Office Manager Job Description

An office manager has a wide range of responsibilities to carry out. From supervising the work of the office staff, to designing and implementing the various policies of an office, an office manager's job depends upon the organization he is working with. His overall responsibility is to ensure the smooth running of an office and to coordinate work between the various departments. There are many job openings for the post of an office manager, as all businesses and even government offices employ office managers to ensure that the office runs in a smooth and seamless way. Besides possessing the technical know how, an officer manager should have excellent communication skills, organizational skills and good leadership qualities. In the following paragraphs, the detailed job description of an office manager is presented for your perusal.

Job Description of an Office Manager

The job of an office manager varies, depending upon the business he is working with. However, the typical responsibilities and job profile of an office manager are as follows:

Supervisory Responsibilities: An office manager assigns and regulates clerical and secretarial functions. He delegates responsibilities among the staff and ensures that no staff member is overloaded with work. If that is the case, he either reshuffles the responsibilities of the various staff members or else recruits new staff to even out the workload. It is he who sees that the staff in his office are working properly and efficiently. He determines the salaries and the working conditions of the employees in the office. An office manager evaluates, assesses and manages the performance of each employee and plays a crucial role in their promotion.

Recruitment and Training: When there is a need for more staff, it is the office manager who oversees the entire selection and recruitment procedure of the new candidates. It is his responsibility to undertake the training and orientation procedure of new employees so that they are well-versed about the office policies, procedures and equipment. It is the responsibility of the office manager to devise training programs for the employees and makes arrangements for such sessions to be conducted. Sometimes, the office manager himself may be involved in conducting the training modules.

Maintain Office Records: One of the most important responsibility of an office manager is to design a filing system and ensure that these systems are up-to-date. He lays down the procedures for maintaining records and he also maintains the office budget and keeps track of all expenses. He has to ensure that personnel files are up-to-date and secure, and that transfer and disposal of records as per the retention schedule and policies are carried out effectively.

Role with the Senior Management: An office manager holds regular meetings with the senior management to review performance of the company and the staff. He delivers reports and presentations regarding the finances and the working of the office to the senior management. He is involved in the meetings that the management conducts about the organization's policies and the steps that it plans to take for its strategic development.

Other Responsibilities

• Updating health safety policies and ensuring that they are being adhered to.
• Handling customer complaints and inquiries.
• Resolving any interdepartmental and personal disputes in the office.
• Making sure that the various departments in the office communicate with each other.
• Ensuring that there is adequate supply of stationery and equipment in the office.

Qualifications and Skills Required

A college degree in business is required to get job as an office manager. Exposure to college coursework involving accounting, data processing and administrative management would be an added advantage while applying for the position of an office manager.

An office manager has to ensure that all the office policies are properly communicated to the staff. It his responsibility to resolve disputes and disagreements that may arise among employees. To be able to do all this, an office manager needs to be a good decision maker and communicator. As he has to draw up elaborate reports he should have strong communication skills. He should be good at multitasking and confident in project management. Knowledge of office software packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.) is also expected for such a job profile.

A career in office management is a great way to start one's career, especially in the business world. Leadership qualities and the ability to multitask are just a few of the skills needed to be a good manager. The average salary of an office manager is between USD 42,000 to USD 45,000 per annum, with slight variation due to geographical location, experience and size of the establishment. The experience that one gains during his tenure as an office manager helps one to get promoted to higher executive positions. Office managers are a valuable asset and an integral part of any organization.