Office Manager

Run the day-to-day of an office - facilities, suppliers, people support, events.

This UK office manager career guide covers what the role involves day to day, typical salary at each stage, the usual entry route, the skills employers expect, and related careers worth comparing.

Quick facts

Starting salary
£25,000 - £32,000
Mid-career salary
£32,000 - £45,000
Senior salary
£48,000 - £65,000
Work environment
Office or hybrid
Time to entry
2 - 5 years
Degree required
Often required
Category
Business, Finance and Legal

What a Office Manager does

Run the day-to-day of an office - facilities, suppliers, people support, events.

  • Single Site Office Manager - Run day-to-day office for one site.
  • Practice Manager (Professional Services) - Run a small law/accountancy firm office.
  • EA + Office Manager - Combined exec assistant + office manager role.
  • Multi-site Office Manager - Coordinate offices across multiple cities.

How to become a Office Manager

  1. Look up Office Manager roles on LinkedIn or Indeed and read 5 real job ads
  2. Talk to someone already working as a Office Manager - even a 15-minute call helps
  3. Find one beginner course or qualification used by people in this role
  4. Build one small piece of evidence you've explored this (project, shadowing, short course)
  5. Apply to one entry-level role or related opportunity within the next month

Key skills

  • Operations
  • People skills
  • Supplier mgmt
  • Event basics
  • IT systems