Office manager is a term used to designate the job of administrative manager orexecutive assistant. The office manager assists the general manager in managing his or her departments.
As a result, they play an important role not only in human resources, but also in administration, management and even commerce. The office manager is a jack-of-all-trades who knows how to do everything.
The office manager is the link between employees and managers. His or her primary role is to implement a managerial policy in the departments. However, as they often work in SMEs or VSEs, they need to have cross-functional skills.
A company will recruit an office manager to assist employees with all administrative matters. The office manager also plays an important role with the accounting department, since he or she is responsible for passing on important information to this department.
With experience, the office manager becomes the company's linchpin. They are responsible for implementing all management decisions. In some companies, they may even be called upon to manage the company's finances.
He/she will manage the deployment and steering of the company's projects, once they have been validated by management. The smooth running of a VSE or SME depends directly on his or her skills.
The office manager must have :
- A sense of hierarchy,
- Greatadaptability,
- Relational skills to be as much the ear of the employees as of the boss,
- Good oral skills,
- An excellent understanding of the issues facing the company,
- Team management skills,
- Proficiency in software suites such as Pack Office,
- Ability to prioritize tasks,
- The ability to understand and manage a budget.
Office managers often hold a 2-year higher education qualification in one of the following fields:
- BTS in management, support for managerial action (BTS SAM),
- BTS in accounting,
- BTS assistant de gestion PME-PMI,
- BTS in management.
- DUT GEA (business and administration management).
Graduates with a bac+3 often have professional training in one of the following areas:
- Professional degree in organizational management,
- BUT GEA (business and administration management),
- Bachelor's degree in management,
- Bachelor's degree in management.
Training courses are available to become an office manager, enabling you to apply for a position as an executive assistant with only a baccalaureate. However, without qualifications, it will be very difficult to gain access to this type of position, given the range of skills required.
24,000€ gross per year at the start of a career, i.e. a net salary after tax of around 1,527€. With experience, an office manager can earn up to €48,000 gross per month, or around €2,760 net after tax.
In large companies, the office manager can negotiate the payment of a 13th month, and sometimes even a 14th month.
Why not become an independent office manager?
Today'sindependent office managers benefit from numerous levers to structure and develop their business. Platforms such as Plateya play a key role in facilitating access to assignments suited to their skills, while offering a space for exchange and skills enhancement. Thanks to these gas pedals, freelance office managers can expand their network, refine their professional posture and access strategic resources to meet corporate expectations with efficiency and flexibility.
With experience, the office manager can aspire to the position of administrative and financial director of a company, head of general services or head of the legal department.
Therange of possibilities is wide, as the office manager has developed solid cross-functional skills. His or her career development will depend directly on his or her areas of specialization.
Written by our expert Cyril SCHWASTIAK
November 22, 2022
