appropriate information.

In addition, good interpersonal skills can help maintain effective working relationships. The secretary must also understand when a matter should be referred to the director rather than handled independently.

Skills That Can Strengthen an Application

Applicants should highlight skills that relate directly to the advertised responsibilities. These may include:

• Organisation: Managing appointments, documents and competing tasks.
• Communication: Drafting correspondence and communicating professionally by telephone and email.
• Confidentiality: Handling sensitive documents and information responsibly.
• Computer literacy: Using Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams.
• Record management: Maintaining organised filing systems and retrieving information when required.
• Minute-taking: Recording meeting discussions, decisions and follow-up actions accurately.
• Time management: Completing tasks and responding to changing priorities under pressure.

Furthermore, applicants with experience supporting senior managers should explain the types of administrative duties they performed. However, candidates should avoid listing skills without supporting them with truthful examples where possible.

Salary and Employment Conditions

The advertised remuneration is R280,278 per annum at Level 06. Applicants should consult the complete official recruitment advertisement for the full employment conditions and any additional information relating to the position.

The supplied notice also states that the successful candidate must sign an annual performance agreement, disclose their financial interests annually and undergo security clearance. Therefore, applicants should be prepared to comply with these requirements if appointed.

How to Prepare Your Application

Before applying, locate the complete official Department of Basic Education advertisement and confirm the required application process. The reference number is DBE/78/2026, which can help you identify the correct vacancy.

Next, review the qualification requirements and prepare your application according to the instructions in the official notice. Make sure your employment history and qualifications are accurately presented. In addition, highlight relevant experience in diary management, meeting coordination, correspondence, records management or administrative support, where applicable.

It is also important to check the prescribed application documents and submission method. However, do not assume that the enquiry telephone numbers are application contacts or that a separate department’s application instructions apply to this position.

Enquiries About the Vacancy

The supplied vacancy information lists the following contacts for enquiries:

• Ms N Monyela: (012) 357 3294
• Mr M Segowa: (012) 357 4291

When contacting the department, mention the Senior Secretary position and reference number DBE/78/2026. This can help the relevant office identify the vacancy. Nevertheless, follow the official recruitment notice for the correct application procedure.

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