Hiring Now | Secretary | Pretoria, Gauteng | Permanent Government Position Available

The Directorate: Plant Health, a division of the Department of Agriculture, is inviting applications for a permanent Secretary position based in Pretoria, Gauteng. This is a government post at salary level 05, open to candidates who hold a Grade 12 certificate — no prior work experience is required. The successful candidate will provide comprehensive secretarial and receptionist support to the Director, ensuring the efficient day-to-day administration of the directorate’s office. If you are organised, reliable, computer literate, and ready to begin a meaningful career in the public service, apply without delay.

Don’t miss this opportunity — vacancies are filling fast. Apply today.

Job Overview

Detail	Information
Job Title	Secretary
Reference Number	3/3/1/35/2026
Directorate	Plant Health
Department	Department of Agriculture
Job Type	Permanent
Salary	R237 453 per annum (Level 05)
Location	Pretoria, Gauteng
EE Target	African Males and Persons with Disability
Application Status	Open – Accepting Applications Now

Please note: This is a government position within the Department of Agriculture. All application procedures — including hand delivery and email submission with the correct reference number — must be followed precisely. Applications that do not comply with the specified submission requirements may be disqualified.

This post has a specific EE target. Preference will be given to African Males and Persons with Disability in line with the Department’s Employment Equity plan. Candidates from these designated groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

What Does a Secretary Do?

The Secretary within the Directorate: Plant Health serves as the administrative backbone of the Director’s office — managing diary scheduling, correspondence, document flow, travel arrangements, meeting logistics, procurement, and financial administration tasks that keep the directorate running efficiently and professionally.

This is an entry-level government position suited to a recently matriculated or early-career candidate who is eager to learn, well-presented, and genuinely committed to delivering a high standard of administrative support within the public service. No prior work experience is required — what matters most is the right combination of computer literacy, organisational ability, reliability, and interpersonal professionalism.

The Secretary will be required to interact with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders on behalf of the Director, handle sensitive correspondence with discretion, and remain current with the relevant legislation, policies, prescripts, and procedures that govern the work environment. The ability to work extended hours when required, manage competing priorities, and maintain composure under pressure are important personal qualities for success in this role.

Please note: While no prior work experience is required, candidates must demonstrate computer literacy in MS Office, strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to work professionally with people at all levels. These are non-negotiable functional requirements for the role.

Key Responsibilities

Secretarial & Receptionist Support

• Provide comprehensive secretarial and receptionist support to the Director of Plant Health, acting as the primary point of administrative contact for the office.
• Receive and screen telephone calls, referring callers to the correct role players where calls are not intended for the Director or relevant senior manager.
• Record appointments and events on the Director’s diary, ensuring accurate scheduling and timely reminders for all commitments.
• Type documents for the senior manager and other staff within the unit, ensuring all correspondence and documents are produced accurately and to the required standard.
• Operate all office equipment including fax machines, photocopiers, and other standard office technology as required.

Meeting & Event Coordination

• Arrange meetings and events for the senior manager and employees within the unit, managing all logistical requirements from scheduling to execution.
• Identify suitable venues, send invitations to role players, organise refreshments, and set up schedules for all meetings and events within the directorate.
• Collect all relevant documents and briefing materials to enable the Director to be fully prepared for meetings, engagements, and official functions.
• Record basic minutes of meetings chaired by the senior manager where required, ensuring accurate and timeous distribution of minutes to relevant parties.
• Follow up on action items and outcomes from meetings to support the Director in tracking progress on key commitments.

Travel & Subsistence Administration

• Liaise with travel agencies to make travel arrangements for the Director and relevant staff, ensuring all bookings are confirmed, accurate, and cost-effective.
• Check travel arrangements upon receipt of relevant documents, verifying that all details are correct and aligned with the approved itinerary.
• Process travel and subsistence claims for the unit accurately and timeously, ensuring compliance with applicable government travel and subsistence policies.

Correspondence, Filing & Document Management

• Draft routine correspondence and reports on behalf of the senior manager, ensuring all communications are professionally written and accurately reflect the intended content.
• Perform filing of documents for the senior manager and the unit, maintaining an organised, accessible, and audit-ready filing system at all times.
• Receive, record, and distribute all incoming and outgoing documents for the directorate, ensuring all document movements are tracked and accounted for.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of the relevant public service and departmental prescripts, policies, and procedures to ensure all correspondence and document management is handled correctly.

Financial & Procurement Administration

• Process all invoices that arise from the activities of the senior manager’s office, ensuring correct coding, authorisation, and timeous submission.
• Handle the procurement of standard items such as stationery and refreshments for the unit, following applicable government procurement procedures.
• Administer leave registers and telephone accounts for the unit, ensuring accurate records are maintained and any anomalies are reported promptly.
• Provide clerical support to the senior manager across a range of financial and administrative functions as required.

Policy & Procedural Compliance

• Remain up to date with all prescripts, policies, and procedures applicable to the work environment of the senior manager’s office to ensure efficient and effective support.
• Study relevant Public Service and departmental policies and other applicable documents to ensure a thorough understanding of how they apply to the directorate’s daily operations.
• Remain abreast of procedures and processes that apply specifically in the office of the senior manager, adapting to changes as they occur.
• Apply a working knowledge of relevant legislation and policy frameworks in the execution of all secretarial and administrative duties.

Minimum Requirements

Educational Qualifications

• Grade 12 Certificate (NQF Level 4) — minimum requirement.
• Any additional qualification in office administration, secretarial studies, public administration, or a related field will be advantageous.

Experience

• No experience required — this is an entry-level position suitable for candidates entering the public service for the first time.
• Any prior exposure to office administration, reception, or secretarial support in any environment will be beneficial.

Technical Skills

• Computer literacy in MS Office — including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint — is essential.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment including fax machines and photocopiers.
• Written communication skills — able to draft clear, professional correspondence and reports.
• Basic competency in financial administration, including invoice processing and leave register management.

Knowledge Requirements

• Knowledge of relevant legislation, policies, prescripts, and procedures applicable to the public service environment.
• Telephone etiquette — professional and courteous in all telephone interactions.
• Basic financial administration knowledge — understanding of procurement, invoice processing, and travel and subsistence claims within a government context.

Skills & Competencies

• Sound organisational skills — able to manage a busy diary, multiple priorities, and competing administrative demands effectively.
• Good interpersonal relations — builds positive working relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, and members of the public at all levels.
• Language skills — proficient in written and spoken English; additional official languages are advantageous.
• Ability to communicate well with people at different levels and from different backgrounds in a professional and respectful manner.
• Ability to do research and analyse documents and situations to support the Director in preparing for engagements and decisions.

Personal Attributes

• High level of reliability — the Director’s office depends entirely on a Secretary who is consistent, dependable, and thoroughly trustworthy.
• Tact and discretion — handles sensitive information and confidential matters with the highest level of professionalism.
• Good grooming and personal presentation — represents the Director’s office and the Department in all interactions.
• Self-management and motivation — takes initiative and manages workload responsibly without requiring constant direction.
• Ability to work long extended hours when required to meet the demands of the senior manager’s schedule.

This post has a specific EE target: preference will be given to African Males and Persons with Disability. Candidates from these groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Core Values

Professional Reliability

The Director’s office functions on trust. Every appointment recorded, every document filed, every telephone call handled, and every meeting arranged reflects directly on the professionalism of the directorate. The Secretary is expected to be consistently reliable — arriving prepared, completing tasks on time, and never allowing administrative details to fall through the cracks.

Discretion & Confidentiality

A Secretary in a government directorate is routinely exposed to sensitive correspondence, policy deliberations, and personnel matters. The ability to handle all such information with absolute discretion — never discussing confidential matters outside appropriate channels — is a fundamental professional requirement of this role and of public service conduct more broadly.

Communication Excellence

The Secretary serves as the voice and written representative of the Director’s office in countless daily interactions. Whether answering a telephone call, drafting a routine letter, or coordinating a meeting, the standard of communication must always be professional, clear, and courteous. Excellence in both written and verbal communication is not aspirational in this role — it is the baseline.

Continuous Learning & Policy Awareness

The public service environment is governed by an evolving framework of legislation, prescripts, and departmental policies. The Secretary is expected to stay genuinely current with all applicable frameworks — not because it is periodically required, but because understanding the rules of the environment is what enables truly effective administrative support.

Service Orientation

At its core, the Secretary role is a service role — supporting the Director to function at their best by removing administrative friction, anticipating needs, and ensuring the office operates smoothly. The most effective public service secretaries understand that their contribution is measured not in the tasks they complete, but in the quality of support they provide to the people and the mission they serve.

Career Growth Opportunities

A permanent entry-level government position in the Department of Agriculture provides a solid platform for a rewarding career in the public service:

• Secretary → Senior Secretary / Personal Assistant
• Senior Secretary → Office Manager / Chief Admin Clerk
• Office Manager → Assistant Director: Administration
• Assistant Director → Deputy Director / Director: Administration

Your career path is in your hands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need prior work experience to apply for this Secretary position? No. This post explicitly states that no experience is required. It is an entry-level government position open to candidates who hold a Grade 12 certificate and meet the other minimum requirements around computer literacy, communication skills, and personal attributes. Candidates who are entering the job market for the first time are welcome and encouraged to apply.

What is the salary for this government Secretary post? The position is remunerated at R237 453 per annum (salary level 05) in terms of the applicable government salary scale. This is a structured government salary and is not negotiable. It may be supplemented by applicable government employee benefits.

Who is this EE target aimed at, and does it affect my application if I am not in the target group? The EE target for this post is specifically African Males and Persons with Disability. Preference will be given to candidates from these groups during the selection process. Candidates from other designated groups or backgrounds may still apply but should be aware that the appointment will be made in line with the Department’s Employment Equity plan.

How do I apply, and what must I include in my application? Applications can be submitted by hand delivery during office hours to 20 Steve Biko Street, Agriculture Place, Arcadia, Pretoria, 0002, or by email to Srecruit35@nda.gov.za. Quote reference number 3/3/1/35/2026 in all correspondence. Ensure all required supporting documents are included with your application.

Who do I contact for enquiries about this vacancy? Direct all enquiries to Mr Jan Hendrik Venter on Tel: (012) 319 6384.

Is there a closing date for applications, and when should I apply? No formal closing date is specified in the available post information. Government vacancies typically close quickly and without extended notice. Candidates are strongly advised to apply immediately and to contact Mr Jan Hendrik Venter on (012) 319 6384 to confirm the current application deadline before submitting.

How to Apply

Ready to begin your public service career as a Secretary in the Directorate: Plant Health? Applications are open now. Quote reference number 3/3/1/35/2026 in all correspondence.

👉 Email: Srecruit35@nda.gov.za

🏢 Hand Delivery (office hours only): 20 Steve Biko Street Agriculture Place Arcadia, Pretoria 0002

📞 Mr Jan Hendrik Venter – Tel: (012) 319 6384

Quote reference number 3/3/1/35/2026 on all correspondence and application submissions.

Applications submitted by hand must be delivered during office hours only. Applications received outside of office hours will not be accepted.

This post has a specific EE target: African Males and Persons with Disability. Candidates from these groups are encouraged to apply.

Late applications will not be considered. Government vacancies close quickly — apply immediately.

Apply early — government vacancies close quickly.

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