Receptionist & Office Experience Manager
Location: Johannesburg Office
Reports to: Country/Office Manager
Works closely with: Executive Assistants, Consultants, Facilities, IT, Finance, HR
Role Purpose
This role is the heartbeat of the Johannesburg office—responsible for creating a seamless, welcoming, and high-functioning environment for staff, clients, and guests. This role goes beyond traditional front-desk duties to encompass full ownership of the office experience, hospitality, coordination, and operational excellence. It combines front-of-house excellence with behind-the-scenes coordination, hospitality, and culture-building. The individual will be a proactive office ambassador, creating an environment that reflects the firm’s brand and values.
Key Responsibilities
Front-of-House & Hospitality
Be present full-time, starting before the first client or guest arrives.
Greet all visitors with warmth, professionalism, and discretion.
Offer beverages and manage hospitality (together with the cleaner/helper).
Maintain a tidy, well-presented reception and visitor area.
Office Operations & Tech Support
Manage meeting room bookings, videoconferencing setup, and basic tech troubleshooting.
Maintain and distribute Wi-Fi access details for guests and staff.
Liaise with building management for repairs, access, and security.
Oversee daily office operations, including office supplies, courier services, and equipment maintenance.
Ensure smooth functioning of office equipment and coordinate service calls.
Culture & Engagement
Organise staff lunches, staff birthday celebrations/gifts, seasonal events, and wellness initiatives.
Plan and coordinate team-building days, CSR activities, and social events.
Support onboarding of new joiners and ensure a welcoming experience.
Catering & Meeting Support
Coordinate catering for internal and client meetings.
Ensure meeting rooms are set up, cleaned, and stocked appropriately (together with cleaner/helper).
Track catering expenses and liaise with finance for allocations.
Administrative Support
Provide light-touch support to consultants and EAs (printing, binding, courier arrangements).
Assist with document formatting, calendar coordination, and visitor logistics.
Manage background checks, credit checks, education checks etc. for candidates
Maintain subscriptions and office inventories.
Support workplace health and safety initiatives.
Ensure first aid kits, emergency equipment, and evacuation procedures remain compliant.
Coordinate fire drills and emergency preparedness activities where applicable.
Ideal Candidate Profile
Experience
3–5 years in a receptionist, office coordinator, or administrative role.
Experience in professional services or a fast-paced corporate environment.
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office and videoconferencing tools.
Skills & Attributes
Warm, polished, and professional demeanour.
Highly organised, detail-oriented, and proactive.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Tech-savvy and comfortable with evolving office systems.
A natural host with a genuine desire to serve and support.
Calm under pressure and able to juggle multiple priorities.
Success Measures
Positive feedback from visitors and staff.
Smooth daily operations with minimal disruptions.
Increased staff presence and engagement in the office.
High-quality support to consultants and EAs.
Proactive identification and resolution of office needs.
Skills Required
- 3-5 years in a receptionist, office coordinator, or administrative role
- Experience in professional services or fast-paced corporate environment
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office
- Proficiency with videoconferencing tools and basic AV setup/troubleshooting
- Highly organised, detail-oriented, and proactive
- Warm, polished, professional demeanour and hospitality orientation
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to be present full-time and start before first clients/guests arrive
- Comfortable with evolving office systems and basic tech support
- Calm under pressure and able to juggle multiple priorities
Spencer Stuart Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Spencer Stuart and has not been reviewed or approved by Spencer Stuart.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered competitive for the work, and employer‑posted ranges for core roles align with a “fair pay for job” theme. Feedback suggests many roles in major markets feel appropriately benchmarked against peers.
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Healthcare Strength — Health insurance is frequently described as comprehensive, with some noting low‑cost or employer‑paid coverage and strong plan quality relative to peers. Wellness and mental‑health programs further bolster the medical offering.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave for mothers and fathers is characterized as generous. Flexibility and remote‑work options in some roles support family needs.
Spencer Stuart Insights
What We Do
At Spencer Stuart, we know how much leadership matters. We are trusted by organizations around the world to help them make the senior-level leadership decisions that have a lasting impact on their enterprises. Through our executive search, board and leadership advisory services, we help build and enhance high-performing teams for select clients ranging from major multinationals to emerging companies to nonprofit institutions. Privately held since 1956, we focus on delivering knowledge, insight and results through the collaborative efforts of a team of experts — now spanning more than 70 offices, over 30 countries and more than 50 practice specialties. Boards and leaders consistently turn to Spencer Stuart to help address their evolving leadership needs in areas such as senior-level executive search, board recruitment, board effectiveness, succession planning, in-depth senior management assessment, employee engagement and many other facets of culture and organizational effectiveness.








