Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Administrative Assistant

🎯 Role Definition

The Administrative Assistant is a central resource in our organisation, acting as a reliable coordinator of communication, logistics, documentation and office systems. They support executives, teams and external stakeholders to help ensure smooth workflow, effective meetings and accurate information management. This role is ideal for a candidate who thrives in an environment where precision, responsiveness and multi‑tasking are essential.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Receptionist / Front Desk Coordinator
Junior Office Administrator
Customer Service / Client Support Representative

Advancement To:

Senior Administrative Assistant
Executive Assistant
Office Manager / Operations Coordinator

Lateral Moves:

Project Coordinator
Business Support Specialist
Human Resources Administrative Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Answer and direct incoming phone calls and emails, screen, prioritise and route correspondence while maintaining a professional front‑office image.
Greet visitors and guests, offer refreshment, inform the appropriate person of arrival and maintain a welcoming reception area.
Schedule appointments, meetings and conferences (in‑office, off‑site and virtual), prepare agendas, reserve rooms and compile meeting materials.
Book domestic and international travel, coordinate itinerary details (flight, hotel, car rental or transport) and process travel expense reports.
Prepare, edit and distribute internal and external correspondence such as memos, letters, emails, reports and presentations, ensuring consistency in branding and accuracy.
Create and maintain physical and electronic filing systems, organise documents for quick retrieval and ensure compliance with record‑keeping policies.
Oversee office supplies and inventory: monitor stock, negotiate with vendors, issue purchase orders and manage cost‑effective procurement decisions.
Manage incoming and outgoing mail and courier shipments, log tracking information, distribute packages and prepare outgoing postage.
Handle data entry, update spreadsheets and databases, produce periodic summary reports and contribute to performance metrics tracking.
Provide basic bookkeeping support: track petty cash, reconcile expense reports, process invoices and assist with budget monitoring.
Serve as a liaison across multiple departments, coordinate cross‑functional communication and assist in creating inter‑departmental workflows.
Support event planning and execution: book event venues, arrange catering, prepare attendee materials and manage logistics for conferences or workshops.
Assist in project tracking and support: monitor deliverables, update project schedules, draft progress summaries and follow up on outstanding items.
Work with IT or facilities teams to schedule and coordinate equipment repairs, maintenance, software updates, hardware procurement and meeting room setup.
Maintain updated contact lists, organise stakeholder directories, and manage distribution lists for internal and external communications.
Take minutes at meetings, distribute action items, document decisions and follow up on completion of tasks delegated in meetings.
Manage calendars for multiple executives or team members, resolve scheduling conflicts and optimise time allocation for high‑priority tasks.
Ensure confidentiality of sensitive information (contracts, personnel records, board meeting materials) and handle them with discretion and integrity.
Contribute to process improvement initiatives: identify inefficiencies in administrative workflow, propose enhancements and implement updated procedures.
Provide training and guidance to junior administrative staff or interns, serve as a resource for administrative best practices and support onboarding of new office team members.

Secondary Functions

Support ad‑hoc administrative and operational analyses (for example data requests, simple trend reports and exploratory reviews).
Collaborate with business units to translate administrative needs into system improvements and tool enhancements.
Participate in special projects and cross‑departmental initiatives, offering administrative coordination and process‑management assistance.
Assist with preparation of executive dashboards and summaries for senior leadership, summarising key administrative indicators and operational metrics.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Google Workspace tools.
Strong skills in document drafting, editing, proofreading and formatting for internal and external communications.
Calendar management and scheduling tools proficiency (e.g., Outlook, Google Calendar, Teams).
Travel and expense coordination capability including booking systems, expense platforms and reimbursement tracking.
Data entry and database management experience, able to compile, summarise and report information accurately.
Record‑keeping and filing system expertise (both physical and electronic) with strong organisational discipline.
Basic bookkeeping, invoice processing and budget tracking experience (petty cash, cost centre reconciliation).
Vendor management and procurement skills: issuing purchase orders, monitoring inventory and negotiating with suppliers.
Meeting and event coordination skills: venue booking, catering, attendee communication and logistic follow‑through.
Experience with office equipment and software systems (copiers, scanners, conferencing equipment, telephony systems).

Soft Skills

Exceptional organisational and time‑management skills: ability to prioritise multiple tasks and manage competing deadlines.
High attention to detail and accuracy, ensuring flawless execution of administrative tasks.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of interacting professionally at all levels.
Strong collaborative mindset and team‑oriented attitude, comfortable working with diverse stakeholders.
Proactive initiative: ability to anticipate needs, act independently and bring ideas for process improvement.
Excellent front‑office and customer‑service orientation: welcoming, resourceful and professional when interacting with visitors and clients.
Adaptability and flexibility to respond to changing priorities and support evolving business needs.
Discretion and confidentiality when managing sensitive information, demonstrating trust and integrity.
Problem‑solving capability: able to identify issues, propose solutions and follow through on outcomes.
Positive attitude and resilience: comfortable working in a dynamic environment and managing interruptions with composure.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:
High School Diploma or equivalent.

Preferred Education:
Associate’s degree or Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Office Management, Communications or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration
Office Management
Communications
Human Resources

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:
1–3 years of relevant administrative or office support experience.

Preferred:
3–5 years (or more) of experience in an administrative role supporting executives or multiple departments, with demonstrated competency in travel coordination, event support, budget/expense handling and project‑support tasks.