About This Course
The modern administrative professional is far more than a support function — they are a strategic partner, a communication hub, and an operational anchor within any organisation. As executives face increasing demands on their time and attention, the professionals who support them must be equipped with a sophisticated toolkit that spans advanced communication, digital productivity, records management, event coordination, and interpersonal influence.
This five-day Advanced Office Administration programme has been designed specifically for secretaries, executive assistants, and senior administrative officers who are ready to move beyond routine tasks and into a role of genuine strategic value. The curriculum addresses the real challenges faced in high-pressure office environments — from managing competing priorities and difficult stakeholders to drafting polished executive correspondence and leveraging digital tools for maximum efficiency.
TrainingComplex has developed this course based on best practices drawn from leading organisations across Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. Each module builds progressively on the last, ensuring that participants leave not only with new knowledge but with the confidence and practical capability to apply it immediately in their organisations.
By the end of this programme, delegates will be recognised as advanced professionals who can anticipate needs, manage complexity, represent their organisations with confidence, and contribute meaningfully to organisational success at the highest levels.
Who Should Attend
- Executive secretaries and personal assistants supporting C-suite or senior management
- Senior administrative officers seeking to formalise and elevate their professional skills
- Office managers responsible for coordinating teams and office operations
- Administrative professionals with at least two years of experience looking to advance their careers
- Government and public sector administrative staff handling high-level correspondence and coordination
- NGO and development sector programme assistants managing multi-stakeholder communications
Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate advanced written and verbal communication skills appropriate for executive-level correspondence and presentations
- Manage complex diary and travel arrangements for senior executives using digital scheduling tools
- Apply professional records management principles to maintain accurate, accessible, and compliant documentation systems
- Organise high-level meetings, conferences, and official events with precision and professionalism
- Handle sensitive and confidential information with the highest standards of discretion and integrity
- Utilise productivity software — including Microsoft 365 and collaborative platforms — at an advanced level
- Navigate workplace relationships, manage upward effectively, and resolve conflicts diplomatically
- Draft and proof executive reports, minutes, and business documents to a publication-ready standard
- Apply time management and prioritisation frameworks to handle multiple high-stakes demands simultaneously
- Project a professional personal brand that reflects the standards of their organisation and executive team
Course Modules
Module 1: The Strategic Role of the Modern Administrative Professional
- Evolving expectations: from support function to strategic partner
- Understanding executive priorities and organisational goals
- Professional identity, personal branding, and credibility at work
- Self-assessment: identifying skills gaps and development opportunities
- Acting as a trusted gatekeeper and organisational ambassador across departments
- Influencing without authority: using knowledge, relationships, and credibility to drive outcomes
Module 2: Advanced Business Writing and Executive Correspondence
- Principles of clear, concise, and professional business writing
- Drafting executive letters, memos, briefing notes, and reports
- Tone, formality, and audience awareness in written communication
- Editing and proofreading to publication-ready standard
- Writing on behalf of executives: matching voice, style, and intent accurately
- Structuring persuasive proposals and business cases for internal and external audiences
Module 3: Meeting Management and Minute Writing
- Planning and preparing for effective formal and informal meetings
- Structuring and distributing agendas that drive productive outcomes
- Accurate and professional minute-taking techniques
- Following up on action points and ensuring accountability
- Distinguishing between verbatim, narrative, and action-only minute formats and when to use each
- Managing meeting dynamics: handling late changes, quorum issues, and confidential agenda items
Module 4: Diary, Schedule, and Travel Management
- Managing complex multi-stakeholder calendars and scheduling conflicts
- Prioritising appointments and protecting executive time effectively
- Organising domestic and international travel: itineraries, visas, and logistics
- Digital tools for scheduling: Outlook Calendar, Google Calendar, and booking platforms
- Preparing comprehensive travel packs: briefings, contacts, contingency plans, and expense frameworks
- Anticipating and resolving scheduling conflicts before they escalate to the executive
Module 5: Records Management and Office Documentation Systems
- Principles of effective records management and document lifecycle
- Designing and maintaining physical and electronic filing systems
- Confidentiality, data protection, and compliance in record-keeping
- Digital document management using SharePoint, OneDrive, and cloud storage
- Applying retention schedules and legally compliant document disposal procedures
- Version control best practices to ensure staff always access current and authorised documents
Module 6: Digital Productivity and Microsoft 365 Mastery
- Advanced features of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for administrative use
- Collaboration and communication via Microsoft Teams and SharePoint
- Using OneNote and Outlook tasks for personal productivity and follow-up
- Automating routine tasks using templates, macros, and built-in workflow tools
- Using Microsoft Forms and Planner to coordinate team activities and track project progress
- Leveraging Copilot and AI-assisted features in Microsoft 365 to accelerate administrative output
Module 7: Event and Conference Coordination
- Planning high-level internal and external events from brief to debrief
- Venue selection, supplier management, and budget oversight
- Protocol, seating arrangements, and VIP guest management
- Post-event evaluation and lessons learned documentation
- Drafting event run-of-show documents, briefing packs, and on-the-day communication plans
- Managing registration, catering requirements, accessibility needs, and last-minute delegate changes
Module 8: Interpersonal Communication and Stakeholder Management
- Reading the room: adapting communication style to different audiences
- Managing up: communicating effectively with senior leadership
- Handling difficult colleagues, external clients, and challenging situations
- Building professional networks and maintaining stakeholder relationships
- Active listening techniques and the use of clarifying questions to prevent miscommunication
- Managing cross-cultural communication in diverse and international workplace settings
Module 9: Confidentiality, Ethics, and Professional Conduct
- Understanding and applying professional ethics in administrative roles
- Managing sensitive information: personal data, legal documents, and executive communications
- Navigating political dynamics, gossip, and workplace conflicts discreetly
- Building a reputation for trustworthiness, reliability, and integrity
- Recognising ethical dilemmas and applying a principled decision-making framework under pressure
- Understanding duty-of-care obligations and when to escalate concerns through appropriate channels
Module 10: Personal Effectiveness, Resilience, and Career Advancement
- Time management and prioritisation frameworks for high-demand roles
- Managing stress, avoiding burnout, and maintaining professional composure
- Setting career goals and creating a personal development plan
- Positioning yourself for promotion: visibility, competence, and professional presence
- Seeking, receiving, and acting on feedback to accelerate continuous professional growth
- Identifying mentoring, professional association membership, and CPD opportunities in the administrative field
Requirements & Prerequisites
Participants should have a minimum of two years of experience working in an administrative, secretarial, or office coordination role. A basic familiarity with Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Outlook, and Excel is expected before attending. No formal qualifications beyond secondary education are required, though a certificate or diploma in office administration or a related field would be advantageous.
Training Methodology
- Executive correspondence workshops where participants draft, peer-review, and refine real business documents including letters, minutes, and briefing notes
- Role-play scenarios simulating difficult stakeholder interactions, executive briefings, and high-pressure diary management situations
- Hands-on digital productivity sessions using Microsoft 365 tools including Outlook Calendar, OneNote, Teams, and SharePoint
- Case studies drawn from real administrative challenges faced in corporate, government, and NGO environments across Africa and the Middle East
- Group problem-solving exercises focused on event planning, records audits, and multi-stakeholder scheduling conflicts
- Personal branding and professional presence workshop including a structured self-assessment and peer feedback session
- Reflective journalling prompts at the close of each day to consolidate learning and identify immediate workplace applications
- Take-home templates, checklists, and reference guides covering minutes formats, travel planning, filing systems, and correspondence standards
Organisational Benefits
- Executives gain a trusted, highly capable administrative partner who can operate with minimal supervision
- Organisational communications become more polished, consistent, and professionally represented at all levels
- Operational efficiency improves as administrative professionals handle complexity with greater competence
- Risk of errors in scheduling, correspondence, and record-keeping is significantly reduced
- The organisation benefits from better-organised meetings, events, and travel logistics
- Staff retention improves as administrative professionals feel invested in and professionally valued
- Institutional knowledge is better captured and managed through improved records and documentation practices
- Senior leadership is freed to focus on strategic priorities, confident in the capability of their support teams
Where Is Advanced Office Administration for Secretaries and Administrative Professionals Training Offered?
This course runs in-person across: Lagos, Mombasa, Nakuru, Dubai, Kigali, Accra, Naivasha, Cape Town, Riyadh, Kampala, Dar es Salaam, Pretoria, Arusha, Addis Ababa, Johannesburg, Kisumu, Zanzibar, Abuja, Nairobi, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.
Upcoming Schedules
| Location | Format | Dates | Price |
|---|
| Lagos, Nigeria |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,500 |
| Mombasa, Kenya |
In-Person |
5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 |
KES 115,000 |
| Nakuru, Kenya |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
KES 115,000 |
| Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
In-Person |
12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,100 |
| Kigali, Rwanda |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Accra, Ghana |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Naivasha, Kenya |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Cape Town, South Africa |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,500 |
| Kampala, Uganda |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
In-Person |
19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,300 |
| Pretoria, South Africa |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,300 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Arusha, Tanzania |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,100 |
| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,400 |
+233 more dates — view live schedule →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a formal qualification in office administration to attend this course?
No formal qualification is required. The course is designed for experienced administrative professionals with at least two years of practical work experience. A certificate or diploma in office administration is advantageous but not mandatory.
Will I receive a certificate upon completing the course?
Yes. All participants who attend the full five-day programme and complete the required activities will receive a certificate of completion from TrainingComplex, which can be used for professional development records and career advancement purposes.
Is this course suitable for someone who is relatively new to administrative work?
This programme is specifically designed for those with existing administrative experience who want to advance to a higher level of professional competence. If you are new to the field, we recommend beginning with a foundational office administration course before enrolling in this advanced programme.
What software or equipment do I need to bring?
Participants attending in-person sessions are encouraged to bring a laptop with Microsoft 365 installed, as several modules include hands-on digital productivity exercises. For the Live Virtual cohort, a stable internet connection, webcam, and microphone are required.
Can organisations enrol multiple staff members from the same team?
Absolutely. Group enrolments are welcome and often enhance the learning experience, as teams can work through shared case studies and apply the tools collaboratively. TrainingComplex also offers customised in-house delivery for organisations wishing to train larger groups at their own premises.
