What does an office manager/administrative assistant do?
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.
Office manager/administrative assistant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real office manager/administrative assistant resumes:
- Manage detailed administrative records using POS retail software.
- Scan and file all documents into EMR and paper chart.
- Coordinate yearly CPR training with local fire department for post office employees.
- Scan all labs retrieve from various insurance portals, and medical records into the EMR.
- Compile payroll information within deadlines.
- Compile expense reporting and payroll for manufacturing facility staff.
- Direct and handle all distribution of hospitality software licensing utilizing QuickBooks for customer invoices.
- Enter daily sales into QuickBooks for company management and maintain a daily ledger for company accuracy.
- Develop innovative PowerPoint presentations used by management in order to demonstrate new ideas coming into the company.
- Design and prepare PowerPoint slides for executive-level briefings (classify and unclassify) to senior DoD officials.
- Provide management oversight and monitor billing systems to minimize and/or prevent bad debt, while contributing to collectible revenue.
- Direct employees to ensure all courses and logistics are entered, communicate and followed-up in accordance to FDA & ISO standards.
- Provide comprehensive administrative support ranging from data/records maintenance, some A/R, A/P, inventory, phone management and general office.
- Maintain proper storage and adequate physical security for the COMSEC material hold by the account.
- Provide proper documentation for charts for Medicaid and government guidelines.
Office manager/administrative assistant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Office Managers/Administrative Assistant are proficient in Customer Service, Data Entry, and Financial Statements. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Organizational skills, and Writing skills.
We break down the percentage of Office Managers/Administrative Assistant that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 16%
Systematized basic office operations, coordinated telemarketing, legal assistance, courier services, training personnel in customer service procedures.
- Data Entry, 10%
Resolved Customer issues, administered payroll along with data entry into QuickBooks and assisted with marketing strategy approaches.
- Financial Statements, 5%
Provided administrative support to Partner: documented financial statements and bank confirmations, assembled tax returns, scheduling.
- Travel Arrangements, 5%
Scheduled meeting presentations, arranged travel arrangements for regional branches, interviewed vendors for office requirements, and provided telephone support.
- Purchase Orders, 5%
Created a detailed purchase order tracking spreadsheet utilizing Excel pivot tables to more effectively communicate discrepancies to customers.
- Office Equipment, 5%
Managed sub-contracts of all furniture delivery for logistics companies requesting furniture and office equipment deliveries for the Southeastern United States.
Common skills that an office manager/administrative assistant uses to do their job include "customer service," "data entry," and "financial statements." You can find details on the most important office manager/administrative assistant responsibilities below.
Interpersonal skills. One of the key soft skills for an office manager/administrative assistant to have is interpersonal skills. You can see how this relates to what office managers/administrative assistant do because "secretaries and administrative assistants interact with clients, customers, or staff." Additionally, an office manager/administrative assistant resume shows how office managers/administrative assistant use interpersonal skills: "demonstrated excellent customer services and interpersonal skills, received and processed imprinting orders. "
Organizational skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling office manager/administrative assistant duties is organizational skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "secretaries and administrative assistants keep files, folders, and schedules in order so that an office runs efficiently." According to an office manager/administrative assistant resume, here's how office managers/administrative assistant can utilize organizational skills in their job responsibilities: "prepare clear and comprehensive financial reports for executive-level management ensuring achievement of all organizational objectives. "
Writing skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of office managers/administrative assistant is writing skills. This skill is critical to many everyday office manager/administrative assistant duties, as "secretaries and administrative assistants write memos and emails when communicating with managers, employees, and customers." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "assist with financial reports, completion of annual budget, and coordinate timely responses in writing. "
The three companies that hire the most office manager/administrative assistants are:
- Gannett2 office managers/administrative assistant jobs
- IDEX2 office managers/administrative assistant jobs
- University of Southern California2 office managers/administrative assistant jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable office manager/administrative assistant resume templates
Build a professional office manager/administrative assistant resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your office manager/administrative assistant resume.
Compare different office managers/administrative assistant
Office manager/administrative assistant vs. Senior secretary
A Senior Secretary is responsible for maintaining office records, receiving and directing telephone calls, and writing various reports for managers. They also schedule appointments and meetings for supervisors and assist in the process of new hires.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between office managers/administrative assistant and senior secretary. For instance, office manager/administrative assistant responsibilities require skills such as "customer service," "financial statements," "travel arrangements," and "quickbooks." Whereas a senior secretary is skilled in "patients," "routine correspondence," "payroll," and "secretarial support." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Senior secretaries earn the highest salaries when working in the pharmaceutical industry, with an average yearly salary of $39,400. On the other hand, office managers/administrative assistant are paid more in the professional industry with an average salary of $39,721.senior secretaries tend to reach similar levels of education than office managers/administrative assistant. In fact, senior secretaries are 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Office manager/administrative assistant vs. Executive assistant/office manager
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.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that office manager/administrative assistant responsibilities requires skills like "data entry," "travel arrangements," "purchase orders," and "expense reports." But an executive assistant/office manager might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "calendar management," "office space," "property management," and "international travel arrangements."
On average, executive assistant/office managers earn a higher salary than office managers/administrative assistant. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, executive assistant/office managers earn the most pay in the real estate industry with an average salary of $72,968. Whereas office managers/administrative assistant have higher pay in the professional industry, with an average salary of $39,721.In general, executive assistant/office managers achieve similar levels of education than office managers/administrative assistant. They're 1.8% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Office manager/administrative assistant vs. Office and operations manager
Office and Operations managers are tenured or experienced employees with a strong office administration and business operations background. They oversee office operations and ensure that the administrative team is working well. They are in charge of enforcing office policies and drafting new ones should the need arise. They ensure that office supplies never run out and that the office remains clean at all times. Office and operations managers are also assigned to oversee business operations. They manage the needs of the operations team. They also ensure that the department is running well to avoid any problems related to production.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an office manager/administrative assistant is likely to be skilled in "data entry," "word processing," "telephone calls," and "administrative tasks," while a typical office and operations manager is skilled in "logistics," "direct reports," "office systems," and "business operations."
Office and operations managers earn the highest salary when working in the government industry, where they receive an average salary of $62,431. Comparatively, office managers/administrative assistant have the highest earning potential in the professional industry, with an average salary of $39,721.Most office and operations managers achieve a similar degree level compared to office managers/administrative assistant. For example, they're 3.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Office manager/administrative assistant vs. Accountant and office manager
An accountant/office manager is responsible for monitoring the organization's accounting records and financial reports, analyzing statistical information, and managing payroll processes. Accountant/office managers must have excellent knowledge of accounting disciplines and principles to perform accounting duties and train accounting staff of the accounting operations, overseeing account receivables, conducting bank reconciliations, and responding to the staff's inquiries and concerns. An accountant/office manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, helping the management develop practical accounting and financial approach, maintaining the stability of the organization's cash management.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between office managers/administrative assistant and accountant and office managers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an office manager/administrative assistant might have more use for skills like "data entry," "financial statements," "scheduling appointments," and "quickbooks." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of accountant and office managers require skills like "payroll tax returns," "reconciliations," "general ledger accounts," and "journal entries. "
Accountant and office managers enjoy the best pay in the real estate industry, with an average salary of $59,443. For comparison, office managers/administrative assistant earn the highest salary in the professional industry.In general, accountant and office managers hold similar degree levels compared to office managers/administrative assistant. Accountant and office managers are 3.0% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of office manager/administrative assistant
Updated January 8, 2025
