Executive Assistant

Make a difference behind the decisions that shape our future.

At Digby Wells Environmental, we believe that meaningful work, strong relationships and talented people make a lasting difference. As an international environmental and social consultancy, we work across countries, cultures and disciplines to support responsible development and deliver positive environmental and social outcomes.

We are looking for an experienced, proactive and highly organised Executive Assistant to join our Executive Office in South Africa.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), you will play an important role in enabling our CEO and Executive Committee (ExCo) to operate effectively. This is more than a traditional administrative position. You will be a trusted coordination partner who anticipates priorities, brings structure to complexity and ensures that important commitments translate into action.

Working across our international business, you will gain exposure to executive leadership, strategic initiatives, governance processes and a diverse network of professionals.

What you'll be doing

- Executive support: Provide proactive, high-level support to the CEO and coordinated assistance to ExCo, ensuring executive time is focused on strategic, commercial, client and leadership priorities.
- Diary and priority management: Manage complex executive calendars, competing priorities, international schedules and key leadership commitments.
- Executive meeting coordination: Organise ExCo and CEO-led meetings, including agendas, briefing packs, presentations, logistics, decision records and action tracking.
- Follow-through and accountability: Track executive commitments, decisions and deadlines, follow up with senior stakeholders and escalate material risks or delays when appropriate.
- Executive communication: Prepare and coordinate professional correspondence, briefing materials, presentations and executive information.
- Board and governance support: Assist with Board and Committee meeting arrangements, documentation, management inputs and follow-up actions in collaboration with the relevant governance functions.
- Travel and stakeholder coordination: Arrange domestic and international executive travel, conferences, events and senior stakeholder engagements.
- Confidential information management: Handle sensitive executive, employee, client, financial and strategic information with exceptional discretion and integrity.
- Continuous improvement: Identify ways to simplify processes, strengthen information management and use digital tools, automation and AI appropriately to improve executive-office efficiency.
- Collaboration: Build constructive working relationships across functions, countries and leadership teams, helping create a responsive and accountable executive environment.

What success looks like

You will help create an organised, responsive and effective Executive Office where leaders are well prepared, priorities are clear, information flows efficiently and important commitments are consistently followed through.

This is a permanent, Group-level position based in South Africa. The role involves moderate travel and requires flexibility to work across international time zones and, when reasonably necessary, outside normal working hours.

Requirements

Essential qualifications and experience

- A relevant tertiary qualification in Business Administration, Management, Office Administration or a related field, or equivalent demonstrated executive-support experience.
- 5–8 years of relevant experience in executive assistance, executive-office coordination or senior administration.
- Demonstrated experience supporting C-suite executives and/or an Executive Committee.
- Proven ability to manage complex diaries, international travel arrangements, senior-level meetings and competing priorities.
- Experience handling highly confidential and sensitive business information.
- Experience coordinating deliverables, tracking actions and following up with senior stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to improve administrative processes and executive-office efficiency.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft 365 and modern digital collaboration tools.
- Flexibility to work across international time zones and travel domestically or internationally when required.

Advantageous qualifications and experience

- Additional qualifications or professional development in executive support, business administration, governance, minute taking, project coordination or business communication.
- Experience in professional services, consulting, mining or environmental organisations.
- Previous experience supporting executives in an international or multi-country business.
- Exposure to Board processes, corporate governance and executive-level reporting.
- Experience using workflow management, automation or AI tools to improve workplace efficiency.
- Professional working proficiency in French or Spanish.
- We value demonstrated capability, sound judgement and relevant experience alongside formal qualifications.

Benefits

Why join Digby Wells?

At Digby Wells Environmental, we believe that a fulfilling career is about more than the work you do. It is about the difference you make, the opportunities you have to grow and the people you share the journey with.

Our Employee Value Proposition is built around five commitments:

Work that Matters

Be part of a purpose-driven organisation contributing to responsible development and meaningful environmental and social outcomes. In this role, you will support the leadership decisions and initiatives that shape our business and the impact we make.

Growth that Moves You

Develop your professional capabilities through exposure to executive leadership, strategic decision-making, international operations and diverse business challenges. Build valuable experience while contributing to the continuous improvement of our organisation.

A Place to Belong

Work alongside passionate, capable and collaborative colleagues across multiple countries and disciplines. Be part of a team that values meaningful relationships, mutual respect, shared success and making a difference together.

Trust at the Core

Join an organisation that values integrity, honesty, accountability and open communication. We believe in empowering people to take ownership, contribute ideas and build relationships based on trust.

Built to Thrive

Be part of a workplace that is committed to strengthening employee development, performance conversations, communication, connection and sustainable ways of working.

What makes this opportunity unique?

- Direct exposure to the CEO and Executive Committee of an international consultancy.
- An opportunity to contribute to Group-level strategic and leadership initiatives.
- Collaboration with professionals across different countries, functions and cultures.
- A role that encourages initiative, sound judgement, professional confidence and continuous improvement.
- The opportunity to contribute to our ambition to Double Our Impact by 2031.

Meaningful work. Real growth. A team that makes a difference.