Office Manager Job Description
Hire an organised, reliable Office Manager to keep your workplace running smoothly and support your leadership team.
What does a Office Manager professional do?
An Office Manager organises daily office operations, manages administrative staff and supplies, oversees facilities and small budgets, and implements office systems to keep teams productive.
Office Manager job description template
Use this employer-ready example as a starting point, then replace the placeholders and adjust the content so it accurately reflects your vacancy.
Office Manager
About the role
[Company name] is looking for an experienced Office Manager to run daily office operations, manage a small administrative team and maintain facilities and supplies. This full-time role reports to [line manager title] and suits a practical organiser with strong communication skills, confidence using office systems and the ability to balance routine administration with one-off project work. Salary/benefits: [Salary or range] / [Key benefits].
Key responsibilities
- Supervise and support administrative staff, including reception, secretarial and facilities colleagues; manage rotas, workloads and basic performance issues.
- Maintain office systems and processes: filing, meeting-room bookings, supplier lists and mail distribution.
- Manage relationships with suppliers and contractors for cleaning, security, catering and office equipment; arrange repairs and service visits.
- Control office supplies and stock levels; place orders, reconcile invoices and track spend against small departmental budgets.
- Coordinate meeting and event logistics, including room setup, catering requirements and IT arrangements.
- Act as first point of contact for facilities issues and building management during working hours.
- Process basic HR administration tasks such as desk moves, new starter set-up, office inductions and leaver checklists.
- Ensure compliance with routine health & safety checks and maintain up-to-date records (fire safety, first-aid, accident logs) where applicable.
Essential skills and experience
- Proven experience in an office management, senior administrative or similar role.
- Strong organisational and time-management skills with attention to detail.
- Experience supervising or coordinating a small team.
- Competent user of standard office software (email, calendars, spreadsheets) and experience with online booking or facilities systems.
- Good written and verbal communication skills for liaising with colleagues, suppliers and external contacts.
- Ability to budget for and reconcile small operational spend.
- Right to work in the UK.
Desirable
- Experience with facilities management or building services coordination.
- Familiarity with health & safety record-keeping and basic compliance checks.
- Experience setting up or improving office systems and procedures.
- A relevant vocational qualification (business administration, facilities, or similar).
- First-aid qualification or willingness to obtain one.
- Experience supporting senior managers or board-level meetings and minute-taking.
What we offer
- [Pension contribution or scheme]
- [Flexible working or hybrid options]
- [Annual leave entitlement: e.g. X days plus bank holidays]
- [Paid training and professional development budget]
- [Season ticket loan or travel allowance]
- [Employee assistance programme or wellbeing support]
How to apply
Apply with your CV and any additional information requested. Make the interview process, closing date and any assessment stages clear where known.
Use this as a starting point rather than a final advert. The strongest version will reflect the real role, salary, location, systems, responsibilities, benefits and working arrangements.
What is an Office Manager role?
Office Managers co‑ordinate the day‑to‑day running of an organisation’s workplace. They supervise administrative staff, oversee facilities and supplies, manage small operational budgets and maintain systems that support productivity and compliance. The role combines routine administration with occasional project work and requires good communication, problem solving and organisational skills.
Core focus
Operational administration, team coordination and facilities oversight to keep the office functioning effectively.
Team size
Typically manages a small admin or reception team and works closely with HR, finance and senior managers.
Hours
Most roles are full-time daytime hours; some employers offer flexible or hybrid arrangements.
Responsibility
Accountable for day-to-day logistics, supplier relationships and basic health & safety record keeping.
Typical Office Manager responsibilities
Responsibilities should reflect the real scope of the vacancy rather than every task someone in this profession might ever complete.
Supervise
Supervise and support administrative staff, including reception, secretarial and facilities colleagues; manage rotas, workloads and basic performance issues.
Maintain office systems
Maintain office systems and processes: filing, meeting-room bookings, supplier lists and mail distribution.
Manage relationships with suppliers
Manage relationships with suppliers and contractors for cleaning, security, catering and office equipment; arrange repairs and service visits.
Control office supplies
Control office supplies and stock levels; place orders, reconcile invoices and track spend against small departmental budgets.
Coordinate meeting
Coordinate meeting and event logistics, including room setup, catering requirements and IT arrangements.
Act as first point of
Act as first point of contact for facilities issues and building management during working hours.
Process basic HR administration tasks
Process basic HR administration tasks such as desk moves, new starter set-up, office inductions and leaver checklists.
Ensure compliance with routine health
Ensure compliance with routine health & safety checks and maintain up-to-date records (fire safety, first-aid, accident logs) where applicable.
Office Manager skills and experience to look for
Keep the essential list focused on what the person really needs to perform the role. Move useful-but-trainable experience into desirable criteria.
Usually worth prioritising
- Proven experience in an office management, senior administrative or similar role.
- Strong organisational and time-management skills with attention to detail.
- Experience supervising or coordinating a small team.
- Competent user of standard office software (email, calendars, spreadsheets) and experience with online booking or facilities systems.
- Good written and verbal communication skills for liaising with colleagues, suppliers and external contacts.
- Ability to budget for and reconcile small operational spend.
- Right to work in the UK.
Useful where relevant
- Experience with facilities management or building services coordination.
- Familiarity with health & safety record-keeping and basic compliance checks.
- Experience setting up or improving office systems and procedures.
- A relevant vocational qualification (business administration, facilities, or similar).
- First-aid qualification or willingness to obtain one.
- Experience supporting senior managers or board-level meetings and minute-taking.
See our guide to what to include in a job advert before publishing.
How to write a Office Manager job advert
Small role-specific details can make the advert much easier for suitable candidates to assess.
Clarify scope and autonomy
State whether the role is hands‑on facilities management, primarily administrative coordination, or a mix — and how much independent decision‑making the post holds.
List the team and reporting line
Include the number and type of direct reports and who the role reports to; candidates use this to judge seniority and fit.
Specify systems and tools
Name key software (e.g., office suites, room‑booking, finance or HR platforms) you expect the candidate to use or learn.
Give examples of typical tasks
Use 2–3 concrete examples of daily and weekly duties so applicants understand the balance of reactive and planned work.
Be explicit about flexibility
State working hours, hybrid expectations and any requirement for occasional out‑of-hours or event support.
Office Manager salary considerations
Office Manager pay varies by region, employer size and the breadth of responsibilities. Instead of a single market figure, consider the factors below when setting or assessing a salary for this role.
depending on experience
- Use a genuine range
- Separate variable pay
- Avoid “competitive” alone
- Match salary to seniority
What Office Manager candidates will want to know
Practical details can influence whether a suitable candidate applies, even when the title and salary are attractive.
What is the typical day-to-day balance between admin, facilities and people management?
Experienced candidates will want to know whether the role is mainly desk-based administration, facilities coordination or frontline people supervision.
How many direct reports and which teams will I line-manage?
Candidates expect clarity on team size, roles they manage and any HR responsibilities such as appraisals or recruitment.
What systems and software will I be expected to use?
Naming major tools (email/calendar, HR or finance systems, room-booking) helps applicants assess technical fit.
Are there flexible hours or hybrid working options?
Many candidates prioritise clarity on remote days, core hours and any expectation for on-site presence for events or issues.
Where is the role based and is there parking or public transport nearby?
Location details and transport options are practical considerations that affect commute and start time expectations.
What opportunities are there for training and career progression?
Office Managers often want clear pathways to facilities, operations or senior administrative roles and support for CPD.
Where to post a Office Manager job
Office Manager roles attract candidates with a mix of administrative, facilities and people-management skills. For best reach, use a combination of broad UK job boards and specialist admin or facilities job boards, plus professional networks (LinkedIn) and local community channels if your location or sector targets local applicants. Highlight flexible or hybrid options and list required systems to increase relevance and reduce unqualified applications.
Related administration & operations job descriptions
Recruiting for a slightly different role? These templates may be a closer fit.
Office Manager job description FAQs
How long should the hiring process take for an Office Manager?
A straightforward hire typically takes 3–6 weeks from advert to offer, allowing time for shortlisting, two interview stages and reference checks. More senior or multi-site roles may take longer.
Should I advertise 'Office Manager' or use a more specific title?
Use 'Office Manager' if the role covers general running of the office. If the post is heavily focused on facilities, HR administration or executive support, choose a title that reflects that focus to attract the right applicants.
Is prior line-management experience essential?
It is beneficial but not always essential. If the role includes supervising several people, list team leadership as essential; for smaller teams, specify it as desirable and allow strong candidates with relevant administrative experience to apply.
What checks should employers complete before hiring?
Standard checks include right-to-work verification, references and any role‑relevant background checks. For roles handling finance or sensitive data, consider additional identity or DBS checks where appropriate.
Can I recruit for this role on a fixed-term or part-time basis?
Yes. Many organisations successfully recruit Office Managers on part-time or fixed-term contracts. Be explicit about hours, core days and how responsibilities will be covered to avoid confusion.
Ready to hire an Office Manager?
Use this template to create a clear advert, then post to the channels most relevant to your location and sector. If you need help promoting the vacancy or reaching local candidates, consider combining general job boards with specialist admin networks and professional links.
