Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Administrative Clerk

🎯 Role Definition

The Administrative Clerk performs essential clerical and administrative support functions to keep the office environment running smoothly. This role involves handling correspondence, maintaining records, managing supplies, supporting staff across teams, and executing day‑to‑day office operations with accuracy and professionalism. The ideal candidate is organised, detail‑oriented, communicative and able to multitask effectively in a fast‑paced environment.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Office Assistant / Data Entry Clerk
File Clerk / Document Control Support
Receptionist with additional clerical duties

Advancement To:

Senior Administrative Clerk / Senior Office Support Specialist
Administrative Coordinator / Office Coordinator
Administrative Officer / Office Services Manager

Lateral Moves:

Records Management Specialist
Procurement Support Associate
Front Desk Supervisor

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Handle incoming and outgoing mail and packages: sort, distribute, log and manage courier/tracking services to ensure timely delivery and accurate records.
Answer, screen and direct telephone calls, greet visitors, provide basic information or route inquiries to appropriate staff while maintaining professional front‑office presence.
Maintain electronic and physical filing systems: create, update and organise files, records and archives, ensure retrieval is efficient and compliant with retention standards.
Assist in scheduling meetings, appointments and conference room bookings: prepare agendas, coordinate resources, send invitations and document minutes where required.
Prepare and proofread correspondence, reports, memos, presentations and documentation: ensure accuracy, format consistency and timely distribution.
Monitor office supply inventory, place orders, receive deliveries and reconcile invoices: work with vendors and track usage to support cost‑effective operations.
Perform data entry and update spreadsheets, databases and tracking systems: ensure accuracy, verify entries and produce reports for supervision.
Support basic bookkeeping tasks such as expense tracking, invoice processing, petty cash reconciliation and liaising with finance staff.
Operate and maintain office equipment (printers, copiers, scanners, fax machines): troubleshoot minor issues, schedule maintenance and replace consumables.
Liaise with vendors and service providers: track service calls, schedule repairs, manage vendor contacts and ensure service level compliance.
Assist in onboarding new employees: prepare workstations, issue equipment or credentials, provide orientation support and ensure administrative readiness.
Support departmental or cross‑functional projects: compile data, coordinate logistics, manage document version control and follow‑up on action items.
Respond to internal and external stakeholder enquiries: provide information, escalate issues as needed and maintain strong customer service standards.
Update and maintain staff directories, contact lists, calendars and internal communication tools, ensuring data accuracy and up‑to‑date information.
Archive older records, verify retention schedules, purge files per policy and coordinate digital scanning or migration of paper documents.
Track travel arrangements, accommodations or event logistics for staff and visitors: book transport, prepare itineraries and ensure timely communication.
Prepare materials for meetings and training sessions: arrange seating, equipment, catering, compile hand‑outs and distribute to participants.
Support compliance with organisational policies and procedures: follow confidentiality, data protection, records retention and audit requirements.
Collect and generate basic operational reports and metrics: compile supply usage, equipment downtime, phone logs or front‑desk interactions, and present summary to supervisor.
Offer back‑up reception or front‑office coverage when needed: greet guests, manage waiting area, ensure visitor badges, direct access and maintain professional environment.

Secondary Functions

Support ad‑hoc data requests and exploratory administrative analyses such as tracking resource consumption or service response times.
Contribute to the organisation’s administrative roadmap by identifying operational inefficiencies, proposing improvements and supporting small‑scale workflow enhancements.
Collaborate with other support teams (IT, Facilities, HR) to translate office support needs into system updates or improved administrative tools.
Participate in internal meetings, training sessions and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance administrative service delivery and office culture.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and comfortable using common office equipment and software.
Strong data entry and database management skills: accuracy, entry speed and ability to maintain and retrieve records effectively.
Experience managing document filing systems (both physical and electronic): organisation, indexing, retrieval and archiving.
Ability to coordinate calendars, meetings, appointments and travel logistics with appropriate tools or software.
Basic bookkeeping and expense tracking capability: invoice processing, purchase orders, petty cash reconciliation and expense logs.
Vendor/supply management competency: inventory tracking, procurement workflows, vendor liaison and cost‑control awareness.
Excellent correspondence preparation skills: proofing, formatting, draft to final documents and professional presentation.
Front‑office equipment operation and basic maintenance ability: printers, copiers, scanners, multi‑line phones, fax machines.
Ability to prepare and generate simple operational or support‑service reports and summaries.
Knowledge of basic records retention, confidentiality standards and administrative compliance.

Soft Skills

Excellent organisational and time‑management skills: prioritise tasks, manage varied demands and meet deadlines reliably.
Strong written and verbal communication skills: interact effectively with internal and external stakeholders, produce clear documentation and convey information professionally.
High level of attention to detail and accuracy: ensure work is free of errors, documentation is precise and follow‑up is complete.
Customer‑service orientation: approachable, responsive, professional in dealing with visitors, staff and external contacts.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team: take initiative, ask for guidance when needed and contribute to group success.
Adaptability and flexibility: respond to changing priorities, ad‑hoc requests and unexpected tasks in a dynamic work environment.
Problem‑solving mindset: identify administrative issues or inefficiencies, suggest improvements and assist with resolution.
Integrity, discretion and confidentiality: handle sensitive information appropriately and uphold professional ethics.
Collaboration and interpersonal skills: build relationships, work across functions, coordinate with colleagues and external providers.
Continuous learning and improvement orientation: seek ways to streamline processes, adopt new tools and improve service delivery.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:
High school diploma or equivalent; some courses in office administration, business or secretarial studies are beneficial.
Preferred Education:
Associate degree or certificate in Business Administration, Office Management, Records Management or related field.
Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration
Office / Administrative Support
Records Management
Communications

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:
0–2 years of administrative or clerical experience in an office environment supporting documentation, filing, customer service or supply functions.
Preferred:
2+ years of related experience in a support role with evidence of reliable performance, multitasking ability and administrative competency.