Personal Assistant

About

The Personal Assistant to the Director provides executive, administrative, and technical operational support to ensure the efficient daily functionality of the production facility and distribution supply chain. This role acts as the primary administrative conduit between the Director, plant production supervisors, and external logistics and retail outlets. The position demands above average organizational capabilities, technical reporting competence, a strong understanding of food safety/operational systems, and absolute discretion when handling sensitive corporate, financial, and personnel files. 

Timings and Hours

Minimum guaranteed hours – 30/week. Maximum hours – 45/week. You may be required to work some Saturdays. 

Qualification/Work Experience

• 2 to 3 years of supervisory experience, shift management, or advanced operational administrative experience within a food processing, production factory, or fast-paced quick-service restaurant (QSR) environment. 

Key Responsibilities

1. Internal Liaison & Operational Coordination

• Production Point of Contact: Act as the central administrative liaison between the Director and internal and external stakeholders to streamline daily processing pathways. 

• Supply Chain Liaison: Assist the Director by communicating directly with the Production Manager.

2. Correspondence, Technical Reporting & Document Preparation

• Operational Performance Reporting: Coordinate between the Director and the Production Manager for compiling, analyze, and preparing regular summary reports. 

• Compliance Documentation: Coordinating with and assisting the Director in ensuring documentation compliance. 

• B2B Correspondence: Review, filter, and draft formal business correspondence and routine operational emails addressed to internal staff, wholesale clients, distribution partners, and retail outlets. 

3. Confidential Recordkeeping, Payroll Support & Administration

• Discretionary Data Management: Maintain secure, confidential digital and physical filing systems containing sensitive business contracts, food safety audit records, and company certifications. 

• Payroll & Time Tracking Administration: Assist the Director by coordinating for cross-referencing staff timesheets, ordinary hours worked, public holiday rates, and leave balances via automated payroll systems to ensure compliant recordkeeping. 

4. Meeting Management & Executive Secretarial Duties

• Operational & Compliance Briefings: Coordinate and attend regular plant management, health & safety committee, and quality assurance meetings. 

• Secretarial Execution: Take detailed and accurate minutes, log action items, and distribute briefing notes to the appropriate operational supervisors.

5. Diary, Scheduling & Travel Arrangements

• Executive Calendar Management: Professionally manage the Director’s operational diary, scheduling site audits, supplier consultations, and corporate stakeholder conferences. 

• Logistics & Travel Coordination: Arrange domestic travel itineraries, transport, accommodation, and external site-visit logistics for the Director.

6. Information Management & Mail Processing 

• Inquiry Screening: Answer incoming telephone calls, screen external inquiries from retail outlets, cold-chain logistics contractors, or compliance agencies, and handle routine queries independently prior to executive escalation. 

• Mail & Record Archiving: Systematically process incoming and outgoing physical mail and email. 

• Administrative Transcription: Accurately record communication from the Director to rapidly transcribe communication that needs to be sent out.

7. Supervisory Autonomy 

• Clerical Coordination: Coordinate with other relevant staff to ensure a smooth workflow. 

You must be a New Zealand Citizen, Resident, or hold a valid visa with unrestricted full-time work rights in New Zealand.