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What does an executive assistant/office manager do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
What does an executive assistant/office manager do

An executive assistant/office manager specializes in administrative support tasks within an office or an organization. One of their primary responsibilities includes assisting the director or head of an office by responding to calls and inquiries, handling correspondence, arranging appointments and meetings, managing schedules, and reporting necessary updates. They must also monitor inventory and procure necessary supplies, process documentation, and perform other tasks to support staff. Furthermore, an executive assistant/office manager may take part in the preparations and approval of the payroll, budget, and other necessary databases concerning employees and departments.

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Executive assistant/office manager responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real executive assistant/office manager resumes:

  • Manage insurance claims, EOBS, AR, collections and billing.
  • Manage all accounting: AP, AR, commission payments, deposits, wire transfers, invoicing, and monthly reconciliations.
  • Manage the SVP's calendar with emphasis on proactive planning as well as change and flexibility to accommodate changing client needs.
  • Manage employee rate/benefits calculation tables and calculate employee PTO accounting.
  • Manage e-mail for SVP by reviewing and identifying critical areas requiring attention.
  • Restructure the financial operation aspects of the entire FCS organization accomplish by QuickBooks and other technologies.
  • Coordinate team meetings and events; maintain team/department SharePoint site and organizational charts.
  • Prepare PowerPoint presentations to be used during executive brainstorming initiatives and annual, national real estate agent tours.
  • Coordinate all documentation for insurance benefits, including medical, dental, vision, cobra and 401k.
  • Support HRIS analyst in processing confidential information, including employee contracts, salary data, hires, and terminations.
  • Maintain an HRIS database; tracking incoming and outgoing sailors and all pertaining personnel records including pay, vacation and benefits.
  • Improve payroll processing efficiency by reducing data entry time and error rates in tracking PTO hours and flexible spending account reimbursements.
  • Collect, review and secure personal assistance/homemaker worksheets and daily logs, while driving compliance with company policy and HIPPA guidelines.
  • Develop and maintain SharePoint sites for cross-department collaboration on projects.
  • Perform all administrative oversight and budget adherence and assist in contract negations.

Executive assistant/office manager skills and personality traits

We calculated that 10% of Executive Assistant/Office Managers are proficient in Customer Service, Financial Reports, and Office Equipment. They’re also known for soft skills such as Writing skills, Interpersonal skills, and Organizational skills.

We break down the percentage of Executive Assistant/Office Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Customer Service, 10%

    Performed high-priority dispute-resolution customer service functions.

  • Financial Reports, 8%

    Prepared complex weekly and monthly financial reports for management, detailing monthly expenditures, income and financial ratio analysis.

  • Office Equipment, 6%

    Managed daily facility operations including liaison with landlord, office contracts, vendor activities, office equipment maintenance and supply ordering/inventory.

  • PowerPoint, 6%

    Assist in preparation of materials for Board Meetings, including PowerPoint presentations, preparing individual binders and ensuring their timely delivery.

  • Office Management, 5%

    Implemented effective office management techniques, including maintaining filing systems, purchasing office supplies, performing bank reconciliation and preparing correspondence.

  • Office Operations, 5%

    Maintain office services by organizing office operations and procedures, preparing payroll, controlling correspondence, assigning and monitoring clerical functions.

Most executive assistant/office managers use their skills in "customer service," "financial reports," and "office equipment" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential executive assistant/office manager responsibilities here:

Writing skills. One of the key soft skills for an executive assistant/office manager to have is writing skills. You can see how this relates to what executive assistant/office managers do because "secretaries and administrative assistants write memos and emails when communicating with managers, employees, and customers." Additionally, an executive assistant/office manager resume shows how executive assistant/office managers use writing skills: "author of the company newsletter, writing and editing company press releases. "

Interpersonal skills. Another essential skill to perform executive assistant/office manager duties is interpersonal skills. Executive assistant/office managers responsibilities require that "secretaries and administrative assistants interact with clients, customers, or staff." Executive assistant/office managers also use interpersonal skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "experienced new customer service skills while working with a different type of customer, the alumni, and developed interpersonal skills. "

Organizational skills. executive assistant/office managers are also known for organizational skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to executive assistant/office manager responsibilities, because "secretaries and administrative assistants keep files, folders, and schedules in order so that an office runs efficiently." An executive assistant/office manager resume example shows how organizational skills is used in the workplace: "prepared organizational budget, ar/pr, and monthly financial reports utilizing quickbooks. "

See the full list of executive assistant/office manager skills

Choose from 10+ customizable executive assistant/office manager resume templates

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Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume
Executive Assistant/Office Manager Resume

Compare different executive assistant/office managers

Executive assistant/office manager vs. Office lead

An office lead is responsible for performing complex administrative tasks, especially in front office operations, managing staff performance, and providing high-quality customer service by responding to visitors' inquiries and concerns and directing them to the appropriate department. These leads monitor daily business transactions, write business reports, and manage the information in the system database. They also schedule appointments, business travels, and company meetings and ensure that the plans meet the allocated budget and requirements of the management.

If we compare the average executive assistant/office manager annual salary with that of an office lead, we find that office leads typically earn a $21,131 higher salary than executive assistant/office managers make annually.Even though executive assistant/office managers and office leads are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require customer service, office equipment, and powerpoint in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between executive assistant/office managers and office lead. For instance, executive assistant/office manager responsibilities require skills such as "financial reports," "office management," "calendar management," and "event planning." Whereas a office lead is skilled in "data entry," "patients," "payroll," and "cash management." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Office leads really shine in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $88,206. Comparatively, executive assistant/office managers tend to make the most money in the real estate industry with an average salary of $72,968.office leads tend to reach similar levels of education than executive assistant/office managers. In fact, office leads are 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Executive assistant/office manager vs. Manager's assistant/administrative assistant

A manager's assistant, or administrative assistant, is responsible for providing support to the management by performing administrative and clerical tasks as needed. Some of the administrative assistant's duties include receiving and responding to customer's inquiries and concerns through e-mail, phone calls, and personal visits, scheduling meetings or important events, generating operations reports, keeping records of the company's expenses, and monitoring office supplies. An administrative assistant must have exceptional work ethics and time-management skills, as well as the ability to multi-task to perform multiple tasks under minimal supervision.

Manager's assistant/administrative assistant positions earn lower pay than executive assistant/office manager roles. They earn a $15,215 lower salary than executive assistant/office managers per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both executive assistant/office managers and managers's assistant/administrative assistant have skills such as "customer service," "financial reports," and "office equipment. "

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, executive assistant/office manager responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "calendar management," "event planning," "real estate," and "office space." Meanwhile, a manager's assistant/administrative assistant has duties that require skills in areas such as "loss prevention," "purchase orders," "customer inquiries," and "travel arrangements." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Managers's assistant/administrative assistant may earn a lower salary than executive assistant/office managers, but managers's assistant/administrative assistant earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $45,900. On the other hand, executive assistant/office managers receive higher pay in the real estate industry, where they earn an average salary of $72,968.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Managers's assistant/administrative assistant tend to reach similar levels of education than executive assistant/office managers. In fact, they're 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Executive assistant/office manager vs. Office manager/administrative assistant

An office manager, also known as an administrative ssistant, is responsible for overseeing the workflow in an office or department. An office manager's duties mostly revolve around performing clerical tasks, such as organizing and maintaining accurate schedules and documentation, obtaining office supplies and equipment, arranging meetings and appointments, preparing reports and evaluations, and handling calls and other forms of correspondence. Furthermore, an office manager serves as the contact person for different departments. Therefore it is crucial to maintain an active line of communication and coordination at all times.

On average scale, office managers/administrative assistant bring in lower salaries than executive assistant/office managers. In fact, they earn a $20,334 lower salary per year.executive assistant/office managers and office managers/administrative assistant both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "customer service," "financial reports," and "office equipment," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an executive assistant/office manager is likely to be skilled in "calendar management," "office space," "property management," and "international travel arrangements," while a typical office manager/administrative assistant is skilled in "data entry," "travel arrangements," "purchase orders," and "expense reports."

Office managers/administrative assistant earn the best pay in the professional industry, where they command an average salary of $39,721. Executive assistant/office managers earn the highest pay from the real estate industry, with an average salary of $72,968.office managers/administrative assistant typically earn similar educational levels compared to executive assistant/office managers. Specifically, they're 1.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Executive assistant/office manager vs. Assistant executive director

An Assistant Executive Director helps the director in planning and monitoring the progress of the department. They ensure compliance with regulations and internal policies, participate in budgeting and monitoring expenses, and create reports and submit them to the director.

Assistant executive directors tend to earn a higher pay than executive assistant/office managers by an average of $8,120 per year.While their salaries may vary, executive assistant/office managers and assistant executive directors both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "customer service," "financial reports," and "human resources. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. An executive assistant/office manager uses "office equipment," "powerpoint," "office management," and "office operations." Assistant executive directors are more likely to have duties that require skills in "healthcare," "oversight," "nursing home," and "state regulations. "The average resume of assistant executive directors showed that they earn higher levels of education compared to executive assistant/office managers. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 14.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 2.1%.

Types of executive assistant/office manager

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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