WHAT DOES AN OFFICE MANAGER DO?

Published: Dec 10, 2025 - The Office Manager oversees daily office operations, facilities, and vendor relationships while ensuring a safe, compliant, and well-functioning workplace. This role involves managing the full employee life cycle, administering HRIS, payroll, benefits, and leave programs, and maintaining compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. The Manager also partners with a third-party accounting firm to support bookkeeping, reporting, and ad hoc financial and employee data requests.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Office Manager

1. Office Manager Accountabilities

  • Reception Services: Provide reception services, including greeting visitors and managing telephone calls.
  • Clerical Support: Perform daily clerical duties such as arranging couriers, sorting and distributing mail, checking vendor and supplier invoices, and obtaining approvals.
  • Administrative Tasks: Perform daily administrative duties, including ordering office supplies and managing office maintenance.
  • Office Systems Management: Establish and maintain office administration systems, including training records, leave and sick records, and supplier records with credit terms.
  • Record Keeping: Establish and maintain a travel log and spending records.
  • Invoice Coordination: Provide vendor and supplier invoices to the accounting firm for payment and handle invoice and payment queries.
  • Executive Support: Provide secretarial services to the General Manager in the country and senior executives of the local team.
  • Office Operations: Manage the general day-to-day operations of the General Manager’s office, including calls, diary management, systems, filing, and billing.
  • Meeting Coordination: Organize and attend meetings and prepare minutes.
  • Travel Arrangements: Make travel arrangements and prepare trip files and itineraries.
  • Expense Management: Prepare expense claim forms and obtain approval.

2. Office Manager Job Summary

  • Call Handling: Screen phone calls, enquiries, and requests, and handle them on demand.
  • Diary Management: Organize and maintain diaries and make appointments.
  • Document Production: Produce documents, briefing papers, reports, and presentations.
  • Meeting Coordination: Organize and attend meetings.
  • Supplier Liaison: Liaise with suppliers and staff.
  • Administrative Support: Provide administrative support.
  • Budget Tracking: Record office expenditure and manage the budget.
  • Supply Maintenance: Maintain supplies of equipment.
  • Office Maintenance: Maintain the condition of the office and arrange necessary repairs.
  • Contract Management: Manage department contracts with support from the legal department.
  • Budget Collaboration: Support budget management in collaboration with the management controller and the financial department.
  • Compliance Awareness: Be aware of and comply with relevant laws, ethics, regulations, and corporate procedures for the area.

3. Office Manager Responsibilities

  • Administrative Tasks: Handle various administrative tasks.
  • Roster Support: Support staff rostering.
  • Training Records: Maintain training records.
  • Personnel Files: Maintain staff personnel files.
  • Office Support: Perform routine office duties that support overall operations.
  • Activity Scheduling: Schedule activities and coordinate documentation.
  • Work Scheduling: Organize work schedules for employees.
  • Shift Coverage: Ensure that shift coverage aligns with staffing needs.
  • Learning Tracking: Track employee participation in required learning activities.
  • Training Documentation: Document completed courses and upcoming training requirements.
  • Information Management: Manage confidential employee information.
  • Record Safeguarding: Safeguard contracts, performance notes, and employment history.

4. Office Manager Functions

  • Administrative Support: Provide administrative support to several executives, including the CEO.
  • Calendar Management: Manage scheduling and calendars.
  • Meeting Coordination: Coordinate meetings.
  • Office Operations: Manage daily office operations, including facilities maintenance, office supplies, equipment, and service providers.
  • Vendor Relations: Manage vendor and client relationships.
  • Marketing Support: Provide marketing support, including creating social media content, website content, PowerPoint presentations, and related materials.
  • Safety Assistance: Assist with maintaining office health and safety guidelines.
  • Contractor Onboarding: Assist with onboarding and offboarding contractors.
  • Front Desk: Act as the front point of contact by greeting and directing visitors.
  • Travel Coordination: Organize travel and reservations and support event coordination.

5. Office Manager Job Description

  • Order Processing: Manage and process orders and related invoices efficiently.
  • Team Coordination: Coordinate closely with the Technical and Warehouse teams to support operational workflows.
  • IT Support: Assist with IT systems and ERP platform functionality.
  • Procedure Development: Develop and improve office procedures to enhance daily operations.
  • System Oversight: Oversee the implementation of consistent administrative systems.
  • Schedule Management: Maintain an organized system for appointments and internal reporting.
  • Customer Communication: Ensure regular communication with customers to support service continuity.
  • Parent Company Liaison: Liaise frequently with the parent company to align processes and reporting.
  • External Coordination: Coordinate with third-party contacts to facilitate smooth external operations.
  • Interdepartmental Support: Support interdepartmental collaboration by maintaining reliable administrative practices.

6. Office Manager Overview

  • Visitor Greeting: Greet visitors in a friendly and professional manner and direct them to the appropriate departments.
  • Administrative Support: Provide scheduling and administrative support to leadership, directors, and staff.
  • Event Logistics: Organize and oversee all logistics for meetings, events, conferences, and hospitality arrangements.
  • Vendor Management: Manage relationships with vendors to ensure consistent service and office supply availability.
  • Daily Administration: Assist with daily administrative duties to maintain a smooth and efficient office environment.
  • Operational Support: Support cross-departmental operations by handling routine office tasks.
  • Call Handling: Respond to member inquiries received via phone calls to the main office.
  • Email Management: Monitor and manage emails received in the Support mailbox.
  • Service Response: Address service requests promptly to ensure member satisfaction.
  • Communication Coordination: Coordinate communication between internal teams and external contacts.

7. Office Manager Details and Accountabilities

  • Freight Coordination: Coordinate freight booking and deliveries.
  • Invoicing Management: Issue invoices and ensure receivables are collected promptly.
  • Administrative Support: Provide clerical and administrative support to management.
  • Recruitment Assistance: Assist with recruitment needs.
  • Cash Handling: Handle cash and perform daily periodic reconciliations of accounts.
  • Content Creation: Create weekly website content related to current factory activities.
  • Part Number Administration: Create and administer part numbers in the company system.
  • Command Support: Provide advice, support, and administrative assistance to the chain of command.
  • Stakeholder Liaison: Liaise with stakeholders.
  • Inbox & System Admin: Assist with the group email inbox and administer CMS and ACMS transactions.

8. Office Manager Additional Details

  • Price Negotiation: Negotiate prices and source plants and tools.
  • Fuel Management: Be responsible for ordering fuel for sites.
  • Rate Management: Ensure rate lists and deals with plant and tool companies are kept up to date, and agreement terms are known.
  • Supplier Monitoring: Monitor and update the approved supplier list.
  • Purchase Orders: Raise company purchase orders.
  • Project Reporting: Compile monthly project reports.
  • MOT Coordination: Administer and coordinate plant and vehicle MOTs, inspections, and condition checks.
  • Tracker Reporting: Produce weekly tracker reports, compile summaries, and report to relevant departments.
  • Fault Reporting: Report plant, vehicle, and equipment faults on time.
  • Equipment Hiring: Hire and off-hire plant, equipment, and vehicles promptly.
  • Media Monitoring: Monitor site photography and update social media.
  • Office Duties: Perform general office duties including reprographics, filing, and archiving.
  • Stationery Control: Control stationery stock, manage re-order levels, and complete monthly replenishment for sites.
  • IT Maintenance: Maintain IT equipment for sites.

9. Office Manager Essential Functions

  • Meeting Preparation: Prepare meeting agendas, minutes, and documentation.
  • Travel Arrangements: Handle all logistical travel arrangements for the CEO.
  • Calendar Management: Manage the CEO’s daily calendar and coordinate scheduled appointments.
  • Correspondence Handling: Prepare correspondence for the CEO and respond independently.
  • File Management: Maintain and establish an updated filing system and database.
  • Call Screening: Screen incoming calls and correspond personally.
  • Inquiry Management: Handle complaints and inquiries addressed to the CEO.

10. Office Manager Role Purpose

  • Call Handling: Answer and direct all calls promptly, professionally, and courteously.
  • Executive Support: Play a key support role for the executive staff.
  • Administrative Tasks: Perform administrative tasks efficiently, including managing office supply inventory, general filing, executive support, and researching travel-related transportation options.
  • Office Coordination: Serve as the point person for mailing, supplies, shopping, equipment, and errands.
  • Visitor Support: Provide general support to visitors.
  • Confidential Assistance: Provide confidential support to staff members.
  • Employee Onboarding: Assist with onboarding new employees.
  • Interview Support: Assist hiring managers in setting up interviews.

11. Office Manager General Responsibilities

  • Office Operations: Manage office operations and facilities.
  • Policy Management: Create, administer, and continuously improve office policies and procedures.
  • Safety Compliance: Maintain a safe office environment in compliance with OSHA guidelines.
  • Vendor Coordination: Serve as the primary contact for all office vendors.
  • Employee Lifecycle: Manage the employee life cycle, including recruiting, onboarding, and offboarding.
  • HRIS Management: Maintain the HRIS system and employee files.
  • Leave Administration: Administer leave requests, disability claims, and workers’ compensation claims.
  • Payroll Processing: Process payroll and maintain employee payroll information.
  • Benefits Administration: Administer the employee benefits program.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Comply with country, state, and local laws and regulations by staying current on existing and new legislation.
  • Accounting Liaison: Manage the relationship with the third-party accounting firm.
  • Bookkeeping Support: Perform accounting, bookkeeping, and reporting in partnership with the third-party accounting firm.
  • Report Provision: Provide ad hoc accounting and employee reports.