MSD
Administrative Assistant – 12-Month Contract
Please note that this position is offered on a 1-year fixed-term contract basis.
About the Role
Are you a detail-oriented and highly organized individual who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment? MSD’s Medical Affairs division in South Africa is seeking a dedicated Administrative Assistant to provide crucial support to our team. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to our business success while developing your skills within a global healthcare leader.
This position reports directly to the Head of Medical Affairs and will be based at our offices in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage complex calendars, schedule meetings, and prepare detailed minutes and correspondence.
- Handle confidential and sensitive information with the utmost discretion and professionalism.
- Coordinate the end-to-end hiring and onboarding process for new team members, as well as offboarding procedures for resignations.
- Manage relationships with suppliers and vendors, including processing contracts and payments.
- Track and manage expenses against budgets for various therapeutic areas handled by team members.
- Utilize SAP systems (Comet & Ariba) to process purchase orders, payment requests, and vendor addition forms.
- Generate and analyze expense and budget reports within SAP.
- Maintain clear, effective, and regular communication with team members, providing timely updates on tasks.
Ideal Candidate Profile
We are looking for someone who possesses:
- Strong experience with financial and budget management tasks, including bookkeeping.
- Proficiency with numbers and advanced Excel skills.
- An ability to understand and work with pharmaceutical and clinical terminology.
- Exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- A proven ability to prioritize a demanding workload and provide regular status reports.
Required Skills
Customer Service, Database Management, Detail-Oriented, Document Management, Event Planning, Office Administration, People Oriented, Prioritization, Scheduling, Vendor Management
Preferred Skills
Communication
Employee Status
Temporary (Fixed Term)
Flexible Work Arrangements
Not Applicable
Application Deadline
Open until filled
How to Apply:
Please apply via the official MSD careers portal by visiting the link below. Applications must be submitted through the official channel to be considered.
Notice to Search Firm Representatives
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs/resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position-specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.