Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Regional Administrative Assistant

🎯 Role Definition

The Regional Administrative Assistant provides high-level administrative and operational support to regional leadership and distributed teams. This role combines calendar and travel management, financial and expense administration, local facilities coordination, stakeholder communication, and project support to ensure smooth regional operations. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, proactive, experienced in cross-functional collaboration, and skilled in Microsoft Office and common office systems.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Administrative Assistant / Office Assistant
Receptionist / Front Desk Coordinator
Customer Service Representative

Advancement To:

Senior Administrative Assistant / Executive Assistant (Regional)
Regional Office Manager / Operations Supervisor
HR Coordinator or People Operations Specialist

Lateral Moves:

Project Coordinator
Facilities Coordinator
Travel & Events Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage complex, multi-stakeholder calendars for regional directors and managers, coordinating internal and external meetings across time zones, prioritizing requests, proposing alternatives, and resolving scheduling conflicts to optimize leadership time.
Coordinate all aspects of domestic and international travel for regional leadership and teams, including booking flights, hotels, ground transportation, creating travel itineraries, processing visas and travel approvals, and troubleshooting in-trip disruptions.
Prepare, review, and submit detailed expense reports and reconciliations in compliance with corporate travel and expense policies; liaise with finance to resolve discrepancies and ensure timely reimbursements.
Serve as the primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders on behalf of the regional office, handling inquiries, distributing communications, and escalating issues to leadership when required.
Draft, edit, and proofread professional correspondence, presentations, reports, and meeting minutes for regional leadership and cross-functional teams, ensuring accuracy and consistent branding.
Organize and execute regional events, offsites, trainings, and town halls—from vendor sourcing and venue logistics to attendee communications, catering, AV coordination, and post-event follow-up and evaluation.
Maintain regional office operations and facilities by coordinating with building management and vendors for supplies, equipment, maintenance, security access, and health & safety compliance.
Track and manage regional budgets and purchase orders, process invoices, prepare budget summaries, and provide routine financial reporting to regional leadership and finance partners.
Coordinate onboarding logistics for new hires in the region, including workstation setup, equipment provisioning, access requests, orientation scheduling, and liaison with IT and HR.
Implement and maintain efficient electronic and physical filing systems for contracts, HR documents, vendor agreements, and compliance records, ensuring document control and confidentiality.
Support recruitment activities at the regional level by scheduling interviews, coordinating candidate travel, preparing interview kits, and communicating timelines to candidates and hiring teams.
Act as liaison between regional office and corporate teams (finance, HR, IT, procurement), ensuring alignment with corporate policies, timely issue resolution, and clear two-way communication.
Compile and analyze regional operational metrics and KPI reports (e.g., headcount, budget vs. actual, office utilization) and present findings with actionable recommendations to regional managers.
Coordinate regional compliance activities, including audit support, contract renewals, insurance documentation, and local regulatory registrations, maintaining up-to-date records and reminders for renewals.
Lead vendor management for regional office services (cleaning, catering, IT support, security), negotiate service levels, track contracts, and monitor performance and invoicing.
Manage procurement for office supplies and equipment, including vendor selection, purchase order creation, tracking deliveries, and ensuring availability of essential items to avoid operational disruption.
Provide ad-hoc project support for regional initiatives—creating project trackers, coordinating cross-functional meetings, compiling status updates, and following up on action items to drive project delivery.
Facilitate communication and coordination among geographically dispersed team members by organizing recurring calls, distributing regional newsletters, and maintaining contact lists and escalation matrices.
Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion for HR and leadership matters, ensuring compliance with privacy laws and corporate policies.
Provide cover and backup support for other administrative functions within the region as needed, including receptionist duties, mail distribution, and basic IT troubleshooting to ensure continuous office operations.
Manage regional subscription services and workplace technologies (shared drives, video conferencing platforms, office printers), coordinating with IT for upgrades and troubleshooting.
Ensure health and safety protocols are followed in regional workplaces, coordinate emergency preparedness activities, and maintain incident logs and response documentation.
Implement continuous improvement initiatives for administrative processes by identifying inefficiencies, proposing automation opportunities, and documenting standard operating procedures for the regional team.

Secondary Functions

Assist with preparation of quarterly and annual regional budget submissions and variance analyses to support strategic planning.
Support ad-hoc data requests and basic data aggregation to inform regional decision-making and leadership briefings.
Coordinate and track certifications, training, and compliance deadlines for regional staff, escalating lapses to managers.
Act as a project coordinator for cross-functional rollout activities in the region, collecting feedback and documenting localized requirements.
Manage small procurement projects and site improvements, coordinating contractors and ensuring minimal disruption to operations.
Develop and maintain FAQ resources and onboarding guides tailored to regional processes and operations.
Monitor and report on regional office occupancy and utilization to inform space planning and cost optimization.
Support marketing and employer brand activities regionally by coordinating logistics for job fairs, campus events, and community outreach.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, conditional formatting, and advanced presentation formatting.
Experience with calendar and meeting tools (Microsoft Outlook, Google Calendar) and virtual conferencing platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex) with the ability to manage large recurring meetings and webinars.
Expense management and reconciliation expertise using Concur, Expensify, or similar corporate expense platforms; strong understanding of corporate travel policy compliance.
Familiarity with HRIS and ATS systems (Workday, BambooHR, Greenhouse) to support onboarding and recruitment logistics.
Basic financial literacy for budget tracking, purchase order processing, invoice handling, and generating budget vs. actual reports.
Experience with document management systems and cloud file sharing (SharePoint, Google Drive, Box) and maintaining version control and permissions.
Vendor management and procurement experience, including RFP coordination, contract tracking, and service-level monitoring.
Facilities coordination experience—working with building management, security, and local contractors for office maintenance and setup.
Ability to create and edit presentations and professional reports using PowerPoint and Google Slides, incorporating data visualizations and executive summaries.
Basic project coordination skills using tools such as Asana, Trello, Jira, or Smartsheet to track tasks, dependencies, and deadlines.
Knowledge of travel documentation processes (visas, travel authorizations) and accessible travel arrangements for employees with specific needs.
Strong recordkeeping and compliance management skills for confidential HR and legal documentation.

Soft Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills for professional stakeholder interactions, status reporting, and executive correspondence.
High degree of organization and time management; ability to manage competing priorities and deliver under tight deadlines.
Strong attention to detail and accuracy in preparing reports, expense reconciliations, and official correspondence.
Proactive problem-solver who anticipates needs, identifies risks, and creates practical solutions.
Discretion and confidentiality when handling sensitive information related to HR, legal, and executive matters.
Customer-service orientation with a collaborative mindset and the ability to build relationships across functions and levels.
Adaptability and resilience in fast-paced, changing environments; comfort with ambiguity and shifting priorities.
Cultural awareness and sensitivity for supporting diverse regional teams and stakeholders.
Initiative and ownership—willingness to improve processes, lead small projects, and serve as a regional operations partner.
Strong interpersonal skills, diplomacy, and credibility when interacting with senior leaders, vendors, and external partners.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED; equivalent combination of education and experience acceptable.

Preferred Education:

Associate degree or bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Office Management, Human Resources, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration
Office Management
Human Resources
Communications
Project Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2 - 5 years of administrative or office coordination experience, with at least 1 year supporting regional or multi-site operations.

Preferred:

3+ years supporting senior leadership or regional operations in a corporate or multi-location environment.
Demonstrated experience with travel coordination, expense management systems (Concur/Expensify), and vendor management.
Prior experience coordinating HR onboarding and recruitment logistics or supporting people operations is advantageous.
Experience working with cross-functional teams, handling confidential information, and managing regional budgets or POs.