Marike Snyman van der Watt

Senior Operational Officer | AGA(SA) | Financial & Governance Specialist | Supporting Boards & Trusts

Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa

About

I am a Senior Operations and Finance professional with experience in managing financial, governance and administrative functions within academic and trust environments. Currently, I serve as Senior Operational Officer at the Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal (WAT), where I am responsible for the implementation of financial, HR and operational processes, supporting executive leadership, the Board and Trustees. My areas of focus include: • Financial management, budgeting and reporting • Governance and statutory compliance • Audit coordination and risk management • HR administration and operational oversight I am a qualified AGA(SA) (SAICA), with a solid background in accounting combined with experience in academic coordination and institutional administration. I also have advanced doctoral research experience through a joint programme between Stellenbosch University and KU Leuven, with peer-reviewed publications, international conference participation and involvement in international research networks. In addition to my professional role, I have served as a trustee in both a cultural foundation and a sectional title body corporate, contributing to governance, financial oversight and bursary decision-making.

Experience

  • Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal (WAT) (Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa · On-site)
    • Senior Operations Officer
      Apr 2026 - Present · 4 mos

    • Office Manager and Financial Officer
      Aug 2023 - Mar 2026 · 2 yrs 8 mos

  • Practice Manager at Van Zyl Scheepers Attorneys
    Jul 2022 - Jul 2023 · 1 yr 1 mo

  • Lecturer: Translation Studies at Universiteit Stellenbosch Departement Afrikaans en Nederlands
    Jan 2021 - Dec 2022 · 2 yrs

  • Freelance Translator at Jincom EHS Communications
    Jan 2015 - Jun 2017 · 2 yrs 6 mos

    Afrikaans translator

  • Stellenbosch University (3 yrs 5 mos)
    • Part time lecturer: Short course in Editing Methodology
      Mar 2014 - Jun 2017 · 3 yrs 4 mos

      Die kursus het ten doel om studente toe te rus met ’n stewige metodologiese grondslag wat hulle in staat sal stel om ’n beter redigeerproduk te lewer. Spesifieke doelstellings sluit in dat studente die volgende onderwerpe bestudeeer en bemeester:  die gesitueerdheid van die teks in die kommunikasiesituasie en die verband met kommunikatiewe doelstellings en tekstuele eienskappe;  die analise van tekste binne die konteks van die kommunikatiewe situasie en die identifikasie van probleme;  die soorte redigering, soos in die literatuur uiteengesit;  die praktiese toepassing van teoretiese inhoud om tekstuele probleme op te los;  die beskrywing en motivering van voorgestelde tekstuele veranderinge. The course aims to provide students with a solid methodological foundation that equips them with the knowledge and skills to acquire and/or improve their work as editors. Specific aims include the studying and mastering of the following topics:  the text as situated within a communicative context and the connection with communicative aims and textual characteristics;  the analysis of texts within the context of the communicative situation and the identification of problems;  the types of editing, as set out in the literature;  the practical application of theoretical content to resolve textual problems;  the description and motivation of proposed textual changes.

    • Administrative Assistant for Short Courses
      Feb 2014 - Jun 2015 · 1 yr 5 mos

      Behartig administrasie van die volgende kortkursusse wat deur die US Departement Afrikaans en Nederlands aangebied word: - Redigering Redigeermetodiek Redigeerpraktyk (Afrikaans, Engels en Xhosa) - Vertaling Vertaalmetodiek Vertaalpraktyk (Afrikaans, Engels en Xhosa) Literêre Vertaling - Tolking Tolkmetodiek Tolkpraktyk - Taalverwerwingsmetodologie