Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Administrative Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Administrative Manager oversees and champions the administrative, operational and support services of an organisation. This individual leads administrative teams, designs and implements policies and systems, manages office facilities and vendor relationships, controls budgets and resources, ensures compliance and drives process improvements to support business goals. Reliability, strategic thinking and superior organisational skills are key.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Senior Administrative Supervisor
Office Services Manager
Operations Coordinator / Administrative Team Lead

Advancement To:

Director of Administration or Office Services
Senior Manager Operations & Administration
Vice President of Operations Support

Lateral Moves:

Facilities & Real Estate Manager
Business Operations Manager
Procurement & Vendor Relations Director

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead, supervise and motivate the administrative services team including recruitment, onboarding, training, performance evaluation and allocation of duties to ensure a high‑performing administrative unit.
Develop, implement and continuously refine administrative policies, standard operating procedures and workflows to enhance efficiency, consistency and organisational compliance.
Oversee the administrative budget: monitor costs, manage expenses, approve purchases, forecast resource requirements and identify cost‑saving opportunities across services.
Manage office facilities and support services: organise space planning, maintenance, equipment lifecycle, vendor contracts, security, cleaning and safety protocols.
Coordinate and optimise office supplies, procurement and inventory management: track usage, negotiate with suppliers, approve requisitions and maintain cost‑control.
Oversee records management and data retention processes: ensure document filing systems (electronic and paper) are maintained, compliant with regulatory standards and accessible.
Ensure adherence to corporate policies, legal regulations and audit requirements: including health & safety, data protection, labour compliance and internal controls.
Serve as liaison between senior leadership, departmental managers and administrative staff: ensure clear communication, alignment of support services and timely delivery of administrative functions.
Manage logistics for meetings, board sessions, conferences and corporate events: schedule resources, set up venues, coordinate catering, travel and materials distribution.
Analyse administrative operations metrics, prepare regular reports for senior management, highlight trends, identify bottlenecks and propose improvements.
Supervise payroll, benefits administration, scheduling, time‑keeping and administrative support activities in coordination with HR and finance teams.
Oversee vendor relationships and contracts related to administrative services: manage service level agreements (SLAs), performance metrics, renewal negotiations and vendor selection.
Ensure information technology, communication systems and office equipment are functioning: collaborate with IT to maintain productivity tools, front‑office systems and support infrastructure.
Drive process improvement initiatives: identify inefficiencies in administrative workflows, lead projects to implement automation or process redesign and monitor outcome.
Manage multi‑department administrative projects such as office relocations, renovations, facilities expansions and cross‑functional service upgrades.
Oversee customer service or reception functions: ensure front‑office operations, visitor management, communications and enquiry handling deliver professional experience.
Maintain professional organisational culture and staff engagement: organise training, professional development, team meetings and promote continuous improvement mindset.
Manage risk and ensure business continuity for administrative operations: develop contingency plans, ensure back‑up systems and support change management.
Coordinate with finance on accounts payable/receivable, billing, expense approvals and financial documentation within administrative scope.
Represent the administrative function in strategic planning meetings: contribute to business strategy, resource planning and operational alignment with organisational goals.

Secondary Functions

Support ad‑hoc data requests and exploratory analysis of administrative operations, resources and performance.
Contribute to the organisation’s broader operational roadmap by aligning administrative services with business units and translating administrative needs into system or engineering requirements.
Collaborate in sprint planning or cross‑functional meetings where workflows, systems or administrative tools are developed, improved or integrated.
Participate in change management, organisational development initiatives and administrative transformation efforts.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and administrative management software or enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
Budget and financial management capability: expense tracking, cost forecasting, report generation and vendor invoice management.
Experience in facilities, office services and vendor contract management including procurement, SLAs and supplier negotiations.
Records management knowledge: electronic and paper filing, document retention, archiving and regulatory compliance.
Workflow and process design: ability to document, analyse and optimise administrative procedures and system integrations.
Data‑driven operational reporting: ability to collect metrics, produce dashboards, analyse gaps and present findings to leadership.
HR and staff management: recruitment, onboarding, performance evaluation, scheduling and staff development.
Project management skills: coordinate multi‑department initiatives, relocations, service roll‑outs or process improvement efforts.
Regulatory and compliance oversight: awareness of health & safety, data protection, labour laws, internal audit controls and governance frameworks.
Communication and information systems: ability to manage telephony, communications infrastructure, front‑office systems and integration with IT services.

Soft Skills

Outstanding leadership and team management: motivate, coach and supervise administrative personnel with a strong focus on service delivery.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills: articulate with stakeholders at all levels, translate administrative issues into business language and deliver professional interactions.
Exceptional organisational and time‑management abilities: manage multiple tasks, deadlines and competing priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
High attention to detail and commitment to quality: ensure accurate documentation, compliance, reporting and support services.
Strategic thinking and business acumen: align administrative operations with broader business objectives and drive value for the organisation.
Problem‑solving and initiative: identify operational issues, propose improvements, implement solutions and evaluate impact.
Adaptability and resilience: manage change, support evolving requirements and maintain service excellence under pressure.
Interpersonal and stakeholder‑relationship skills: collaborate across departments, build partnerships and deliver customer‑service‑oriented support.
Integrity and confidentiality: handle sensitive information responsibly, demonstrate ethical conduct and build trust.
Continuous improvement mindset: commit to learning, process enhancement and innovation in administrative operations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Office Management, Operations Management or related field.
Preferred Education:
Master’s degree or advanced certification in Business Administration, Operations or Administration leadership.
Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration
Operations Management
Office/Facilities Management
Public Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:
5–8 years of progressive experience in administrative support or office services management roles, including supervisory responsibilities.
Preferred:
7+ years of administration leadership experience with demonstrated results in process improvement, budget and facilities management and cross‑functional coordination.