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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Agency Administrator

💰 $45,000 - $75,000

AdministrationOperationsAgency ManagementOffice Management

🎯 Role Definition

The Agency Administrator is the operational backbone of a creative, consulting, or staffing agency. This role centralizes office operations, client- and vendor-facing administration, contract and billing support, records and compliance management, and cross-functional project coordination. The Agency Administrator ensures smooth day-to-day execution, reliable reporting, and professional client and vendor interactions so agency teams can focus on delivery and growth.

Primary SEO / LLM keywords: agency administrator, office manager, agency operations, vendor management, client billing, contract administration, CRM administration, onboarding, procurement, administrative support.


📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Administrative Assistant / Executive Assistant with agency or professional services exposure
  • Office Coordinator or Operations Assistant in a marketing, PR, or creative firm
  • Project Coordinator or Client Services Coordinator

Advancement To:

  • Office Manager / Senior Agency Administrator
  • Operations Manager / Program Manager
  • Director of Agency Operations / Head of Office Services

Lateral Moves:

  • Client Services Manager
  • HR Generalist (recruiting/onboarding focus)
  • Finance or Billing Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage day-to-day office operations for the agency, including front-desk functions, supplies procurement, facility coordination, mail and courier logistics, and vendor relationships to maintain an efficient, professional workplace.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for client administrative requests, coordinating meeting logistics, preparing client-ready materials, managing agendas, and ensuring actionable follow-ups are tracked and delivered.
  • Administer contract lifecycles by preparing, routing, tracking, and archiving service agreements, NDAs, and statements of work (SOWs); coordinate with legal and account teams to ensure timely signature and effective contract renewal reminders.
  • Own billing and invoicing processes: generate accurate invoices, submit billings to clients, reconcile accounts receivable with finance, resolve client billing inquiries, and coordinate collections procedures.
  • Maintain agency CRM and contact databases (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) by entering new leads, updating client records, managing pipeline hygiene, and producing contact lists and mail merges for outreach.
  • Process purchase orders and vendor invoices through accounting or procurement systems (QuickBooks, Xero, Concur, or internal P2P), ensuring proper GL coding, approvals, and timely payment.
  • Coordinate travel, lodging, and expense management for agency staff and visiting clients, managing travel itineraries, booking, and expense report reconciliation to policy standards.
  • Facilitate new-employee onboarding logistics: prepare workstations, set up accounts (email, Slack, project tools), coordinate orientation schedules, collect forms, and provide first-day office tours.
  • Support recruitment logistics and interview scheduling, maintain candidate records, prepare interview packs, and coordinate offer documentation and pre-employment checks.
  • Produce regular operational reports and dashboards (office spend, vendor performance, headcount, invoice aging) using Excel, Google Sheets, and reporting tools to enable data-driven decision-making.
  • Track agency budgets and departmental spend; assist department leads with monthly expense forecasting, accruals, and cost center analysis.
  • Oversee records management and archiving: maintain organized physical and digital filing systems, ensure document retention compliance, and support audits by retrieving and verifying documentation.
  • Coordinate meeting and event support, including agency-wide all-hands, client workshops, off-site retreats, and recruiting events—managing venue selection, catering, A/V, and attendee communications.
  • Manage IT and facilities vendor relationships (internet, printer, security, cleaning), report and track tickets, escalate issues, and coordinate repairs to minimize operational downtime.
  • Implement and maintain office policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs), updating employee handbooks, access controls, and emergency preparedness plans.
  • Support procurement strategy by sourcing quotes, negotiating rates with vendors, maintaining preferred supplier lists, and seeking cost-saving opportunities for recurring services.
  • Act as a compliance coordinator for licensing, insurance certificates, and regulatory filings; coordinate renewals, maintain centralized records, and notify stakeholders ahead of expiration.
  • Take ownership of recurring administrative projects (office moves, workspace redesigns, hardware refresh cycles), developing project plans, timelines, budgets, and stakeholder communications.
  • Prepare and distribute minutes, action items, and meeting summaries for leadership and client meetings, ensuring clear accountability and timely follow-through.
  • Monitor and refine internal tools and processes (document templates, time-tracking practices, expense policy) by collecting user feedback, documenting workflows, and implementing incremental improvements.
  • Provide day-to-day support to account teams with project coordination tasks—tracking deliverables, updating status reports, and maintaining project folders to reduce administrative overhead on client-facing staff.
  • Serve as a confidential administrative resource for senior leadership, handling sensitive documentation, expense approvals, and ad-hoc executive requests with discretion.
  • Support marketing and business development activities by preparing pitches, managing proposal templates, collating bios, and coordinating production of client-facing collateral.
  • Maintain KPIs for administrative performance (response time, invoice turnaround, onboarding completion rate) and present quarterly operational reviews to leadership.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc reporting requests and compile operational data to help teams identify process bottlenecks and cost-saving opportunities.
  • Contribute to process improvement initiatives and cross-functional projects that advance agency scalability and repeatable operational practices.
  • Coordinate with IT and systems teams to translate administrative needs into system enhancements, ensuring admin tools and automations are fit for purpose.
  • Assist in preparing RFP responses, vendor evaluations, and procurement documentation to support strategic vendor selection.
  • Deliver training sessions and quick-reference guides for new systems, office policies, and vendor procedures to ensure smooth adoption across teams.
  • Provide backup executive assistant support for scheduling, travel, and confidential documentation when needed.
  • Participate in quarterly or annual audits by gathering supporting documents and responding to compliance or finance inquiries.
  • Help maintain marketing asset libraries, case study archives, and corporate templates to ensure brand consistency across client deliverables.
  • Act as a liaison between remote staff and on-site facilities to coordinate equipment shipments, remote onboarding, and workspace access.
  • Assist with simple HR admin such as time-off tracking, benefits enrollment coordination, and maintaining personnel records in HRIS.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced Microsoft Excel including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, conditional formatting and basic macros for reporting and budget reconciliation.
  • Proficiency with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Calendar) for cross-team collaboration and shared documentation.
  • CRM administration experience (Salesforce, HubSpot, or equivalent) — managing records, uploading contacts, and basic reporting.
  • Familiarity with accounting and invoicing systems (QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite or similar) and AP/AR workflows.
  • Experience with expense management and travel booking tools (Concur, Expensify, or corporate travel platforms).
  • Purchase order and procurement system usage; experience entering POs, matching invoices, and tracking vendor spend.
  • Contract administration skills including document version control, e-signature platforms (DocuSign, Adobe Sign), and contract lifecycle tracking.
  • Facility/vendor management: procurement of services, contract renewals, and vendor performance tracking.
  • Basic HRIS exposure (BambooHR, Workday, or equivalent) to support onboarding and personnel recordkeeping.
  • Familiarity with ticketing/IT helpdesk systems (Zendesk, Freshdesk) and experience escalating and following up on service requests.
  • Document and records management systems usage, including cloud storage best practices and retention policies.
  • Basic reporting and dashboard creation using Google Sheets, Excel, or simple BI tools to summarize operational KPIs.
  • Strong typing and data entry accuracy with attention to quality control and error checking.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional organizational and time-management skills with the ability to prioritize competing requests in a fast-paced agency environment.
  • Strong written and verbal communication: ability to craft client-ready emails, meeting summaries, and cross-functional updates.
  • High attention to detail and commitment to accuracy in billing, contracts, and compliance-related tasks.
  • Proactive problem-solver who identifies issues and drives practical solutions with limited supervision.
  • Customer-focused mindset: professional and responsive client- and vendor-facing demeanor.
  • Discretion and integrity when handling confidential documents, financial information, and personnel matters.
  • Collaborative team player who works effectively across departments and with remote colleagues.
  • Flexibility and adaptability to changing priorities and evolving agency needs.
  • Strong stakeholder management with the ability to escalate appropriately and maintain productive vendor relationships.
  • Initiative and ownership orientation: follows through on tasks and continuously seeks process improvements.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED required.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate’s degree or Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Office Management, Communications, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Office Management
  • Public Administration
  • Human Resources
  • Marketing / Communications
  • Accounting or Finance fundamentals

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–5 years of administrative, operations, or office management experience, preferably within an agency, professional services or fast-paced corporate environment.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years experience supporting client-facing teams in an agency, with demonstrated ownership of billing, contract administration, and vendor management.
  • Prior exposure to CRM and accounting systems, event coordination, and facilities procurement.