JOB DESCRIPTION
NOTES
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HR191
Forms must be downloaded from the UCT website: http://www.uct.ac.za/depts/sapweb/forms/forms.htm
This form serves as a template for the writing of job descriptions
A copy of this should be kept on file in your office
For re-evaluations, this form must be sent to your relevant HR Advisor/Officer
POSITION DETAILS
Position Title (current title)
Executive Secretary
Status of Post (tick)
New Post
Re-evaluation
Job Grade (current grade)
Faculty (if applicable)
Department
Section (if applicable)
Date of Compilation
FOR OFFICE USE
Job Title
Date of Grading
Grading Result
ORGANOGRAM
VC/DVC/DEAN/ED
Executive Secretary
PURPOSE
The purpose of this position is to proactively provide comprehensive secretarial and
administrative assistance to the VC/DVC/Dean/ED and to ensure the efficient running of the
office.
NOTE: Individuals in these positions should select KPA’s from this document depending on job
emphasis.
20 October 2008
Key Performance Areas (5 – 8)
1) General and Office Administration
% of
time
spent
Activities / Tasks
Results / Outcomes
Competencies
Correspondence Handling
 Processing all incoming emails,
letters and other correspondence.
 Keep records of all correspondence
 Prepare responses to
correspondence containing routine
enquiries
 Read and analyse incoming memos,
submissions and reports to
determine their significance and
plan their distribution
 Write business correspondence
 Correspondence handled within
the required timeframe
 Accurate records off all
correspondence
 Appropriate responses prepared
 All documents accurately typed
within the required timeframe
 All required documentation and
files available prior to scheduled
meetings
 Meeting minutes taken, typed
and distributed according to the
required format and within the
required timeframe
 Telephone calls answered
professionally and within the
required timeframe
 Voicemail messages replied to
within the required timeframe
 Executives diary consistently up
to date
 Photocopying completed as
required and within timeframe
 Accurate, prompt travel
arrangements made
 Problem solving
and decision
Making
 Information
monitoring and
management
 Planning and
organizing
 Detail Orientation
 Communication
(verbal & written)
 Teamwork
 Work standards
 Client Services
Orientation
 Administrative
knowledge and
skills
 Technical /
professional / job
knowledge
 Building
interpersonal
relationships
 Adaptability
 Stress Tolerance
Meeting Administration
 Plan, co-ordinate and schedule
executive and other meetings and
functions
 Prepare meeting agendas and
distribute
 Take and transcribe minutes and
distribute to meeting attendees
 Schedule and contract meeting
facilities and refreshments
 Arrange teleconferences
Telephone Coverage
 Managing all incoming calls to the
Executive
 Screen all calls
 Take messages
 Respond to voicemail messages
Diary Management
 Manage and maintain the
20 October 2008
Key Performance Areas (5 – 8)
% of
time
spent
Activities / Tasks
Results / Outcomes
executive’s diary in terms of
scheduling appointments, time
management and keeping it up to
date
 Set up meetings and venues via the
electronic diary
2) Document Management
3) Client Liaison
4) Financial Administration
20 October 2008
General Administration
 Make travel and accommodation
arrangements for the executive
 Maintain office equipment
 Make relevant documents available
for scheduled meetings
 Develop and maintain a document
management/filing system
 Archive documents
 Compile data and prepare
documents for consideration and
presentation by Executive
Management
 Photocopying and collating official
documents
 Answer queries and complaints for
internal and external visitors
 Greet and screen visitors and
determine whether they should be
given access to specific individuals
 Use own initiative and handle
problems and then direct to
respective office
 Drafting an office budget
 Processing accounts related to
office equipment usage
 Place orders for office consumables
 Monitor budgetary transactions
 A methodical, simple, easy to
use document management
system is implemented and
maintained within the required
timeframe
 All relevant documents and
presentations available within the
required timeframe for scheduled
meetings
 All documents archived
 Documents filed once a week
 Positive feedback from internal
and external clients
 Queries responded to politely,
professionally and within the
required timeframe
 Annual budget
 Accounts processed according to
required specification and within
required timeframe
 Accurate financial records
Competencies
Key Performance Areas (5 – 8)
20 October 2008
% of
time
spent
Activities / Tasks
Results / Outcomes
 Manage expenses against office
budget
 Report on expenditure
 Manage the purchasing card
available
 Actual expenditure in line with
budget
 Maintain paperwork for
purchasing card
Competencies
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Minimum Qualifications
Matric
Secretarial and Office Management Diploma
Minimum Experience
3 – 4 years working as a secretary to an executive member , preferably in
an educational institution
Computer Literate: MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Access / Database ,
Internet, email
AUTHORITY
PRINT NAME
Compiled by
Approved by
Reviewed by
20 October 2008
SIGNATURE
CONTACT NO.
DATE
GUIDELINES FOR COMPILING A JOB DESCRIPTION
GENERAL
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Complete each section of the template when compiling a job description
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Consider the following when drawing up a job description:
o
If this is a new job, have you considered the implications for your department in terms of structure, staff and
resourcing?
o
If this is a re-grading, are you sure that the re-grading is needed for the requirements of the organization and
not the individual?
o
If this is a re-grading, have you considered the rest of your structure as this is an opportunity to re-evaluate
your requirements?
o
The job description should indicate the requirements of the job in relation to the organization, not the person.
o
The job description should describe the job, not the performance required.
o
The job description denotes a clear description of the job that is observable.
POSITION TITLE

Consider the label or name of this post in relation to others in your department and to standard UCT naming
conventions. The latter are obtainable from your HR Officer.
NEW POST / RE-EVALUATION

Indicate if this is a new post or if this is a current post that is being re-evaluation.
JOB GRADE
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Indicate the current job grade of this post if it is an existing job that has changed and has been submitted for reevaluation.
FACULTY
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Indicate the faculty where this post exists - where applicable.
DEPARTMENT
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Indicate the department where this post exists. For example, Chemistry would be a department within the Faculty of
Science. Alternatively, Finance would be an example of a PASS department.
SECTION
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If the post falls within a PASS department, indicate the section here. For example, Creditors would be a section
within the Finance Department.
DATE OF COMPILATION
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The date denotes when the job description was compiled/updated/reviewed.
JOB TITLE
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The job title will be completed by the Remuneration Specialist during the job grading process.
20 October 2008
DATE OF GRADING AND GRADING RESULT
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These dates will be completed by the Remuneration Specialist.
ORGANOGRAM
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The organogram must show the reporting lines of authority for this post.
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Complete the organogram in a way that shows the line manager, the peers and the staff that report to this post.
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As a rule of thumb, the organogram should show up to a maximum of 4 hierarchical levels.
PURPOSE
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The Purpose of the job should convey in no more than one or two sentences a summary of the job which will clearly
distinguish it from other jobs, establish the role of the job holder and the contribution he/she should make towards
achieving the objectives of the University and his/her own function. It would begin with the words: "The purpose of the
job is ..."
KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS AND % TIME
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This is a high level summary of the key performance areas. When completing this exercise it may be useful to start
with a list of tasks that are then grouped together into key areas of responsibility.
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As a rule of thumb you should be able to identify between 4-6 key performance areas for the job.
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The key performance areas would be short headings for these clusters of tasks.
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It is useful to list these in order of importance, to assist you in creating the framework and overall direction of the job
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It is also useful to reflect on how much of the job’s time is spent on each key performance area, as some things take
up a lot of time and are not as important as others that may take up a little time but are critical.
OUTCOMES
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For each key performance area identify the main outcomes / end results that will be achieved by the incumbent under
each heading. You should be able to identify several outcomes for each key performance area. It is useful to reflect
on this as it may become apparent that what you have identified is not actually a key performance area at all, but an
outcome of another key performance area.
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As far as possible ensure that the outcomes are clearly autonomous to the job holder and are not shared by other
people in the department. If an outcome seems to be a shared outcome, the incumbent cannot be held responsible
for attaining this outcome. For example: “assist with marks processing” would either become “Marks are processed”
or “reports are filed” (if the nature of the work is around assistance).
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The steps required to define outcomes are as follows:
o
Identify and list the tasks that have to be carried out. No attempt should be made to describe how they are
carried out, but some indication should be given of the purpose or objectives of each task.
o
Analyse the initial list of tasks and, as far as possible, simplify the list by grouping related tasks together.
Use headings that will describe the end result once all these tasks have been completed, e.g. all work
related to processing of marks could be listed under "Marks are processed".
o
Describe each outcome as an end result that needs to be delivered, rather than indicating the tasks that will
lead to the attainment of the end result. For example: an outcome could be “ Vacancies are filled according
to UCT policy” vs. the number of tasks that would lead up to the vacancy being filled such as placing the
advertisement, short-listing candidates, conducting interviews, etc, etc. Notice that quality indicators may
also be stipulated; these will indicate how well the outcomes must be done. In this example the quality
indicator is that the vacancy is filled according to UCT policy.
20 October 2008
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
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Minimum qualifications specify the minimum qualifications required to do the job and do not indicate desirable
qualifications.
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Minimum experience should indicate the minimum experience required to do the job. It should not indicate
experience required to fully perform the job.
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Key competencies must indicate competencies essential to do the job. For example, if working on SAP is a
key component of the job, this should be listed as a key competency. When identifying the competency requirements
of a specific job, be certain that the competency is essential and not desirable.
AUTHORIZATION
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Compiled by: would be signed off by the person(s) who compiled the job description and the date.
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Approved by: would be signed off by the line manager and the date.
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Reviewed by: would be signed off by the Remuneration Specialist and the date.
20 October 2008