BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR – OPERATIONS

JOB PURPOSE

The Business Administrator – Operations will provide comprehensive administrative and operational support to the Business Owner, acting as a trusted partner in coordinating the smooth day-to-day running of the business.

The successful candidate will take ownership of recurring operational matters across the warehouse, production, shops, deliveries, suppliers and staff. She will monitor activities, follow up on pending tasks, identify operational challenges and ensure that issues are resolved efficiently.

The role is intended to take day-to-day operational pressure off the Business Owner, allowing them to focus on business development, customer acquisition, sales, marketing and overall business growth.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate daily business administration and operational activities.
• Follow up on pending tasks and ensure they are completed within agreed timelines.
• Monitor warehouse operations, production activities, stock movements and dispatches.
• Track customer orders, deliveries and outstanding operational issues.
• Follow up with staff, suppliers, riders and other service providers.
• Monitor staff attendance, punctuality, performance and accountability.
• Assist with purchasing activities and supplier follow-ups.
• Maintain accurate operational records and documentation.
• Prepare and maintain daily, weekly and other operational reports.
• Track assigned tasks, deadlines and outstanding matters.
• Manage the Business Owner's calendar, meetings, priorities and follow-ups.
• Coordinate appointments, meetings and routine business communications.
• Handle routine business matters on behalf of the Business Owner where authorised.
• Ensure agreed decisions and actions are implemented and followed through.
• Identify operational gaps, delays, inefficiencies and recurring problems.
• Investigate routine operational issues and establish their causes.
• Recommend practical solutions and coordinate their implementation.
• Follow up with responsible individuals until issues are fully resolved.
• Develop and maintain simple systems, checklists and tracking tools to improve operational efficiency.
• Ensure effective communication and coordination between different business functions.
• Escalate sensitive, critical or high-risk matters requiring the Business Owner's direct attention.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding business, financial, staff, supplier and customer information.
• Perform any other administrative and operational duties as assigned.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate should be highly organised, proactive, trustworthy and excellent at follow-up.

She should be confident enough to coordinate people, ask questions, challenge delays and ensure that responsibilities are fulfilled while maintaining professionalism and respect.

The successful candidate should be comfortable working independently and taking ownership of tasks without requiring constant supervision.

PROBLEM-SOLVING APPROACH

We are looking for someone who does not simply bring problems to the Business Owner.

The ideal candidate should be able to:

IDENTIFY → INVESTIGATE → PROPOSE → COORDINATE → RESOLVE → REPORT

For routine operational matters, the candidate is expected to identify the issue, investigate what is causing it, propose a practical solution, coordinate the relevant people, follow up until the matter is resolved and report the outcome.

REQUIRED SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Strong organisational and coordination skills.
• Excellent follow-up and task-management skills.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• High attention to detail.
• Ability to multitask and prioritise effectively.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and/or Google Sheets.
• Ability to work with numbers, records and operational reports.
• Ability to coordinate different teams and stakeholders.
• Strong time-management skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to remain calm and effective under pressure.
• Good judgement and decision-making skills.
• Strong sense of accountability and ownership.
• High level of confidentiality, integrity and professionalism.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Diploma or Degree in Business Administration, Business Management, Operations Management, Commerce, Supply Chain Management or a related field.
• Previous experience in business administration, operations, office administration, coordination or a similar role.
• Experience in a fast-paced business environment will be an added advantage.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and/or Google Workspace.
• Good understanding of business administration and day-to-day operational processes.

KEY PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Ensure smooth coordination of daily business operations.
• Maintain effective follow-up on pending tasks and responsibilities.
• Reduce delays and unresolved operational issues.
• Maintain accurate and timely operational records and reports.
• Improve accountability across staff and operational stakeholders.
• Ensure orders, deliveries, purchasing and operational matters are properly tracked.
• Identify recurring problems and support the implementation of solutions to prevent their recurrence.
• Ensure routine matters are resolved without unnecessary escalation.
• Keep the Business Owner adequately informed of important matters.
• Free the Business Owner from routine operational pressure so they can focus on business growth.