Job description

The role of the office manager is to ensure the administrative activities of a business run smoothly and effectively. In a small organisation, this can simply entail a range of general admin duties but quite often an office manager has to oversee the work of the entire administrative team and this requires excellent management skills as well as an in depth knowledge of the admin procedures within the company.

The job is extremely diverse in its nature and is different from one employer to another but some daily duties include:

• The supervision of all administration staff in their duties
• General accounting procedures including budgeting
• Establishing and maintaining efficient filing and storage systems
• Providing reports to senior management
• Ensuring there is adequate staff cover at all times
• Managing holidays and sick days
• Managing payroll
• Delegating duties to other members of staff
• Ensuring the office supplies are competitively sourced
• Managing the company's health and safety policy and procedures
• Staff training, performance and induction

Office management is a full-time, hands-on job and whilst hours are generally advertised as the standard 9 to 5, expect plenty of overtime, especially during peak times or for example when the department is under-staffed. It is primarily an office based role though within a large organisation it may be necessary to work in different office locations from time to time.

No formal qualifications are needed for the office manager role, however, you'll be expected, at the least, to have gained experience in a similar role or have an extremely strong track record of providing comprehensive administrative support, working as part of a team and preferably managing a small group of people.

A future employer would typically be looking for some of the following skills:

• High level of IT literacy
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Strong management skills
• An eye for detail, especially when under pressure
• Good multitasking
• Working knowledge of health and safety regulations
• Excellent project management skills

Salary Information

As is always the case, remuneration is dependent on location and the nature of the business you're working in. If you're relatively new to the job, you'll be lucky to top £20000 per annum. After a few years' experience and a decent track record, you could command a salary of up to £30000. Top office managers in large organisations in London and the South East can earn upwards of £45000 a year.

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