Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Business Support Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Business Support Manager leads and optimizes back-office and operational functions that enable frontline teams to deliver results. This role blends people leadership, cross-functional coordination, financial oversight, policy and process design, vendor management, and performance reporting to deliver consistent, efficient business services. The Business Support Manager is accountable for operational excellence, cost control, compliance, and continuous improvement initiatives that reduce friction and improve organizational productivity.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Senior Administrative Officer / Office Manager
Operations Coordinator / Operations Analyst
HR or Finance Business Partner

Advancement To:

Head of Business Operations
Operations Director / Director of Administration
Chief of Staff

Lateral Moves:

Program Manager (Operational Programs)
Vendor & Procurement Manager
Facilities & Employee Experience Lead

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Own and manage day-to-day business support operations, including office services, reception, travel coordination, facilities, mailroom, and employee onboarding/offboarding processes to ensure smooth and predictable service delivery across the organization.
Develop, monitor and report on operational KPIs and service-level agreements (SLAs) for all business support functions; present monthly dashboards and insights to senior leadership and recommend corrective action when targets are not met.
Lead the annual budgeting, forecasting and cost-control process for administrative and support functions, tracking expenditures, identifying savings opportunities, and ensuring alignment with overall corporate financial plans.
Design and implement standardized procedures, policies and process documentation for cross-functional support activities to improve efficiency, reduce error rates and scale services for growth.
Manage vendor relationships including sourcing, contract negotiation, performance management and renewal for facilities, security, catering, travel, office supplies, and outsourced administrative services.
Serve as the central point of contact between business units and shared-service teams (HR, Finance, IT, Legal) to coordinate requests, ensure timely resolution and escalate critical issues appropriately.
Coordinate and project-manage workplace initiatives such as office relocations, workplace reconfiguration, health & safety programs, and hybrid work enablement, ensuring minimal disruption to operations.
Oversee procurement and inventory management for office supplies and equipment, enforce purchase controls, approve requisitions within delegated authority, and implement cost-saving procurement practices.
Lead, coach and develop a team of administrative and support staff; build capability through training, 1:1 coaching, performance reviews and clear development plans.
Implement and enforce compliance and regulatory requirements relevant to facilities, data privacy, health & safety and corporate policies; maintain accurate records and support internal and external audits.
Drive continuous improvement and process automation projects (e.g., workflow automation, digital forms, ticketing systems) to reduce manual work and improve data accuracy for support services.
Coordinate corporate events, internal meetings, board meetings, and executive logistics with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring professional execution and adherence to budget.
Manage executive support and calendar coordination for senior leaders when required, ensuring alignment between strategic priorities and day-to-day scheduling.
Facilitate cross-functional problem solving for operational incidents, conduct root-cause analysis, implement corrective actions and communicate outcomes to stakeholders.
Oversee tenant, landlord and facilities vendor relationships for leased premises; coordinate maintenance schedules, repairs, and capital improvements with minimal business impact.
Manage service vendors’ SLAs and performance scorecards; perform regular vendor reviews and run competitive sourcing processes to optimize cost and quality.
Develop and maintain business continuity and crisis-response plans for facilities and support functions; lead operational response during incidents and coordinate recovery activities.
Lead data-driven initiatives to improve service quality, including gathering feedback through surveys, analyzing patterns, and translating insights into actionable improvements.
Ensure accurate and timely administrative and operational reporting (e.g., expense reports, procurement records, inventory lists, compliance logs) to support finance and audit requirements.
Partner with HR and IT to streamline employee onboarding/offboarding checklists, equipment provisioning and access management to accelerate time-to-productivity and maintain security controls.
Champion a service-oriented culture across support teams, setting clear expectations for responsiveness, ownership, and stakeholder-first behaviors.
Implement and manage vendor invoicing processes and approval workflows, ensuring timely reconciliation, dispute resolution and adherence to contractual terms.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc cross-functional projects such as mergers & acquisitions integration, office consolidation or CSR initiatives, providing operational expertise and execution capacity.
Conduct regular reviews of vendor contracts and marketplace benchmarking to identify alternative suppliers and negotiate better pricing or service terms.
Support development and rollout of internal communications related to facilities, policies, or process changes to ensure employee awareness and compliance.
Assist with basic HR administration tasks including benefits coordination support, facilities-related employee queries and coordination of background checks when required.
Maintain and update knowledge base resources for support services, enabling self-service options and reducing repetitive queries to the team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Operational management: experience running day-to-day support functions across multi-site environments and hybrid workplaces.
Budgeting & financial controls: cost forecasting, budget management, P&L awareness and expense reconciliation skills.
Vendor & contract management: sourcing, RFPs, SLA management, contract negotiation and performance scorecarding.
Project management: ability to plan, track, and deliver projects (e.g., office moves, process automation) using formal project control techniques.
Data & reporting: experience building and maintaining KPI dashboards, Excel modelling, Google Sheets, or BI tools (Power BI, Tableau).
Systems proficiency: familiarity with ticketing systems (ServiceNow, Zendesk), facility management tools, procurement/ERP (Coupa, SAP, Workday) and calendar systems (Outlook, Google Workspace).
Compliance & risk management: knowledge of health & safety, GDPR/data privacy basics, and workplace regulatory requirements.
Process improvement methodologies: practical application of Lean, Six Sigma, or Kaizen principles to streamline administrative workflows.
Procurement and inventory controls: stock management, purchase order workflows and invoice reconciliation.
Event and executive logistics management: end-to-end planning and vendor coordination for meetings and leadership support.

Soft Skills

Stakeholder management: ability to build strong relationships and influence senior leaders, cross-functional peers and external vendors.
Communication: clear, concise written and verbal communication tailored to diverse audiences, including executive reports.
Problem solving: analytical mindset to identify root causes and implement sustainable solutions.
Prioritization & time management: manage competing priorities, urgent requests and long-term projects with discipline.
Leadership & people development: coach and motivate small teams, drive accountability and foster a high-service culture.
Attention to detail: meticulous approach to contracts, financial records, event logistics and compliance documentation.
Adaptability: thrive in fast-paced environments and respond efficiently to changing business needs.
Customer-service orientation: proactive, responsive, and solution-focused approach to internal client needs.
Negotiation: confident negotiator able to secure favorable terms with suppliers and service providers.
Diplomacy & confidentiality: handle sensitive information discreetly and maintain professionalism in high-pressure situations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Finance, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s plus relevant certifications (e.g., PMP, Lean/Six Sigma, Facilities Management) or an MBA for senior roles.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration / Management
Finance / Accounting
Operations Management
Human Resources / Organizational Development
Facilities Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–8 years of relevant experience in business support, operations, facilities, or administrative management roles.

Preferred:

5+ years managing teams and cross-functional projects in medium-to-large organizations.
Proven track record of process improvement, vendor management, and budget responsibility.
Experience with ERP/procurement systems, ticketing platforms and reporting/BI tools.