The role of an office manager today

As a more senior role, individuals usually actualise the career of an office manager after gaining valuable work experience in administration. Office managers work in diverse industries, including finance jobs, IT jobs, and so forth. This role can be rewarding as it engages with leadership responsibilities as well as typical administrative tasks. Overall, the office manager ensures an office space is performing smoothly through efficient operations. 

What does this finance job look like in practice? Generally, office managers undertake various administrative, clerical, and managerial tasks that are required to keep an office organised. Inclusive of managerial duties, managers also work to supervise other employees and offer training measures. They are typically the point of contact to address any concerns related to the office environment.

The diversity of industries

As mentioned broadly beforehand, office managers can work in diverse industries, allowing individuals the liberty to select organisations they feel passionate about. Any company that operates with an office function will need an office manager as a valuable means of support. This also suggests that office managers will continue to grow in demand as a contributor to business growth and success.

Office managers are additionally able to find this finance job among organisations of different sizes. Common industry types for this job in Malta or elsewhere include:

• Healthcare such as in hospitals,
• Academia, such as in universities or schools,
• Financial sectors, including banks and similar institutions,
• Governments,
• Small businesses and NGOs, and
• Large organisations.

Naturally, every organisation will present different opportunities and objectives. As someone looking to work as an office manager, you might want to explore what industry best interests you so that you can gain relevant work experience for future jobs. 

Duties and responsibilities of office managers

Whilst the duties and responsibilities of office managers may differ according to business and industry type, the following presents commonalities between these finance jobs:

• Be the first point of contact as guests enter the office,
• Delegate administrative tasks to respective staff,
• Supervise and coach staff,
• Developing and maintaining administrative systems, including any software,
• Organised record keeping of diverse business affairs,
• Office budget-planning and similar strategy decision-making,
• Organise company stock such as office supplies and similar equipment,
• Ensure that all teams and departments have sufficient staffing and training development,
• Schedule and organise meetings where needed, 
• Organise events that involve internal teams for external work activities like events, and
• Organise and manage maintenance around the office.

Overall, the office manager observes various internal teams and ensures their office functions are running smoothly. This can entail dynamic tasks, including whether training measures are in place for relevant personnel and budget planning for specific processes. 

Salary expectations 

The demand for office managers is rapidly increasing, leading the career with fast-paced growth capabilities alongside impressive salary raises. The Castille Salary Survey is based on the average gross basic salary ranges we have seen offered in the local market over the last 12 months. This survey is updated quarterly, remaining representative of current market trends.  

Due to the diversity of finance jobs, including their respective domains, salaries vary greatly. For example, an office manager can expect a salary that ranges from €25,000 to €30,000 euros. Due to these differences, it is worth consulting with our salary survey for further insights into finance jobs.  

For a global perspective, it is worth keeping in mind that sources vary and are subject to change with time. Considering these variances, salaries for office manager jobs consistently reflect an average salary ranging from $45,000 to $60,000 a year. These numbers vary according to level of experience, specialisation, and other associated living costs.

Education and qualifications of an office manager

Whilst there are no strict qualifications to become an office manager, a competitive jobs market encourages applicants to pursue their studies in a relevant discipline. Degrees or certifications to consider relate to business management, leadership, and so forth. Whatever education you wish to explore, it’s worth considering those opportunities that help you gain a skill set that is useful for practical work experience. As an office manager represents a more senior role in administration, educational qualities can help you succeed in this career faster.

Trending technologies and skill sets 

Overall, office managers aim to ensure business processes run smoothly and effectively. In working with diverse personnel, they create positive relations with individuals internally and externally. Their skill sets involve:

• Organisation: to ensure business operations are performing well, office managers should be organised in record keeping as well as other qualities such as multitasking, time management, etcetera.
• Time management: in working across various team processes, office managers must be able to prioritise certain tasks over others. Good time management will help managers fulfil multiple tasks before deadlines. Managers can create schedules to help handle their task load or explore software that can do this electronically.
• Technical skills: office managers conduct their work mainly on computers, necessitating decent digital and computer literacy to fulfil their roles effectively. Common software such as word processors, email applications, and databases are mainly significant. For office managers looking to improve business development, software can also be useful to help integrate across different teams for efficiency.
• Leadership: like many finance jobs that are managerial roles, it’s natural that an office manager is expected to supervise and train relevant personnel to assist office performance. 

Finally, communication skills wrap up the above, as office managers collaborate with internal and external individuals. They consult with senior management to drive business growth and take this information to their teams, delegating tasks accordingly. Written communication is also important for organised record keeping purposes.

Career prospects as an office manager

As an office manager, duties and responsibilities expand to include coaching, policy recommendations, improving employee relations through team building, for example, and other leadership responsibilities. It’s an ever-evolving role that differs across various industries according to company requirements. As an integral member of a company, office managers will continue to flourish in a competitive jobs market.

For jobseekers interested in pursuing a career path as an office manager, individuals should work to gain valuable work experience in any preferred industry. Of course, if applicants are interested in specialising in a certain industry, they should look for finance jobs in these specific areas. Then, with enough experience and expertise, office managers can enjoy the general benefits a leadership role attains.

Begin your office manager career today with Castille 

Now that you’ve critically assessed what working as an office manager is about and whether it is right for you, you are able to kickstart your career in this ever-growing field. As technology and the workforce continues to rapidly advance, the role of an office manager remains a career suitable for the long-haul.