SUMMARY:
Role purpose: To provide high-level administrative, coordination and organisational support to the Director of Sales, while serving as the central coordination point for NPO projects, budgets, reporting and follow-through.
Key Areas of Accountability
NPO coordination and administration across all properties and geographic areas.
Commercial and sales administration, including databases, agent and corporate records, trade activity, inspections, FAM trips and approved complimentary or special-rate bookings.
Executive assistant support, including diary management, meetings, travel, correspondence, preparation and action tracking.
Qualifications, Experience & Technical Skills
The source profile does not prescribe specific formal qualifications or a minimum number of years of experience. It does, however, require the following capabilities:
Exceptional organisational and administrative skills, with strong diary management and follow-through.
Strong Excel and database competence, numerical confidence and the ability to maintain accurate records and trackers.
Excellent written communication, accurate minute-taking and professional communication with General Managers and senior management.
Good commercial awareness, sound judgement, discretion and the ability to handle confidential information.
Ability to prioritise competing workstreams, chase information diplomatically but firmly, identify risks and escalate matters appropriately.
High attention to detail and a proactive, dependable “finisher” mindset.
Authority & Decision-Making
Owns administrative coordination, diary control, meeting preparation, action tracking, follow-up, database accuracy, NPO registers, budget tracking, filing, approval-request preparation, booking administration and reporting preparation.
Does not independently approve NPO funding, budgets or unbudgeted expenditure, complimentary stays, special rates or discounts, barters, STO rates or commercial terms, credit arrangements, contracts, community financial commitments or other commitments carrying legal or financial exposure.
All required CEO, Board, Finance or delegated approvals must be obtained and recorded before expenditure or commitments proceed.
Key Performance Measures
NPO project register is complete, accurate and current; project ownership, approvals, budgets, progress, risks and actions are visible.
Funding and expenditure are reconciled with Finance, exceptions are identified early and no material project proceeds without the required approval.
General Manager submissions, Board actions and project documentation are followed up and brought to closure.
Commercial databases and supporting documents remain accurate, current and retrievable.
Inspections, FAM trips and complimentary/special-rate bookings are correctly coordinated and supported by the required approvals.
The Director’s diary, meetings, travel and commitments are properly organised, prepared and followed through.
1. NPO Project Coordination & Administration
Act as the central administrative coordination point for NPO projects across all properties and geographic areas. Maintain one consolidated overview and ensure every project has a clear purpose, responsible owner, approval status, budget, progress update, next action and deadline.
Liaise regularly with each General Manager and obtain project proposals, motivations, beneficiary/community details, intended outcomes, estimated costs, quotations where applicable, requested contributions, timing, responsible persons, risks and supporting information.
Coordinate proposals through the required approval route: General Manager/property → Executive Assistant/Coordinator → Operations Assistant → NPO Board with the CEO; communicate approved decisions back through the appropriate channels.
Track implementation, milestones, deadlines, progress, outstanding information and project closure; identify stalled projects and escalate risks or unresolved matters.
Maintain project documentation and ensure completed projects are formally closed and recorded.
2. NPO Budget, Funding & Project Register
Maintain a consolidated NPO budget and project-level breakdown in conjunction with Finance.
Track annual allocations, funding requested and approved, committed amounts, actual expenditure, approved but unpaid commitments, donations received, remaining funds, outstanding documentation and expected funding requirements.
Reconcile financial information with Finance and highlight discrepancies, missing information, budget pressure, unexpected commitments and potential overruns.
Maintain a master register recording property and geographic area, project and beneficiary, purpose, responsible General Manager and contact, start and target completion dates, status, requested/approved funding, commitments, spend, remaining requirement, donations, milestones, risks, next action, action owner and due date, outstanding documents, available content, impact and closure date.
Monitor and route funding requests and budget exceptions for authorised approval. Do not independently approve expenditure.
3. NPO Reporting, Board Administration & Impact Content
Prepare consolidated reports for the Operations Assistant for onward reporting to the NPO Board and CEO.
Report by property on active, proposed and completed projects; allocations, approved funding, actual and committed expenditure, remaining funding, approvals, achievements, risks, overdue actions and upcoming projects.
Provide an overall view of funding, donations, future requirements, key developments, decisions required, executive issues, documentation gaps and impact highlights.
Prepare supporting information for Board meetings and maintain records of decisions, funding approvals and actions.
Coordinate project updates, photographs, video where appropriate, milestones, beneficiary information, conservation achievements, donation handovers, events and impact stories with General Managers and Marketing/PR.
Ensure information supplied for publication is accurate and that privacy and consent requirements are considered. Marketing/PR retains responsibility for final external preparation, approval and publication.
4. Sales, Commercial & Database Administration
Maintain agent and relevant corporate databases, accurate contact/account details, account histories and supporting commercial documentation.
Capture sales meeting notes; coordinate new-agent administration, STO application administration and agent allocation administration.
Maintain approved rates and contract documentation, sales-trip and trade-show information, follow-up records and regular database updates/clean-ups.
Support the Sales function with accurate, current commercial information and ensure records are centrally retrievable.
5. Trade Shows, Sales Trips, Site Inspections & FAMs
Before sales trips, market visits and trade shows: coordinate appointments, manage the diary, prepare itineraries and account information, identify previous activity and outstanding actions, prepare approved collateral and ensure the Director has the information needed for each appointment.
After meetings: capture notes, update database/CRM records, record commitments, prepare follow-up, allocate actions and due dates, diary future contact and monitor completion.
Coordinate approved agent inspections, overnight inspections, FAM trips, trade hosting and corporate inspections.
Ensure approvals, dates, availability, bookings, hosting arrangements, property/General Manager briefings, approved flights/transfers, itineraries, objectives and follow-up are in place.
6. Complimentary, Hosted & Special-Rate Bookings
Administer approved complimentary, hosted, industry, owner-authorised and special-rate bookings.
Obtain written approval; confirm availability and the authorised rate; record guest and company details, purpose, approved inclusions and billing instructions.
Brief the property, maintain the central register, track amendments and cancellations, and monitor agreed commercial, media or trade deliverables where applicable.
Maintain visibility of normal booking value compared with approved value where required for management reporting.
7. Executive Assistant Support
Manage the Director’s diary, including appointments, internal and agent meetings, trade appointments, Board/NPO commitments, sales travel, property visits, calls, preparation time, deadlines and follow-up time.
Prepare the Director for important meetings with the purpose, attendee information, relevant history and correspondence, outstanding actions, account/project information, supporting figures, discussion points, required decisions and relevant documents.
Maintain a central action register for commitments arising from meetings, emails, calls, trade shows, sales trips, agent meetings, NPO matters, property discussions, Board matters and concession/community matters.
Track what the Director has committed to, what others must provide, due dates, follow-ups, escalations and outstanding decisions.
Coordinate approved business travel, including flights, accommodation, transfers, registrations, appointments, travel documentation, contacts, confirmations, itinerary changes and supporting documents. Produce one consolidated itinerary.
Coordinate designated departmental, Sales, NPO and other meetings, including scheduling, agendas, document collation, attendance, minutes, decisions, action allocation, deadlines, circulation and filing.
Provide day-to-day organisational and administrative assistance so the Director can focus on commercial leadership, strategic accounts, international trade relationships, concessions and key stakeholders.
8. Document & Information Control
Maintain an orderly, central and retrievable filing system for commercial records (agent/account information, sales trips, trade shows, presentations, contracts, approved commercial information, inspections, FAMs and complimentary bookings) and NPO records (project proposals, beneficiary details, Board records, approvals, budgets, Finance support, invoices, proof of payment, donations, reports, photographs, outcomes and completed-project records). Information must not remain solely in individual emails, folders or messaging conversations.
9. Operating Rhythm
Daily: manage the Director’s diary; review immediate priorities and required decisions/approvals; check urgent Sales/NPO matters; follow up overdue actions; prepare upcoming meetings.
Weekly: conduct a structured review with the Director of appointments, travel, agent matters, Sales actions, commercial commitments, personal commitments, overdue actions and next-week priorities. Review NPO projects, reporting, overdue actions and matters requiring Board/CEO decisions with the Operations Assistant.
Monthly: update the master NPO project register and budget tracker; prepare the NPO management report; update the complimentary booking register, FAM/site-inspection schedule, Sales/database administration status and outstanding action list.
Quarterly: coordinate the NPO portfolio review through the Operations Assistant for the NPO Board and CEO, aligned with the quarterly governance process.
10. Escalation & Definition of Success
Escalate material project or commercial delays, expenditure that may exceed approval, unreconciled financial information, unavailable supporting documentation, bypassed approvals, risks to important client/agent relationships, reputational risks involving community/NPO matters, matters requiring executive judgement and failures that may materially affect the business.
Success means the Director is exceptionally organised and prepared; commitments and follow-ups do not fall through the cracks; every NPO project and its status can be established quickly; General Managers understand what is required; approvals and expenditure have a clear audit trail; the Board and CEO receive reliable decision-making information; commercial databases are current; complimentary bookings are controlled; FAMs and inspections run smoothly; actions have owners and deadlines; and information is readily retrievable.
POSITION INFO:
Requirements & Qualifications
Matric (Grade 12) is essential; a relevant tertiary qualification in Business Administration, Office Management or a related field would be advantageous.
Minimum 3–5 years' experience in an Executive Assistant, Personal Assistant, Sales Administrator or Senior Administrative Coordinator position.
Previous experience supporting senior management or executives is essential.
Experience in the hospitality, luxury lodge, hotel or tourism industry would be highly advantageous.
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint.
Excellent diary management, meeting coordination and travel planning skills.
Experience maintaining databases, financial trackers, budgets and administrative reporting systems.
Good understanding of budget monitoring, expenditure tracking, reconciliations and financial administration.
Experience coordinating projects, tracking deadlines and following up with multiple stakeholders.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong organisational, planning and time-management abilities.
Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
Ability to manage multiple responsibilities and competing deadlines independently.
Professional demeanour with the confidence to communicate with General Managers, Directors, Board members and external stakeholders.
Must demonstrate discretion, confidentiality and sound judgement when handling sensitive business and financial information.
Proactive problem-solving abilities with a strong sense of accountability and follow-through.
Ability to work independently, take initiative and ensure tasks are completed without constant supervision.
Own Car and Valid Drivers Licence.
Must Live in Hout Bay Cape Town.
Personal Attributes
Highly organised and structured.
Proactive, reliable and self-motivated.
Assertive but diplomatic when following up on outstanding matters.
Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
Solutions-driven with a hands-on approach.
Able to anticipate needs and identify potential problems before they arise.
A natural finisher who takes ownership and sees tasks through to completion.
