Sample Office Manager Job Description
Office managers play an integral role in ensuring the smooth daily operations of a business by enabling others to do their jobs effectively. Job descriptions for office managers vary widely depending on the employer and the type of business. Office managers are also commonly referred to as office supervisors, administrative managers, administrative supervisors and office coordinators.
Duties
Office managers are responsible for supervising, coordinating and assigning the daily activities of clerical and administrative support staff, ensuring that work is finished on schedule and up to standard and providing guidance. Depending on the employer, office managers may also handle accounts payable and receivable, resolve customer or client complaints, plan meetings and events, handle expense reports and take on other duties.
Education and Training
Depending on the employer, minimum educational requirements may range from a high school diploma to an associate's or bachelor's degree. Some businesses may require additional training or experience in areas such as human resources or accounting. Many companies fill office manager positions by training clerical and administrative support workers, then promoting them to the position of office manager, so the person is well grounded in the work that goes on within the office.
Working Conditions
Office managers generally work indoors in an environmentally-controlled office setting that may include cubicles or other types of work stations and separate offices. They deal with all levels of staff, from part-time clerical workers to executive directors and other top managers. Office managers typically work a full-time schedule (about 40 hours per week) and overtime is sometimes required to attend meetings or work on special projects.
Job Outlook
According to a 2010 report from the Bureau of Labor statistics, employment of office managers was projected to slow through 2014. Technological advances were expected to eliminate the need for many office support workers, meaning less need for office managers to supervise them. However, those same advances were also expected to create larger and more technologically complex businesses, creating a demand for tech-savvy office managers.
Wages
The national average annual wage for office managers was about $50,000, according to statistics published by the BLS in May 2009. Wages varied greatly by industry, however. For example, office managers at computer equipment manufacturing and natural gas transportation companies earned more than $65,000 a year, on average. By contrast, department stores and physicians' offices paid an average of less than $49,000 annually.
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