Office manager job description template: the office's size, the hidden HR and finance work, and exempt status
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In a 12-person company, the office manager is often the de facto HR department, the bookkeeper's assistant, the IT contact and the person who knows where the spare keys are. In a 300-person headquarters, the office manager runs a team and a facilities budget. Both postings tend to say "manage day-to-day office operations," which tells candidates nothing about the job they would be doing. A useful office manager job description names the size of the office, the duties that fall outside a typical admin role, and whether the person supervises anyone. Below is a copy-ready template, the classification and onboarding compliance lines with sources, screening questions and scorecard rows, and common mistakes. The general method is in how to write a job description that screens.
Map the scope before you write
| Area | Questions to settle with the hiring manager |
|---|---|
| Office size and sites | How many people, one location or several, and how many visitors a day? |
| People work | Does the role handle onboarding paperwork, Form I-9, benefits questions, payroll inputs or time records? |
| Money | Does it process invoices, manage a budget, reconcile company cards or run petty cash? Up to what amount without approval? |
| Facilities and vendors | Lease contact, cleaning, maintenance, security, equipment and supplies; how many vendors? |
| Technology | First contact for laptops, phones and accounts, or an outside IT provider? |
| Supervision | Does the role direct receptionists or administrative staff, and can it hire or fire? |
The answers shape the title, the pay and the classification. A medical or dental practice manager, or a law firm office manager, will also have industry duties such as patient scheduling systems or conflict-check support; name them, because experience with them is a real advantage.
The office manager job description template
Office Manager, [Company or site]
[Company], [street area or city] — [On-site; hours]
Pay: $[min]–$[max] per [year / hour]. [Benefits summary, if
required.] [Overtime-eligible / exempt, after review.]
SUMMARY
You will run our [N]-person office in [city] [and support our
[N] remote staff]. You are the main contact for vendors, facilities
and office systems, you handle [onboarding paperwork / benefits
questions / payroll inputs], and you [supervise our N front-desk and
administrative staff / work alongside our executive assistant]. You
will report to [title].
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Keep the office working: supplies, equipment, mail, visitors and
meeting spaces.
- Manage [N] vendors, including [cleaning, maintenance, security,
IT provider], and the landlord on building issues.
- Run new hire logistics: workstation, accounts, first-day schedule,
[and complete onboarding forms, including Form I-9].
- [Collect time records and send payroll inputs to [provider / HR]
by [deadline].]
- [Process vendor invoices and reconcile company cards; manage an
office budget of about $[N] a year.]
- [Hire, schedule and supervise [N] front-desk staff.]
- Plan [company events / all-hands logistics].
YOU MUST HAVE
- Run an office or a large share of one, including vendors and
facilities, for [size] people.
- Handled confidential employee or financial information accurately.
- Managed several deadlines at once without reminders.
- [Supervisory roles: hired, trained or directed other staff.]
- [Finance duties: processed invoices or reconciled accounts.]
NICE TO HAVE
- Experience with [HR system], [accounting software], [practice
management system].
- [Industry: medical, dental, legal] office experience.
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
FIXED CONDITIONS
- On-site [days and hours]; [occasional early starts for events or
deliveries].
- Spending authority up to $[N] without approval.
- Offers are subject to [checks] as permitted by law.
HOW WE HIRE
[Recruiter screen; conversation with [title]; a short prioritization
exercise; meeting two team members.]
[EEO STATEMENT]
If you need an adjustment to apply or interview, email or call
[contact].Classification, onboarding compliance and pay lines
Not legal advice. The points below were checked against federal regulations and USCIS guidance as of October 2026. States can set higher salary levels and different duty tests; confirm with counsel.
Exempt or nonexempt. Office managers are one of the titles most often misclassified, because the word "manager" does not decide anything. The federal executive exemption requires a salary of at least $684 a week, a primary duty of managing the enterprise or a recognized department, customarily and regularly directing the work of two or more other employees, and either authority to hire or fire or recommendations that are given particular weight (29 CFR 541.100). An office manager who supervises no one can only be exempt under another test, such as the administrative exemption, which requires the exercise of discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance (29 CFR 541.200). If the review says nonexempt, post the role as overtime-eligible.
Form I-9. If the office manager completes new hire paperwork, the employer or its authorized representative must complete Section 2 of Form I-9 within three business days of the employee's first day of work for pay (USCIS). That is a deadline worth naming as a duty, and a reason to ask about it in the screen. Storage and retention rules are covered in electronic I-9 storage requirements.
Pay. Post the approved range; see pay transparency laws by state. For an outside check, the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entry for administrative services and facilities managers (last modified August 27, 2026) fits larger offices, while many small-office managers are closer to the OEWS occupation First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers (SOC 43-1011). This page does not quote figures.
EEO. Close with your standard EEO statement covering the characteristics the EEOC lists, and an accommodation contact with a phone option.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ran an office, including vendors | "How many people and vendors did your last office have, and which vendor problem took the most of your time?" | Operations ownership | Numbers, a specific vendor issue and how it was resolved or replaced |
| Confidential information | "What employee or financial information did you handle, and how did you keep it secure?" | Discretion | Names the data and concrete practices: locked storage, access limits, not discussing it |
| Juggling deadlines | "Payroll inputs are due at noon, a new hire starts tomorrow and the heat is out. What do you do first?" | Prioritization | Meets the fixed deadline, delegates or schedules the rest, keeps people informed |
| Onboarding paperwork | "Walk me through a new hire's first three days from your side, including forms." | Accuracy and compliance | Knows the Form I-9 timing without prompting and has a checklist |
| Supervision (if required) | "Tell me about someone you supervised who was struggling. What did you do?" | People leadership | Clear expectations, feedback, and a result either way |
The fuller call, with red flags, is in office manager screening questions. If the role turns out to be support for a few leaders rather than the office itself, the administrative assistant job description template is a better fit. After the hire, the 30-60-90 day plan for office managers sets first-quarter goals for the same areas.
Common mistakes in office manager job descriptions
"Other duties as assigned" doing all the work
If the role handles payroll inputs, benefits questions or bookkeeping, list them. Candidates without that experience will rule themselves out, and those with it will apply.
Exempt by title
Calling the role a manager and paying a salary does not make it exempt. Classify on duties and pay, and post the result.
No spending authority
"Manage office budget" means little without a number. State the budget and the approval threshold so candidates know how much trust comes with the role.
Hiding the IT
If the office manager is the first stop for laptops and accounts, say so. It is a common reason for early frustration when it is discovered after the start date.
Personality instead of tasks
"Bubbly, energetic people person" can read as coded preference and tells candidates nothing. Describe the visitors, calls and events the role handles.
Before you publish
- Office size, sites and the HR, finance and IT duties are stated.
- Supervision and spending authority are clear.
- Classification has been reviewed against the duties and the posting says overtime-eligible or exempt.
- Form I-9 and other onboarding duties appear if the role does them.
- An approved pay range, the EEO statement and an accommodation contact close the posting.
Questions people ask
Is an office manager exempt from overtime?
Not automatically. The title does not decide it; the duties and pay do. The federal executive exemption requires, among other things, a salary of at least $684 a week, management as the primary duty, regularly directing two or more employees and real weight in hiring and firing decisions. An office manager who supervises no one may still qualify under the administrative exemption, or may not. Have the duties reviewed.
What is the difference between an office manager and an administrative assistant posting?
An administrative assistant supports specific people or a team with scheduling, documents and logistics. An office manager is responsible for the office itself: vendors, facilities, supplies, budgets, onboarding logistics and often some HR and bookkeeping tasks, and may supervise front-desk or administrative staff.
Should an office manager posting list HR duties?
Yes, if they exist. Many office managers in small companies handle onboarding paperwork, Form I-9 completion, benefits enrollment questions and payroll inputs. Listing those tasks attracts people who have done them and lets you screen for accuracy and confidentiality, which matter more than the title.
Should the posting require a degree?
Usually not. Strong office managers often come up through reception, administrative or operations roles. Ask for the scope they have handled, such as the size of office, vendors managed and budget owned, rather than a degree.