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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Operations Administrative Assistant

💰 $42,000 - $60,000

OperationsAdministrationOffice Management

🎯 Role Definition

The Operations Administrative Assistant provides high-impact administrative and operational support to keep business functions running smoothly. This role manages executive and team calendars, orchestrates travel and events, processes expenses and purchase orders, maintains vendor relationships, and enforces office policies and compliance. The ideal candidate is a proactive planner, polished communicator, and detail-oriented operations partner who anticipates needs and eliminates friction across teams.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Administrative Assistant
  • Office Coordinator
  • Customer Service Representative

Advancement To:

  • Operations Coordinator
  • Office Manager
  • Project Coordinator
  • Executive Assistant
  • Operations Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • HR Coordinator
  • Facilities Coordinator
  • Procurement Specialist
  • Supply Chain Administrator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage complex, multi-person calendars and scheduling for operations and leadership teams, prioritizing meetings, resolving conflicts, and ensuring meeting preparedness with agendas and pre-read distribution.
  • Coordinate domestic and international travel logistics including airfare, ground transportation, visas, itineraries, hotel bookings, per diem planning and expense pre-approval to optimize cost and time.
  • Own end-to-end expense reporting and reconciliation using Concur/Expensify, ensure timely submission and adherence to company travel and expense policies, and support month-end close activities.
  • Process purchase orders, vendor invoices, and requisitions in ERP or accounting systems (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, Oracle), verify approvals, and track POs to closure while maintaining accurate audit trails.
  • Maintain vendor relationships: onboard vendors, manage contracts and service renewals, solicit and compare quotes, and coordinate repairs, maintenance and service-level follow-ups.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for front-desk and office operations: manage supplies, inventory, mail, deliveries, access badges, and facilities requests to ensure a safe, well-stocked workplace.
  • Prepare, proofread and format presentations, reports, and executive communications; compile meeting minutes, action items and follow-ups to ensure accountability and timely completion.
  • Support HR onboarding logistics for new hires including equipment provisioning, workspace setup, badge access, orientation scheduling and coordination with IT and facilities.
  • Maintain and update databases and CRM systems (Salesforce or similar) with accurate contact, vendor and client information to support reporting and cross-team collaboration.
  • Generate, analyze and distribute operational dashboards and KPI reports (weekly/monthly) that surface trends, bottlenecks, and opportunities for process improvement.
  • Administer petty cash and corporate card reconciliations, verify receipts, code expenses to GL accounts, and maintain compliance with finance controls and audit requirements.
  • Implement and document standard operating procedures (SOPs) for recurring administrative processes and continuously iterate to reduce cycle time and errors.
  • Coordinate and support cross-functional projects and ad hoc operational initiatives, track milestones, and escalate risks or resource constraints to stakeholders.
  • Organize company events, team meetings, offsites and client-facing receptions including venue sourcing, catering, A/V, attendee management, and post-event reconciliation.
  • Facilitate procurement and inventory control for office equipment, technology peripherals and branded materials, including vendor selection, negotiation and lifecycle replacement planning.
  • Handle confidential information with discretion, manage sensitive HR and finance documents, and ensure data privacy and records retention compliance.
  • Triage inbound operational requests from multiple channels (email, ticketing system, Slack), prioritize workstreams, and drive timely resolutions with internal and external partners.
  • Coordinate workplace health and safety procedures, facilitate emergency drills, and work with facilities/landlord on building logistics, repairs and compliance.
  • Maintain travel, expense and procurement policies documentation, educate staff on best practices, and act as the departmental subject matter expert for policy exceptions.
  • Support accounts receivable/payable administrative needs, prepare simple invoices, assist with billing inquiries and help reconcile vendor statements as needed.
  • Lead small process-improvement efforts such as automating manual forms, implementing new tools (scheduling, booking, ticketing) and training staff to adopt new workflows.
  • Prepare and distribute internal communications and operational announcements, ensuring consistent tone and brand alignment.
  • Support legal and compliance requests by pulling records, coordinating signature collection, and logging contract renewals and approvals.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to answer operational questions and validate process hypotheses.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap by documenting requirements and recommending tooling improvements.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering or system requirements and prioritize small enhancements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within cross-functional teams to surface administrative dependencies.
  • Assist with basic bookkeeping tasks and vendor payment follow-ups during high-volume periods.
  • Provide back-up reception and triage for client and vendor inquiries when front-desk staff are unavailable.
  • Assist with IT ticket coordination and vendor escalation to resolve employee equipment or software issues promptly.
  • Maintain digital and physical filing systems to support fast retrieval and regulatory audit readiness.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite — Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, basic macros), Word and PowerPoint for executive-level deliverables.
  • Strong experience with Google Workspace (Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets) and shared collaboration practices.
  • Expense management platforms: Concur, Expensify, SAP Concur or equivalent for bookings and reconciliations.
  • Familiarity with CRM systems (Salesforce, HubSpot) and maintaining contact/partner records.
  • Experience with ERP or accounting systems: NetSuite, SAP, Oracle or QuickBooks for PO and invoice processing.
  • Travel booking tools and platforms (Egencia, Concur Travel, airline and hotel portals).
  • Knowledge of procurement workflows, vendor onboarding and purchase order lifecycle management.
  • Basic bookkeeping and account reconciliation skills, including GL coding and invoice matching.
  • Comfort using project and ticketing tools: Asana, Trello, Jira, Zendesk, or ServiceNow.
  • Document and records management tools: SharePoint, Box, Dropbox and electronic signature tools (DocuSign).
  • Ability to create and maintain operational dashboards using Excel, Google Sheets or basic BI tools (Looker Studio/Tableau/Power BI).
  • Data entry with high accuracy and experience maintaining clean databases.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional organization and prioritization with the ability to manage multiple competing deadlines in fast-paced environments.
  • Clear, professional written and verbal communication; experience drafting executive-level communications and meeting materials.
  • Strong attention to detail and quality assurance mindset that prevents errors in financial and compliance tasks.
  • Proactive problem-solving and resourcefulness—anticipates administrative needs and initiates follow-through.
  • High discretion and ethical handling of confidential HR, legal and financial information.
  • Customer-focused service orientation with a calm, professional demeanor when interacting with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Collaborative team player who partners effectively across functions and escalates issues constructively.
  • Adaptability and resilience when processes or priorities change rapidly.
  • Time management and ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
  • Negotiation and vendor management skills to secure competitive pricing and reliable service levels.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Finance, Hospitality Management, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Operations Management
  • Logistics / Supply Chain
  • Finance / Accounting
  • Human Resources
  • Hospitality / Event Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2–5 years of progressive administrative, operations, or executive support experience in a fast-paced corporate environment.

Preferred:

  • 3+ years supporting operations or executive teams with demonstrated ownership of travel, expense, PO/invoice processing and vendor relationships.
  • Experience with enterprise tools such as Concur, Salesforce, NetSuite/SAP, and advanced Excel skills.
  • History of implementing process improvements, SOPs, or small automation projects that increased operational efficiency.
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