Admin & Office Support is a very varied area and can differ dramatically depending on the size of the business. Larger businesses tend to have more defined roles whereas startups may have people working over a variety of administrative functions. We have listed a number of the main areas you could work in but in some businesses, this could expand to Finance, HR or Operations.

Administration covers a wide range of roles and responsibilities but broadly speaking it involves providing support to the rest of an office or company. Organisation and attention to detail are key, as administration roles can involve handling incoming telephone calls, scheduling meetings and booking meeting rooms, filing notes, inputting data, diary management, travel arrangements, managing office supplies, and much more. Your main responsibility is to ensure that the office runs as efficiently as possible.

Data Entry roles involve taking information from several different sources and inputting them into the company’s computer system. Concentration and attention to detail are key as you’ll have to handle large amounts of information that can quite often be sensitive or confidential.

Office Managers ensure the smooth running of an office on a day-to-day basis and may manage a team of administrative or support staff. Managing office budgets, booking transport and accommodation, organising company events, ordering stationery, ensuring health and safety processes are followed and up to date, organising the office layout, researching and writing reports, and assisting the HR team with anything from inductions for new joiners to staff appraisals and training can all fall under the remit of an Office Manager. An Office Management role is arguably the role most at the center of any organisation.

Personal Assistant (PA), Executive Assistant (EA), and Team Assistant (TA) roles all involve providing a wide array of support to other members of the business. TAs support a team of people, whereas PAs and EAs more commonly involve supporting one person with an EA supporting those at executive level, such as the CEO or CFO. Core responsibilities of these roles include acting as a first point of contact and dealing with correspondence and phone calls, scheduling meetings and appointments, booking and arranging travel and accommodation, managing diaries, organising events, and a wide variety of administrative duties.

Reception or Front of House roles involve being the first point of contact for a business. They involve essential front desk duties such as answering phone calls and greeting clients, contractors, and other visitors as well as setting up and clearing meeting rooms, managing refreshments for meetings and workshops, and a variety of ad hoc administrative tasks.