Cape Town: Executive Support & Communications Specialist posted by K2 Recruit

K2 Recruit is partnering with a dynamic, growth-focused organisation to appoint an experienced Executive Support & Communications Specialist within the Office of the CEO.

This is a high-trust, high-visibility role designed to maximise the CEOs effectiveness through structured executive support, disciplined gatekeeping, and high-quality leadership communication.

The successful candidate will own the CEOs time, access, information flow, and executive readiness while shaping and delivering a clear, credible, and consistent leadership narrative internally and externally.

This is not a traditional Executive Assistant role. It requires a strategic mindset, strong communication capability, and the confidence to operate across senior leadership and external stakeholder environments.

The Role

The Executive Support & Communications Specialist exists to:

• Increase the leverage and effectiveness of the CEO
• Ensure structured prioritisation and disciplined follow-through
• Translate leadership intent into compelling, aligned communication
• Strengthen brand credibility and stakeholder trust

You will operate at the intersection of executive coordination, communication strategy, and leadership enablement.

Key Responsibility Areas

Executive Effectiveness & Gatekeeping

• Proactively manage the CEOs calendar, priorities, and access
• Act as a structured gatekeeper, ensuring disciplined time allocation
• Prepare briefing packs and ensure executive readiness for all engagements
• Maintain strict confidentiality and discretion
• Ensure follow-through on CEO commitments and actions

Leadership Narrative & Messaging

• Shape and deliver a clear, credible, and consistent CEO voice
• Translate strategy, change priorities, and cultural direction into communication that drives alignment
• Draft and refine speeches, presentations, and talking points
• Manage and enhance CEO LinkedIn presence and digital thought leadership

Internal Alignment & Communication

• Drive structured internal communication aligned to leadership messaging
• Ensure clarity and consistency across engagement channels
• Strengthen organisational alignment through well-framed updates and announcements

External Visibility & Brand Trust

• Support CEO visibility across forums, events, media engagements, and stakeholder interactions
• Coordinate messaging with external communication partners where applicable
• Ensure all engagements are supported by accurate, relevant, and high-quality content

Content Research & Preparation

• Conduct research to support speeches and strategic engagements
• Develop briefing notes and insight summaries
• Ensure messaging is timely, relevant, and aligned to broader business objectives

About You

You are confident, socially agile, and emotionally intelligent.

You are comfortable operating in executive, public, and informal settings, able to read the room and adjust your tone and message accordingly.

You bring presence, polish, and sound judgement.

You are:

• Highly organised and structured
• Detail-oriented and proactive
• Calm under pressure
• Trusted with sensitive information
• Curious and well-informed
• Comfortable representing leadership with credibility
• You anticipate needs before they arise and take pride in ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.

Required Experience

• 37 years experience supporting senior leaders in executive support, communications, or related roles
• Strong exposure to content creation, digital communication, and social media management
• Experience supporting events, leadership communication initiatives, or PR engagements
• Proven ability to balance executive coordination with communication delivery

Knowledge & Capability

• Executive support best practices (calendar, inbox, access management)
• Leadership communication and executive messaging principles
• Internal and external communication platforms and engagement channels
• Digital communication and LinkedIn content management
• Speechwriting, briefing preparation, and executive protocol
• Digital productivity tools (Outlook, Google Workspace, collaboration platforms)

What Will Make You Stand Out

• Degree in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or related field
• Strong executive-level writing capability with evidence of published or distributed content
• Proven ability to create compelling communication across digital and live platforms
• Experience coordinating media, PR, or external communication partners
• Strong research and insight development capability
• Comfort coordinating multiple stakeholders and agencies to deliver high-quality outputs
• High level of discretion and emotional maturity