What does an Office Administrator do?
An Office Administrator serves as a primary support person for management and other key employees. By handling clerical and administrative tasks, they free these individuals to focus on other job duties, contributing to overall productivity.
In addition, an Office Administrator helps keep workplaces organized by handling scheduling and related tasks. They also ensure that staff have the supplies needed to perform their daily work. By responding to phone calls, emails and in-person visitors, administrators also help organizations deliver exceptional customer service.
Office Administrator skills and qualifications
A successful Office Administrator candidate will typically have a variety of skills and qualifications that help them complete their duties. Key administrative skills include:
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to respond to correspondence, prepare reports and provide information to employees, customers and vendors
- Knowledge of basic accounting and bookkeeping procedures, including billing and invoicing, budget tracking, cash handling, expense report preparation and payroll processing
- Computer skills to use email, work processing, calendar, spreadsheet, presentation, document management system, customer relationship management, accounting human resources information system (HRIS), project management, facilities management and other software programs
- Strong organizational skills to maintain accurate records and track schedules and expenses for multiple employees
- Interpersonal skills to make a positive impression on customers and vendors and interact professionally with employees
- Multitasking and time management skills to move quickly from task to task
- Leadership and supervisory skills to delegate tasks, evaluate employee performance and motivate and coach employees
Office Administrator experience requirements
Office Administrator positions often require some prior administrative or clerical experience. However, entry-level roles may not require formal experience, especially if the candidate demonstrates strong organizational, communication and computer skills.
You may prefer candidates whose work history relates to your industry. For example, you might prioritize a candidate who has work experience as an Administrative Assistant at a software consulting firm for an opening at a tech company.
When hiring an Office Administrator for a supervisory experience, previous leadership experience may also be beneficial.
Office Administrator education and training requirements
There are generally no formal education requirements for Office Administrators, making this a strong opportunity for skills-first hiring. Instead of requiring a degree or a certain number of years of experience, you may choose to prioritize candidates with practical experience in administrative support, organization, scheduling and office software proficiency.
Voluntary administrative or clerical certifications can demonstrate a candidate’s skills, knowledge and experience. Common credentials for Office Administrators include the Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence (PACE) from the American Society of Administrative Professionals (ASAP) and the Certified Administrative Professional (CAP) designation from the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP).
Office Administrator salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for an Office Administrator is $44,381 per year. Salaries vary based on skills, experience, education, certification status and location.
Office Administrator salary expectations
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Common salary:
20.59 HOURLY -
Typical salaries range from
8.70 -37.45 HOURLY - Find more information on Indeed Salaries
*Indeed data –
Job description samples for similar positions
If this Office Administrator job description doesn’t match your business needs, consider these related administrative job titles:
Office Administrator job description FAQs
Who does an Office Administrator report to?
Who an Office Administrator reports to varies based on organizational structure. Possible job titles of an administrator’s direct supervisor include Administrative Manager, Director of Administration, Vice-President (VP) of Administration and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).
Do Office Administrators need different knowledge and skills depending on their industries?
Office Administrators may need specific knowledge or skills to work in some industries. For example, those employed in health care often benefit from familiarity with medical terminology and insurance coding procedures. Positions in legal services may require strong research skills and knowledge of legal terminology.
What’s the difference between an Office Administrator and an Administrative Assistant?
Although their duties may overlap, there are some key differences between an Office Administrator and an Administrative Assistant. Office Administrators typically work at the front of the office, providing support to both clients and all employees, when needed. They’re also frequently responsible for ordering supplies and performing bookkeeping tasks.
Administrative Assistants typically provide clerical support to managers or executive-level staff members. They don’t usually sit at the front office and are less likely to have accounting and supply inventory-related responsibilities. In some cases, an Office Administrator may directly supervise a team of Administrative Assistants.
What makes a good Office Administrator?
A good Office Administrator often enjoys helping others and interacting with people. Attentiveness to detail can help an Office Administrator perform accurate work when attending to bookkeeping and performing other complex tasks. Because their day-to-day duties may vary, an Office Administrator usually benefits from flexibility and a willingness to adapt to change.
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
